Introduction

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a bundle of technologies aiming to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) on industrial sites and store it underground in depleted oil and gas reservoirs or saline aquifers. The literature describes a three-step history of CCS: a first period of development based on research and development (R&D) and demonstrators (1990–2009); then a crisis period (2009–14); followed by a potential revival from 2015 (Markusson et al 2012; Minx et al 2018). CCS was developed initially to reduce carbon emissions in the energy sector, but with the rise of renewables, CCS now targets heavy industrial activities such as cement, steel, and chemical plants. The Global CCS Institute describes France as a second-tier actor in CCS development. The country is recognized as having a lower domestic ‘inherent interest’ in CCS than countries such as Australia, Canada, China, and the United States (US), since its ‘propensity towards fossil fuel production and consumption’ is lower (in particular in the electricity production sector because of the high proportion of nuclear power), and since it has undergone considerable de-industrialization (Global CCS Institute 2017, p 37). While France seems to have only a limited strategic interest in developing CCS and while only one injection facility has been commissioned so far, publicly funded researchers continue to develop new R&D projects, and CCS was integrated in the 2020 National Low Carbon Strategy as a contribution to the 2050 carbon neutrality goal (MTES 2020). This constitutes a paradox that this chapter aims to address. Why is there a significant CCS coalition in France despite the low ‘inherent interest’ for CCS? How has this coalition adapted its CCS proposal according to critiques so as to sustain political attention for 20 years, despite achieving none of its previous promises? Investigating the French coalition of CCS promoters, this chapter sheds light on the role of the owners of the proposal, how they shape it, and how they benefited from the promotion of the CCS solution for combating climate change.