Pioneering Dutch Start-ups Form Coalition to Advocate Circular CO₂ in EU Climate Policy

A newly formed Dutch DAC/DOC Coalition launches its policy paper in Brussels, urging policymakers to recognize and incentivize carbon capture from air and sea to close the carbon loop.

AMSTERDAM, October 14, 2025—A group of leading Dutch climate technology start-ups announces the formation of the Dutch DAC/DOC Coalition. The founding members—Carbyon, Paebbl, SeaO2, and Skytree— are united by a shared mission: to accelerate the adoption of Direct Air Capture (DAC) and Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technologies to help deliver on Europe’s climate ambitions.

The coalition addresses the critical challenge that Europe's carbon cycle is out of balance, with natural sinks no longer able to absorb emissions at the required scale. The members’ innovative technologies offer a dual solution: not only permanently removing legacy CO₂ from the atmosphere but also repurposing it as a valuable, circular resource for industry. This approach champions "Circular CO₂" as the missing link in Europe's climate strategy, creating a sustainable carbon economy instead of simply managing emissions.

"Europe is in a unique position with a vibrant community of DAC/DOC and adjacent technology startups and scaleups. But the US and China are catching up on us with their abundant availability of risk capital and financial government support. Through smart regulations and financial incentives Europe can remain at the forefront as  a global leader in this future trillion euro industry. Our coalition is here to state that the technology to restore our planet’s carbon balance and build a circular carbon economy exists. We are asking EU leaders to create a policy that allows us to deploy it at scale. Circular CO₂ is the missing link, and we are ready to help forge the chain."

—Rob van Straten (CEO of Skytree)

During a visit in Brussels this October, the coalition officially launched its foundational policy paper, "Closing the loop of green CO₂," handing it over to key European policymakers, including members of the European Parliament and Cabinet members—namely Han ten Broeke, Head of Cabinet for European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra).

Key policy recommendations from the paper

The paper outlines a strategic path forward for the EU with four key recommendations:

1. Clear policy recognition and differentiated incentives: Recognize DAC/DOC as a legitimate carbon reduction and removal technology in EU strategies with binding targets.

2. Develop robust market mechanisms: Integrate DAC/DOC into the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to create stable demand. 

3. Streamline funding and capital investment: Actively support first-of-a-kind (FOAK) risk financing, and simplify complex funding application processes.

4. Optimize regulatory frameworks and permitting: Streamline permitting procedures to accelerate DAC/DOC deployment. 

The coalition believes that by embracing these recommendations, Europe can unlock a circular carbon economy, reward true carbon removal, and bridge the critical gap between innovation and commercialisation.

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**Header Image: From left to right: Reinier Zoomers (Carbyon), Peter van Hooft (Skytree), Han ten Broeke (Head of Cabinet for European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra), Rob van Straten (Skytree), Ruben Brands (SeaO2) and Pol Knops (Paebbl)

About Skytree

Skytree engineers the CO₂ transition by developing Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology that captures CO₂ from the air and repurposes it for good: whether carbon is reused across different industries or stored permanently.

With over a decade of innovation rooted in the European Space Agency (ESA), Skytree's patented DAC technology transforms atmospheric CO₂ into a valuable resource: powering applications like renewable fuels and chemicals, greenhouses, beverage carbonation and water treatment.

Skytree’s modular DAC machines and unique DAC Park architecture allow companies to deploy in any climate, at scale - offering a bankable path to carbon capture and accelerating the transition to a circular CO₂ economy.