Carbon Capture Is Policy Driven - So Is the Future of Hiring

In 2025, recruitment isn’t just reacting to markets - it’s responding to legislation. As carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) accelerates under the weight of net-zero policies, hiring strategies are being reshaped by climate regulation as much as by climate science.

A wave of new EU legislation most notably the Net-Zero Industry Act and updates to the EU ETS has positioned carbon capture as a pillar of decarbonisation. But translating policy into action requires talent. And in a regulatory-driven sector, recruiters aren’t just sourcing skills - they’re sourcing compliance, credibility, and cross-border fluency.

A Regulatory Whirlwind: From Targets to Talent Shortages

Europe’s policy landscape around CCUS is expanding quickly, but talent pipelines are not. The European Commission’s 2025 Industrial Carbon Management Strategy outlines ambitious storage capacity and emissions reduction targets. But according to a Clean Energy Europe brief, there’s already a shortfall in critical policy-facing roles from carbon pricing analysts and legal specialists to cross-border project negotiators.

The problem isn’t just numbers - it’s complexity. CCUS hiring now demands professionals who understand the intersection of law, engineering, and geopolitics. Countries with clear regulatory pathways like Denmark and the Netherlands are attracting policy-savvy talent, while others are still building the legal infrastructure to make hiring viable at scale.

For recruiters, it means moving beyond energy sector silos and engaging with policy schools, public sector career pipelines, and international think tanks.

The Rise of the Policy-Literate Candidate

Technical skills alone no longer cut it. A new CCUS workforce is emerging fluent in permitting, EU taxonomy, stakeholder engagement, and impact assessment. In its 2025 “Green Economy Talent Gaps” report, the OECD identifies a critical shortage of mid-career professionals who can navigate cross-jurisdictional frameworks.

Leading organisations are already pivoting. Rather than recruiting engineers and then training them in regulation, they’re seeking out policy-native candidates from climate law, governance, and public affairs backgrounds and embedding them directly into project teams.

This signals a key shift: in CCUS, regulatory literacy is not a “nice-to-have” - it’s the backbone of execution.

Employer Brand as Policy Signal

The regulatory spotlight on carbon capture has also raised the bar for employer transparency. Candidates especially those with legal or policy credentials are vetting employers based on their alignment with EU frameworks, net-zero timelines, and community consultation processes.

Recruiters must now act as interpreters of policy intent, conveying not just what a company does, but how it does it. Are storage permits progressing in line with EU Commission timelines? Does the company support just transition provisions? These aren’t investor-only questions anymore - they’re job seeker filters.

The most forward-thinking recruitment teams are co-authoring employer narratives that speak directly to the policy-conscious professional.

Conclusion: The Recruiter as Policy Enabler

Carbon capture might be a technical solution, but its growth is political. And in 2025, the recruiters making the biggest impact aren’t just sourcing skill - they’re building legitimacy.

To stay ahead, recruitment teams need to:

• Prioritise policy fluency as a core hiring criterion
• Engage with academic and public policy talent sources
• Align employer branding with legislative commitments

Carbon removal isn’t just about technology - it’s about trust. And in a policy-shaped sector, talent strategy is national strategy.