Norway and Switzerland sign Agreement on cooperation on Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage and Carbon Dioxide Removal

The agreement builds on a Declaration of Intent signed in May 2024 and marks a significant step forward in international cooperation on CCS and CDR through Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. It establishes a legal framework for the cross-border transport and permanent storage of CO₂, as well as for the transfer of mitigation outcomes between the two countries.

‘The storage of CO₂ will also be important for Switzerland on the way to the net-zero target. This technology complements our existing instruments for decarbonisation. I am therefore delighted with the agreement with Norway. It strengthens innovation, is an opportunity for the economy and strengthens the partnership between Switzerland and Norway‘, said the Swiss Minister for the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, Albert Rösti.

Just one year after the signature of Declaration of Intent, private entities from Norway and Switzerland have set up pilot activities under the agreement. A number of companies and stakeholders today announced commercial deals on transfers of carbon dioxide removals between Norway and Switzerland – a world’s first under the Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The pilot activities are symbolic in volume and will explore how carbon dioxide removal and cross-border CO₂ storage can be integrated into international climate policy.

‘This agreement is a pioneering step. It enables us to test how international cooperation on CCS and CDR can work in practice – with high environmental integrity and mutual benefit. Norway has more than 27 years of experience with safe and permanent CO₂ storage, and we are proud to offer this as a service to European partners‘, said Norwegian Minister of Energy Terje Aasland.

‘If we are to reach our climate targets, cutting emissions is not enough. We also need to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. To unlock the full potential of CO₂ removal, we need robust and balanced rules and systems – both in the EU, the other European countries and globally. This pilot will help us build the frameworks we need‘, said Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen.

The cooperation aims to generate early insights into regulatory frameworks, monitoring and reporting, and to support the development of a sustainable commercial market for CCS and CDR. It also contributes to building trust and enabling long-term investment in climate technologies.

Both Norway and Switzerland have ambitious climate targets and view CCS and CDR as essential tools for achieving net-zero emissions. This agreement is a first of its kind between two industrialized countries under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.

• The Agreement can be read here