{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,9]],"date-time":"2026-06-09T11:48:50Z","timestamp":1781005730588,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"IOP Publishing","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,10]],"date-time":"2025-02-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1739145600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":9,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,10]],"date-time":"2025-02-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1739145600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":9,"URL":"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/info\/page\/text-and-data-mining"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100024160","name":"ASPIRE","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["ASPIRE VRI (Virtual Research Institute) Award"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ASPIRE VRI (Virtual Research Institute) Award"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100024160","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"IDRIC","award":["UKRI"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UKRI"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["iopscience.iop.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Environ. Res. Lett."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>This paper examines the compatibility of broad decarbonization efforts, as embodied in the circular carbon economy (CCE) framework, with a narrower concept of defossilization in achieving net-zero industry. Through case studies of the United States, Norway, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), we analyze national industrial decarbonization strategies and present findings from extensive fieldwork, including 139 expert interviews and 124 site visits supplemented with document analysis. Our results reveal that CCE and defossilization, which is defined as decarbonization through the elimination of fossil fuel extraction and use, are potentially compatible concepts in the long-term pursuit of net-zero industry. The CCE approach, which incorporates energy efficiency, renewable energy, electrification, low-carbon fuels, and carbon capture, utilization and storage, particularly offers a practical pathway for oil and gas (O&amp;G) producing countries to transition towards net-zero industrial emissions. CCE allows these and similar countries to balance environmental goals with technical, economic, social and political challenges associated with defossilization. The case studies demonstrate that all three countries are adopting CCE strategies tailored to their unique contexts. The US emphasizes a portfolio approach integrating multiple technologies, the UAE focuses on leveraging existing fossil fuel infrastructure for CCE efforts, and Norway capitalizes on its abundant renewable resources while investing in carbon capture and storage and hydrogen projects utilizing its extensive O&amp;G sector expertise and resources. Key policy recommendations include technology and policy leadership from countries pursuing a CCE framework, encouragement of public\u2013private partnerships in the deployment of CCE technologies and ensuring social equity as net-zero industry is pursued in the near and long term. We also summarize existing approaches, pathways, and frameworks for industrial decarbonization, as well as barriers and challenges. We lastly call for further research on integration of CCE and defossilization visions, strategies and roadmaps and a strong focus on international cooperation in achieving net-zero industry.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,27]],"date-time":"2025-01-27T17:51:01Z","timestamp":1738000261000},"page":"024063","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1088\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Bridging the gap between defossilization and decarbonization to achieve net-zero industry"],"prefix":"10.1088","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9593-4724","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Steven","family":"Griffiths","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4794-9403","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Benjamin","family":"Sovacool","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8565-2830","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marfuga","family":"Iskandarova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7621-8688","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hans Jakob","family":"Walnum","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"266","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"erladaed6bib1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/su132111625","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Circular carbon economy (CCE): a way to invest CO2 and protect the environment, a review","volume":"13","author":"Alsarhan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"key":"erladaed6bib2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2021.128871","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Reviewing two decades of cleaner alternative marine fuels: towards IMO\u2019s decarbonization of the maritime transport sector","volume":"320","author":"Ampah","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Clean. Prod."},{"key":"erladaed6bib3","article-title":"OPEC sec gen: peak oil demand not on the horizon","author":"Anon","year":"2024","type":"web-resource"},{"key":"erladaed6bib4","article-title":"Justice40 initiative | environmental justice","author":"Anon","year":"n.d.","type":"web-resource"},{"key":"erladaed6bib5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e633","DOI":"10.1002\/wcc.633","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Physical and policy pathways to net-zero emissions industry","volume":"11","author":"Bataille","year":"2020","journal-title":"WIREs Clim. Change"},{"key":"erladaed6bib6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"S7","DOI":"10.1080\/14693062.2016.1173005","type":"journal-article","article-title":"The need for national deep decarbonization pathways for effective climate policy","volume":"16","author":"Bataille","year":"2016","journal-title":"Clim. Policy"},{"key":"erladaed6bib7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"404","DOI":"10.1038\/s41893-022-01046-9","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Pathways to net-zero emissions from aviation","volume":"6","author":"Bergero","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat. Sustain."},{"key":"erladaed6bib8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.erss.2023.102955","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Decarbonizing the chemical industry: a systematic review of sociotechnical systems, technological innovations, and policy options","volume":"96","author":"Chung","year":"2023","journal-title":"Energy Res. