Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is not expanding fast enough to meet the 2°C climate target set out in the Paris Climate Agreement, a study has found.

The study, led by researchers at Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology and Norway’s University of Bergen, says that it’s unlikely that CCS will even expand fast enough to reach the 1.5°C target.

CCS technology captures carbon dioxide and stores it deep underground. It is thought to play an important role in many climate mitigation strategies, including net zero targets.

However, the study – Feasible deployment of carbon capture and storage and the requirements of climate targets – finds that despite all the talk about CCS, the current use of the technology remains negligible.

Jessica Jewell, associate professor at Chalmers University of Technology, said: “Our results show that major efforts are needed to bridge the gap between the demonstration projects in place today and the massive deployment we need to mitigate climate change.”