Integrating China's carbon capture, utilization, and storage policy for sustainable development: Insights from content analysis

Insufficient supporting policies jeopardize the role of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) in climate action and energy transition. A few studies have addressed the policy challenges facing CCUS but left policy integration underappreciated. In this article, we analyze the preference for and integration between key elements of China's CCUS policy using policy integration theory and content analysis method that includes a novel three-dimensional framework. Analysis of 63 CCUS policy documents indicates that China's CCUS policy is not sufficiently comprehensive in including policy implementers and goals, lacks consistency between policy instruments and goals, and is not yet a collaborative system. Finally, we present some implications for addressing the defects in integration of China's CCUS policy: (1) broader incorporation of citizens and non-governmental organizations, (2) enhanced integration of enterprises, voluntary policy instruments, and economy goal, and (3) enhanced integration of government agencies, compulsory policy instruments, and safety goal.