Climate Research & Corporate Interests

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies are widely promoted as climate solutions, yet their development has been strongly shaped by fossil fuel industry interests. Corporate investment has steered CCS toward applications like enhanced oil recovery, which paradoxically extend fossil fuel extraction while claiming climate benefits.

In countries like Norway, CCS has received significant political and financial support, often framed as a win-win for industry and the environment. However, research and public critique highlight the mismatch between such narratives and the slow, limited deployment of CCS infrastructure. Despite decades of promotion, current global storage capacity falls far short of what’s needed to meet climate targets.

Underlying this is a deeper concern: the influence of funding sources and political agendas on what kinds of climate research are prioritised. CCS often receives support not because it is the most effective path to decarbonisation, but because it aligns with the interests of powerful actors seeking to preserve fossil fuel markets. Critics argue this represents a form of greenwashing—creating the appearance of climate action while delaying structural change.

The case illustrates how technological solutions cannot be understood outside their political and economic contexts. Scientific objectivity can be undermined by funding structures, institutional priorities, and stakeholder influence. CCS often receives support not because it is the most effective path to decarbonisation, but because it aligns with the interests of powerful actors seeking to preserve fossil fuel markets.

By highlighting these dynamics, this case demonstrates the need for reflexivity and accountability in determining which technologies are championed and funded in the name of climate action. As such, critical attention to the values and motivations behind research agendas is crucial for ensuring that research serves the public interest rather than reinforcing existing inequalities.

A Green Solution or a Greenwash? A Narrative Analysis of Carbon Capture and Storage in Norway by Amlie Erika Amundsen

Carbon Capture and Storage at the End of a Lost Decade by Martin-Roberts et al.

The Influence of Industry Sponsorship on the Research Agenda by Fabbri et al.

False Hope: Why Carbon Capture and Storage Won’t Save the Climate, a report by Rochon et al. for Greenpeace

Uncertain Storage Prospects Create a Conundrum for Carbon Capture and Storage Ambitions by Lane et al.

Identifying and Mitigating Greenwashing of Carbon Utilization Products by Faber & Sick