Despite economic headwinds and shifting policy priorities, carbon capture and storage (CCS) continues to expand worldwide, driven by stronger policy signals, new investment, and deepening public–private collaboration. The Global CCS Institute’s 2025 flagship report, Staying the Course, finds that the technology is advancing steadily toward gigaton-scale deployment, underscoring CCS as an essential pillar of industrial decarbonization.
The Global Status Of CCS 2025 report reveals that 77 CCS projects are now operational, with 47 more under construction, marking another record year for deployment.
Global capture capacity has grown at a compound annual rate above 30% since 2017, with gains seen across all stages of development, from early-stage feasibility to commercial operation.
The data highlight a consistent trend: where there is policy, there are projects. Nations that have established clear legal and regulatory frameworks are seeing their project pipelines expand most rapidly.
Germany, for example, has launched a €6 billion (US$7 billion) program to help its heavy industries slash emissions – the first national climate contract framework to formally include CCS.
This move positions Europe’s largest economy as a frontrunner in integrating carbon management into industrial strategy, potentially reshaping competitiveness within the bloc.
Relevant: Germany Unveils $7B Program To Decarbonize Industry With Carbon Capture
By contrast, Australia, despite its vast geological storage potential and the landmark Moomba CCS project, risks losing momentum due to the absence of a coordinated national strategy, according to Damian Dwyer, Acting CEO of Low Emission Technology Australia (LETA).
“Without a national CCUS strategy, incorporating both storage and utilisation, Australia will struggle to compete for investment, safeguard industrial jobs, or meet its own emissions targets,” Dwyer said.
Policy Certainty Fuels Private Investment
According to the Institute, 2025 has brought both new uncertainties and historic advances, but the overall trajectory remains clear: CCS is scaling up.
As governments and companies align on durable incentives, infrastructure sharing, and carbon management hubs, investment in capture, transport, and storage networks continues to accelerate.
The report concludes that sustained progress depends on long-term policy certainty – the critical factor linking ambition with deployment. With more countries now embedding CCS into their climate roadmaps, the pathway toward gigaton-scale capture by mid-century is becoming increasingly credible.
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