Assessing readiness for CC(U)S: are we there yet?

Given the slow progress on climate mitigation across the world, the need for carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions is being increasingly discussed across society. However, the public remains ignorant of CCS and the role it may play in reducing CO 2 emissions. This means responses to CCS projects can be reactionary rather than based on knowledge of CCS project attributes. To overcome this gap, we used a Discrete Choice Experiment, to investigate: (i) under what conditions do individuals choose a CCS project (or not)? and (ii) what are the attributes that influence preferences for the different forms of CCS? This was seen as a way to address the shortfall of previous public perception research by focusing on the different attributes of CCS projects. We used a market research company to conduct an online survey across seven countries (N=7264) including Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Denmark, Brazil and Indonesia. While there were small differences in preferences across countries, all respondents preferred projects that showed higher benefits - maximising the CO 2 captured for the lowest cost. The other finding was that respondents were less likely to choose projects storing CO 2 locally. These three findings highlight the areas that require most attention for communicating and engaging communities for local CCS projects. While not insurmountable, there is a need to ensure financing CCS projects do not become a burden on the public through subsidies. A more nuanced approach is required to ensure CCS becomes mainstreamed into global mitigation strategies.