What is the Solent CO2 Pipeline?

ExxonMobil, the parent company of Esso petrol, are in the consultation process of building an underground pipeline to transport captured carbon to a permanent storage location under the English Channel.

Carbon capture involves extracting CO2 from industrial process and transporting it via pipes or ships to a secure location where it is injected into underground rock formations. The idea is reduce carbon emissions and aid the UK in meeting its net zero targets but at what cost?

The pipeline will consist of three corridors, 500 metres wide and totalling at 83km in length across the Isle of Wight, Lymington and the New Forest. It will take several years to construct.

Conservation concerns

Although the pipeline is underground it will require new infrastructure and roads for the building process which will not only ironically release tonne after tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere but create noise and light pollution affecting local people and wildlife.

The pipeline runs under Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs), special areas of conservation (SACs) and special protection areas (SPAs). The construction process will inevitably alter irreplaceable ecosystems including ancient woodlands, sand dunes and fen wetlands.

It is also within arms reach of The New Forest National Park and The Isle of Wight national landscape which acts as a reserve species in decline elsewhere in the UK including and migratory birds in global decline.

The Isle of Wight corridor covers much of the habitat of the endangered red squirrel which is only found in Northern Scotland on the mainland. The destruction or disturbance of one of their only places of refuge can be detrimental to the population and eliminate years of conservation efforts for their protection.

What do the wildlife organisations think?

After the non-statutory consultation that took place on Monday a collaborative letter was released from the RSPB, The Hampshire Wildlife Trust, Biosphere and the Solent Protection Society expressing their perspective.

The letter outlined their concerns about the "impacts on particularly valuable, sensitive and ‘difficult to compensate for’ habitats", and the lack of clarity received about ecological surveys and environmental impact assessments. The organisations mentioned that although they support of the motive to cut emissions, it should not be done at the expense of biodiversity, since preserving ecosystems is equally as essential to combat the climate crisis.

The organisations reiterated that alongside meeting net zero targets, the UK plays a significant role in the global commitment to achieve 30% protected areas and prevent wildlife decline by 2030.

The New Forest Authority also expressed their concerns in a seven page document asking for more clarity and priority to be given on mitigating the environmental impacts of the pipeline.

All the organisations with a responsibility to protect the regions natural sites stated that the biodiversity net gain from the project must be considerably higher than the statutory 10% minimum given the ecological significance of the area. They stressed that carbon capture technology should not be an incentive to "facilitate the continued use of fossil fuels".

What is the likelihood of the project happening?

So far, ExxonMobil have displayed minimal effort in addressing the environmental concerns raised by these organisations and their approach towards mitigation methods has been brief. The consultation mentioned using 'noise barriers to reduce temporary construction impacts' and 'haybales to retain hedgerow connectivity for wildlife' but nothing on habitat restoration and protection.

The project has yet to give enough leverage to pass the development consent order (DCO) which requires a minimum of 10% biodiversity net gain. This is due to take place in 2026 and will determine if the project is somewhat " environmentally sustainable".

Have your say

The statutory consultation will take place in 2025 , during which public bodies and councils will represent the stakeholders involved. It will determine the changes made to the project in the last year and hopefully shed more light on the impacts on conservation.

There is an online petition active at change.org where the general public can have their say in the matter. It has currently received 32k signatures.

Update

During the writing process of this article new news has come to light!

Allegedly the plans have been scrapped a according to a BBC report in which they explained a spokesperson for the company said they have decided not to proceed. However, what else do they have in store? Have they found a swift alternative?

It is important to stay alert and take this as a lesson. Wildlife charities and the general public can make a difference and fight back against multi-million pound corporations that they seem powerless against.