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"erladaed6bib9","article-title":"Country ratings\u2014Norway, UAE and US","author":"Climate Action Tracker","year":"2023","type":"web-resource"},{"key":"erladaed6bib10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.erss.2021.102116","type":"journal-article","article-title":"A hybrid perspective on energy transition pathways: is hydrogen the key for Norway?","volume":"78","author":"Damman","year":"2021","journal-title":"Energy Res. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"erladaed6bib11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1002\/gas.22280","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Decarbonization and electrification: the case for innovation","volume":"38","author":"DeCotis","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clim. Energy"},{"key":"erladaed6bib12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191912508","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Knowledge mapping and institutional prospects on circular carbon economy based on scientometric analysis","volume":"19","author":"Dong","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"erladaed6bib13","article-title":"Feasibility of cap-and-trade scheme (phase 1)","author":"Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD)","year":"2023","type":"other"},{"key":"erladaed6bib14","article-title":"Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse gas emissions and sinks: 1990\u20132022","author":"EPA","year":"2024","type":"web-resource"},{"key":"erladaed6bib15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"463","DOI":"10.1016\/j.joule.2017.09.018","type":"journal-article","article-title":"The socio-technical dynamics of low-carbon transitions","volume":"1","author":"Geels","year":"2017","journal-title":"Joule"},{"key":"erladaed6bib16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2023.113291","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Decarbonizing the cement and concrete industry: a systematic review of socio-technical systems, technological innovations, and policy options","volume":"180","author":"Griffiths","year":"2023","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev."},{"key":"erladaed6bib17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.erss.2021.102208","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Industrial decarbonization via hydrogen: a critical and systematic review of developments, socio-technical systems and policy options","volume":"80","author":"Griffiths","year":"2021","journal-title":"Energy Res. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"erladaed6bib18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/14693062.2024.2363490","type":"journal-article","article-title":"How aligned are industry strategy and government policy for the decarbonization of energy-intensive process industries?","author":"Hansen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Clim. Policy"},{"key":"erladaed6bib19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.erss.2024.103553","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Stepping into the just transition journey: the energy transition in petrostates","volume":"113","author":"Hasan","year":"2024","journal-title":"Energy Res. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"erladaed6bib20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.erss.2020.101738","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Beyond states: harnessing sub-national actors for the deep decarbonisation of cities, regions, and businesses","volume":"70","author":"Hsu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Energy Res. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"erladaed6bib21","article-title":"United States 2024","author":"IEA","year":"2024","type":"web-resource"},{"key":"erladaed6bib22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.1016\/j.joule.2017.07.005","type":"journal-article","article-title":"100% clean and renewable wind, water, and sunlight all-sector energy roadmaps for 139 Countries of the world","volume":"1","author":"Jacobson","year":"2017","journal-title":"Joule"},{"key":"erladaed6bib23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.erss.2022.102565","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Decarbonizing the iron and steel industry: a systematic review of sociotechnical systems, technological innovations, and policy options","volume":"89","author":"Kim","year":"2022","journal-title":"Energy Res. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"erladaed6bib24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.erss.2024.103521","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Energy, material, and resource efficiency for industrial decarbonization: a systematic review of sociotechnical systems, technological innovations, and policy options","volume":"112","author":"Kim","year":"2024","journal-title":"Energy Res. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"erladaed6bib25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1132","DOI":"10.1080\/14693062.2023.2169238","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Paradoxes of Norway\u2019s energy transition: controversies and justice","volume":"23","author":"Korsnes","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clim. Policy"},{"key":"erladaed6bib26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"180","DOI":"10.1016\/j.erss.2016.08.003","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Ideology, capitalism, and climate: explaining public views about climate change in the United States","volume":"21","author":"McCright","year":"2016","journal-title":"Energy Res. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"erladaed6bib27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2023.113215","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Carbon capture utilization and storage in review: sociotechnical implications for a carbon reliant world","volume":"177","author":"McLaughlin","year":"2023","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev."},{"key":"erladaed6bib28","article-title":"The 5 shifts needed to decarbonize industry","author":"Nilsson","year":"2023","type":"web-resource"},{"key":"erladaed6bib29","article-title":"The Green Industrial Initiative: roadmap 2.0","author":"Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries","year":"2022","type":"other"},{"key":"erladaed6bib30","article-title":"MENA grows renewables by half but clings to risky hydrogen and gas","author":"O\u2019Malia","year":"2023","type":"other"},{"key":"erladaed6bib31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"923","DOI":"10.1080\/13563467.2020.1810218","type":"journal-article","article-title":"\u2018The end of the fossil fuel age\u2019? Discourse politics and climate change political economy","volume":"26","author":"Paterson","year":"2021","journal-title":"New Polit. Econ."},{"key":"erladaed6bib32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.erss.2022.102509","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Elite energy transitions: leaders and experts promoting renewable energy futures in Norway","volume":"88","author":"Rauter","year":"2022","journal-title":"Energy Res. