CHRISTOPHER VOM BERG1, MICHAEL CARUS2
Executive Manager of the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), Germany
Founder and Executive Manager of nova-Institute and the RCI, Germany

Abstract

The RCI is an organization that was founded after observing the struggles of the chemical and material industry in facing the enormous challenges to meet the climate goals set by the European Union. The RCI brings together 60 well-known international brands, leading chemical and bioeconomy companies and start-ups and 8 partners with the goal of supporting and speeding up the transition from fossil carbon (from the ground) to renewable carbon (above the ground) for all organic chemicals and materials.
Recent climate data indicates that about 70% of anthropogenic climate change comes directly from extracted fossil carbon from the ground, while the other 30% comes from agriculture and forestry – mainly land-use change and livestock production. To rapidly mitigate climate change, the inflow of additional fossil carbon (crude oil, natural, gas, or coal) from the ground must be stopped. For the chemical and materials industries, which is entirely based on carbon and cannot be decarbonised, a new strategy was needed – the defossilisation of carbon-based feedstocks through renewable carbon (carbon above the ground): biomass, CO2, and recycling. These carbon-sources cycle between atmosphere, biosphere and technosphere and are fully circular.
The vision is stated clearly: By 2050, fossil carbon shall be completely substituted by renewable carbon, which is carbon from alternative sources: biomass, direct CO2 utilisation and recycling. The members are convinced that this is the only way for materials, chemicals, plastics and other derived products to become more sustainable, more climate-friendly and part of the circular economy – part of the future.
The initiative wants to drive this message, initiating further actions by bringing stakeholders together, providing information and shaping policy to strive for a climate-neutral circular economy.

The climate crisis is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, with global warming, greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation leading to food insecurity, global health problems and biodiversity loss. What is the primary cause of human-made climate change? The usual answer is: CO2 and other greenhouse gases. But is CO2 really the core of the problem? Might it not be more relevant to consider where CO2 originates? Recent climate data indicates that about 70% of anthropogenic climate change comes directly from extracted fossil carbon from the ground, while the other 30% comes from agriculture and forestry – mainly land-use change and livestock production. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that fossil fuels are destroying the planet, and that latest IPCC reports “must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels.”

In other words, CO2 is not at the core of the climate problem. CO2 can actually be cycled between atmosphere, ... ...