How can we reduce CO2 emissions when some industrial activities continue to produce them despite efforts to achieve an energy transition? Carbon capture is one of the technologies being studied to address this equation.
Concretely, it involves capturing the carbon dioxide emitted by certain industries--or directly present in the air--in order to store it sustainably or reuse it rather than releasing it into the atmosphere.
This technology is now the subject of a national strategy. In December 2025, the government published a framework for the deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and atmospheric CO2 removal (CDR) technologies.
Faced with this new direction, the consultancy Carbone 4 and the organisation Cell published an analysis and three recommendations on the plan on Monday 16 March. The two organisations welcome the initiative, but call for a controlled roll-out. In their press release, they state that “the framework for action on carbon capture is welcome”, while stressing that it must lead “to realistic and ambitious implementation towards negative emissions”.
Strong climate pressure
The debate comes at a particularly tense environmental time for the country. Luxembourg has once again become the second country in the world to reach its “overshoot day”, set this year for 17 February.
As of this date, the natural resources that the planet can regenerate in one year for one inhabitant of the country have already been consumed.
In this context, reducing greenhouse gas emissions remains a central issue if we are to achieve the national objective of climate neutrality by 2050.
Technology for emissions that are difficult to avoid
Some industrial activities produce emissions that are difficult to eliminate through electrification or the use of hydrogen. The framework for action identifies the cement industry, waste incineration, certain bioenergy plants and the glass industry as potential sources of capture. According to the estimates presented in the document, the theoretical potential for capture in Luxembourg could reach between 1.9 and 2.7 million tonnes of CO2 per year.
These technologies therefore aim to deal with some of the residual emissions that remain despite decarbonisation efforts.
First recommendation: reduce emissions before capturing carbon
In their analysis, Carbone 4 and Cell first insist on the hierarchy of climate solutions.
The organisations point out that “carbon capture must remain a last resort after reducing energy consumption and resources in particular.”
In their view, transforming production and consumption patterns must remain the main lever of the climate transition, in order to avoid excessive dependence on these technologies.
Second recommendation: ensure transparency of captured emissions
The second recommendation concerns the accounting of captured carbon.
Carbon 4 and Cell stress that “to provide an effective and efficient incentive, a robust and transparent accounting system must be established and assured”.
Such a system must allow carbon to be accurately tracked from capture to long-term storage. Without a clear framework, the authors point to a number of risks: double counting, confusion between carbon captured and carbon actually stored, and a loss of credibility for climate mechanisms.
Third recommendation: structure an ecosystem of players
Finally, the two organisations stress the need to build a genuine industry around carbon capture.
The deployment of these technologies involves the coordination of a large number of players, ranging from manufacturers to financial institutions, public authorities, researchers and verification bodies.
Carbon 4 and Cell therefore stress the need for “a coordinated ecosystem of players capable of translating ambitions into concrete deployments”.
A European challenge for Luxembourg
Luxembourg also has to deal with a major geological constraint. Geological storage of CO2 remains prohibited on national territory.
The captured carbon will therefore have to be transported to sites abroad, which reinforces the importance of European cooperation to develop the infrastructure needed to transport and store CO2.