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"erladaed6bib33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eist.2021.10.019","type":"journal-article","article-title":"From terminating to transforming: the role of phase-out in sustainability transitions","volume":"41","author":"Rinscheid","year":"2021","journal-title":"Environ. Innov. Societal Transit."},{"key":"erladaed6bib34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"376","DOI":"10.1038\/s41570-024-00587-1","type":"journal-article","article-title":"A US perspective on closing the carbon cycle to defossilize difficult-to-electrify segments of our economy","volume":"8","author":"Shaw","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Chem."},{"key":"erladaed6bib35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"151","DOI":"10.1080\/14693062.2022.2070118","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Saudi Arabia\u2019s climate change policy and the circular carbon economy approach","volume":"23","author":"Shehri","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clim. Policy"},{"key":"erladaed6bib36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1093\/jwelb\/jwr005","type":"journal-article","article-title":"National energy governance in the United States","volume":"4","author":"Sovacool","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. World Energy Law Bus."},{"key":"erladaed6bib37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.erss.2023.103067","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Six bold steps towards net-zero industry","volume":"99","author":"Sovacool","year":"2023","journal-title":"Energy Res. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"erladaed6bib38","article-title":"13932: greenhouse gases from Norwegian economic activity, by industry and pollutant, GWP-values due to Paris agreement (AR5) 1990\u20132023","author":"Statistics Norway","year":"2024","type":"web-resource"},{"key":"erladaed6bib39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5299","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.3c09030","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Climate impacts of hydrogen and methane emissions can considerably reduce the climate benefits across key hydrogen use cases and time scales","volume":"58","author":"Sun","year":"2024","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"erladaed6bib40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9487","DOI":"10.3390\/su15129487","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Energy efficiency as a foundational technology pillar for industrial decarbonization","volume":"15","author":"Sundaramoorthy","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"key":"erladaed6bib41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geoforum.2021.04.008","type":"journal-article","article-title":"State capitalism and energy democracy","volume":"125","author":"Sweidan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Geoforum"},{"key":"erladaed6bib42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1088\/1748-9326\/ac9fe3","type":"journal-article","article-title":"The rise of phase-out as a critical decarbonisation approach: a systematic review","volume":"17","author":"Trencher","year":"2022","journal-title":"Environ. Res. Lett."},{"key":"erladaed6bib43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.esr.2024.101421","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Possible pathways for low carbon transitions: investigating the efforts of oil companies in CCUS technologies","volume":"54","author":"Truong","year":"2024","journal-title":"Energy Strategy Rev."},{"key":"erladaed6bib44","article-title":"Industrial decarbonization Roadmap","author":"U.S. Department of Energy","year":"2022","type":"other"},{"key":"erladaed6bib45","article-title":"Pathways to commercial liftoff: industrial decarbonization","author":"U.S. Department of Energy","year":"2023","type":"other"},{"key":"erladaed6bib46","article-title":"The United Arab Emirates\u2019 first long-term strategy (LTS)","author":"UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment","year":"2023","type":"other"},{"key":"erladaed6bib47","article-title":"Fostering effective energy transition","author":"World Economic Forum and Accenture","year":"2024","type":"other"},{"key":"erladaed6bib48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"916","DOI":"10.1080\/14693062.2023.2216178","type":"journal-article","article-title":"Sharing the decarbonisation effort: getting Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East countries on the road to global carbon neutrality","volume":"23","author":"Yiakoumi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clim. Policy"},{"key":"erladaed6bib49","article-title":"Synergistic cooperation with energy transition initiatives of oil producing Countries and NOC from IOC standpoint society of petroleum engineers","author":"Yonebayashi","year":"2022","type":"conference-proceedings"}],"container-title":["Environmental Research Letters"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"am","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6\/pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"am","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6\/pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6\/pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"am","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6\/pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6\/pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"am","intended-application":"similarity-checking"},{"URL":"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6\/pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T13:34:48Z","timestamp":1759152888000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]},"references-count":49,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,10]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/adaed6","relation":{},"ISSN":["1748-9326"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1748-9326","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]},"assertion":[{"value":"Bridging the gap between defossilization and decarbonization to achieve net-zero industry","name":"article_title","label":"Article Title"},{"value":"Environmental Research Letters","name":"journal_title","label":"Journal Title"},{"value":"paper","name":"article_type","label":"Article Type"},{"value":"\u00a9 2025 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd","name":"copyright_information","label":"Copyright Information"},{"value":"2024-07-05","name":"date_received","label":"Date Received","group":{"name":"publication_dates","label":"Publication dates"}},{"value":"2025-01-27","name":"date_accepted","label":"Date Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_dates","label":"Publication dates"}},{"value":"2025-02-10","name":"date_epub","label":"Online publication date","group":{"name":"publication_dates","label":"Publication dates"}}]}}