A Policymaker Framework for Responsible Direct Air Capture in East Africa

East Africa is emerging as a promising region for Direct Air Capture (DAC), with abundant renewable energy resources, geological storage potential and growing technical capacity. However, as interest in DAC increases, governments face important questions about its role in national climate and development priorities, economic opportunities, community benefits and environmental safeguards. Building on lessons from Kenya’s first National Dialogue on Early and Responsible DAC Development, this high-level roundtable will bring together policymakers, researchers, industry leaders and development partners to explore how governments can make informed decisions on whether, where and how DAC should be deployed.

Organised by Forschungszentrum Jülich and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DACStorE), Octavia Carbon, Carbon Removal Kenya Association and Nuvoni Centre for Innovation Research, the session will introduce and refine a Policymaker Framework for Responsible DAC in East Africa, examining the conditions necessary for responsible deployment. Discussions will focus on policy readiness, local economic value, environmental integrity and regional collaboration, with the aim of identifying practical priorities and partnerships to advance evidence-based policymaking between COP31 in Türkiye and COP32 in Ethiopia.

Kenya has become one of the first countries in Africa to convene a national dialogue on early and responsible DAC development, which highlighted opportunities for industrial development, innovation and carbon management, it also reinforced that governments need a structured way to evaluate whether DAC is appropriate for their national context before deployment scales.

This session will present the latest findings on East Africa’s cost and potential zones of hosting DAC based DACStore’s DAC Atlas, present findings from the Kenya dialogue and open a discussion on informed government decision-making. It brings together policymakers, researchers, industry, buyers and development partners to test a practical framework that governments can use to assess DAC against national priorities, public interests and environmental integrity.

Using Kenya's experience as a starting point, the discussion aims to begin a broader East African conversation ahead of COP32 in Ethiopia.

Key Topics:

What role could DAC realistically play in East Africa's climate, industrial and economic development priorities

How can DAC contribute to national development while ensuring communities benefit and public confidence is maintained?

What environmental, social and governance safeguards are essential for governments, communities and buyers to have confidence in DAC projects?

What practical actions should governments and partners prioritise over the next year to strengthen policy readiness across East Africa before COP32?