Carbon markets have emerged in recent decades as one of the most important tools for curbing industrial greenhouse gas emissions, but they present a number of novel enforcement challenges when compared with more conventional pollution regulations. These challenges include new regulators with narrow authority, lack of legal precedent, and more. …
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the European Union (EU) increased by 0.6 % in 2017, according to preliminary estimates from Member States, mostly because of road transport. Without further robust and ambitious policies and measures, those currently in place at national level will be insufficient to achieve the reduction targets …
The annual ‘Trends and projections’ report provides an assessment of the progress of the EU and European countries towards their climate mitigation and energy targets. It is based on national data for greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy and energy consumption.
Past cap-and-trade programmes have tended to encourage polluters to adopt existing abatement technologies, but have generally had little effect on innovation. This paper presents new evidence that the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) may have bucked this trend and encouraged innovation rather than adoption.
Past cap-and-trade programmes have tended to encourage polluters to adopt existing abatement technologies, but have generally had little effect on innovation. This paper presents new evidence that the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) may have bucked this trend and encouraged innovation rather than adoption.
EU carbon prices are set to double by 2021 and could quadruple to €55 a tonne by 2030 if the European Commission ultimately legislates to align the bloc’s current emissions targets with the Paris climate agreement, finds a new report by Carbon Tracker. Carbon Clampdown: Closing the gap to a …
The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is important through its role as the “cornerstone” of EU climate change policy as well as a “role model” and “pioneer” for carbon markets. It is important that, in addition to the regulatory requirements, it be subjected to a thorough and independent review, …
The International Carbon Action Partnership’s new report finds 2017 marks a key step forward for emissions trading. The adoption of ETSs in emerging economies, structural reforms and new cooperation initiatives have boosted confidence in carbon markets and help establish emissions trading as an important tool in reaching the goals of …
Estimates of the EU's greenhouse gas emission budgets for the rest of the century vary considerably but have one thing in common: The EU's emission budget is very small and shrinking rapidly. If the EU's emission budgets were based only on least-costs considerations, it would range between meager 50 Gt …
Greenhouse gas emission benchmarks are widely implemented as a policy tool, as more countries move to implement carbon pricing mechanisms for industrial emissions. In particular, benchmarks are used to determine the level of free allowance allocation in emission trading schemes, which are distributed as a measure to prevent carbon leakage. …
This 2017 report of the European Environment Agency (EEA) provides an analysis of past, present and future emissions trends under the European Union (EU) Emissions Trading System (ETS), based on the latest data and information available from the European Commission (July 2017 data on verified emissions and compliance by operators …
The purpose of this issue brief is to provide an overview of the latest movement of the emissions trading scheme (ETS), with a focus on the three key Asian carbon markets in Tokyo, China (esp. the pilots) and the Republic of Korea (hereinafter abbreviated as Korea).
The EEA’s new reports, 'Annual European Union greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2015 and inventory report 2017’ and ‘Analysis of key trends and drivers in greenhouse gas emissions in the EU between 1990 and 2015’ provide an overview of the EU’s greenhouse gas emission trends. The EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions increased …
The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has passed its 10th anniversary. As any other undertaking, it requires, periodically, an assessment regarding its well-functioning, and the delivery of its objectives. Article 10(5) of the EU ETS Directive provides for such a yearly assessment. The State of the EU ETS Report …
Recent years have seen renewed and growing interest in policy instruments that put a price on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the adoption of carbon taxes. While up until 2008 only a handful of European countries had adopted explicit taxes on GHG emissions, by February 2017 some 24 countries and …
The International Carbon Action Partnership’s (ICAP) Status Report 2017, provides a testament to the evolution of emissions trading from textbook assumptions to the real world. With the launch of China’s national emissions trading system (ETS) later this year, ETS will operate in economies generating close to half of the world’s …
This report elaborates a strategy for phasing out coal in the European Union and its member states and provides a science-based shut-down schedule of coal power plants at the individual unit level, in line with the Paris Agreement long-term temperature goal.
This report develops a roadmap on the consideration of establishment and operation of an emissions trading scheme (ETS) for Turkey. It is the first in a series of analytical reports, prepared for the World Bank Partnership for Market Readiness (PMR). The report was prepared by a consortium led by Ecofys, …
Basic materials such as steel, cement or aluminium are important inputs to our economies. However their production is responsible for the dominant share of industrial emissions and 16% of European greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). This report illustrates the portfolio of options available to reduce these emissions with climate friendly production, …
This briefing paper describes how the G20 could enable a shift of international financial flows to low-carbon and climate-resilient development, as mandated by the Paris Agreement in Article 2.1c. It introduces the relevant long-term climate and Sustainable Development Goals, and outlines the current energy-, climate- and infrastructure-related work streams within …
The reform of the EU Emissions Trading System could hand more than €230 billion in subsidies to energy intensive industries, a new report from Corporate Europe Observatory shows. The Emissions Trading System (ETS) is at the centre of EU climate policy, and a Directive currently passing through the European Parliament …
