New peer-reviewed research reveals how BECCUS impacts the SDGs

At Cawa, our mission to help sustainability managers navigate the carbon market is grounded in science and data-driven transparency. That’s why we’re proud to share that our Carbon Removal Specialist, Joris Herbermann, has just published a peer-reviewed article in the prestigious Springer Nature journal, Discover Energy.

The paper, titled "Assessing BECCUS impacts on the SDGs through a value chain assessment for climate mitigation and energy transition," introduces a new methodology to assess how different negative emissions technologies interact with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The methodology is applied to Bio-energy with Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (BECCUS) technology.

Why science matters in carbon removal

In the voluntary carbon market, rigorous scientific research is essential particularly  as new carbon removal methods are constantly developing. Carbon removal projects should not be evaluated solely on their ability to remove CO2. Their broader impact matters too: on groundwater quality, local communities, economic development and long-term sustainability.      

In this research, Joris, together with Prof. Dr. Drielli Peyerl and Prof. Dr. Bob van der Zwaan, applies a Value Chain Assessment (VCA) to systematically map how BECCUS affects global sustainability targets across the entire value chain.

Key findings: The complexity of climate action

The study provides a nuanced perspective that closely aligns with how Cawa evaluates carbon removal projects in practice. Key takeaways from the article include:

• Climate impact: BECCUS can play a meaningful role in SDG 13 (Climate Action) by delivering the negative emissions needed to meet Paris Agreement goals.
• Equity: The research identifies a critical trade-off with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), highlighting the risk of widening technological gap between the Global North and South if enabling policies are not in place.
• Impact: In total, the study maps 153 specific interactions between the BECCUS value chain and the SDGs, identifying 107 positive contributions and 46 negative trade-offs.

From theory to practice

"I am very proud to stand at this intersection: working on the practical implementation at the end of the chain, while contributing to the scientific backbone that makes it all possible," says Joris Herbermann.

At Cawa, we believe that effective carbon removal requires looking beyond the technology itself.  Social, economic, political and regulatory conditions all play a decisive role. That’s why the study explicitly considers PESTLE factors (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental) when assessing BECCUS impacts.

You can read the full research article here.

And if you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to one of our experts. Want to learn more about how Cawa vets carbon removal projects? Take a look at our project selection methodology.