Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) isn’t just another ESG checkbox to tick off in an annual report. In this blog, Everest Group’s Peter Bendor-Samuel and Richard Sear bring together their perspectives from years of experience advising global enterprises and shaping advanced science and technology strategy. They argue that the urgency of climate change doesn’t leave us room for optimism dressed up as strategy. Instead of lofty promises or headline-grabbing announcements that fail to materialize, they call for a clear, business-driven approach, one grounded in innovation, scale, and economic reality.
CCU isn’t fiction, but it’s not turnkey, either
Carbon capture and utilization is already playing a meaningful role in the cement, steel, and chemical industries, sectors where direct decarbonization is nearly impossible without fundamental process changes. In these heavy-emitting industries, CCU is one of the few practical levers we can pull to cut emissions while keeping production intact.
