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. …
This 2014 edition of the annual European Environment Agency (EEA) 'Trends and projections' report assesses the progress of 33 European countries and the European Union (EU) in achieving their climate mitigation and energy policy objectives. These objectives include international commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) …
Based on data gathered by CDP from corporations in response to its annual request for information on the business implications of climate change, the report finds that large public companies are already advanced in their use of carbon pricing and are ahead of their governments in planning for climate change …
The share of greenhouse gas emissions covered by domestic carbon pricing initiatives increased significantly over the past year, led by the launch of six carbon markets in China. Today, 39 national and 23 sub-national jurisdictions – responsible for almost a quarter of the global greenhouse gas emissions – have implemented …
This report is the annual submission of the greenhouse gas inventory of the European Union to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. It presents greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2012 for EU-28, EU-15, individual Member States and economic sector.
This report assesses how production and emission volumes, energy and CO2 efficiency and competitiveness of companies in the Energy Intensive Industries have evolved prior and during the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Furthermore the report assesses how the EU ETS and other policy instruments may have influenced investment …
Emissions trading continues to spread around the world, and 2013 was a record year: in total, nine new emissions trading schemes (ETS) started operation worldwide. Five of these new systems are in China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases. These Chinese pilot schemes on the metropolitan and provincial levels …
The publication brings together carbon market professionals, policymakers, academics and NGOs to provide in-depth analysis and perspective on the main issues affecting carbon policy worldwide. IETA is global in its outreach and the publication features latest developments in current and emerging carbon markets, as well as taking a step back …
Through this Investor Briefing, UNEP FI provides a clear and compelling case for why and how investors and their service providers should start measuring, disclosing and reducing the GHG emissions associated with their investments and investment portfolios. Not only can institutional investors play a catalytic role in the decarbonisation of …
Greenhouse gas emissions from aviation are rapidly increasing. The EU and Norway, Iceland and Switzerland argue there is no other way to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from aviation but through the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Meanwhile, a coalition of developing and North American countries sees …
The Mapping Carbon Pricing Initiatives report maps existing and emerging carbon pricing initiatives around the world. It does not provide a quantitative, transaction-based analysis of the international carbon market since current market conditions invalidate any attempt to undertake such an analysis. The development of national and subnational carbon pricing initiatives …
While the form of new framework including new market mechanisms with participation from all the Parties under the UNFCCC will be further discussed and elaborated in order to be agreed upon by 2015 and implemented by 2020, CDM still has a significant role in terms of the foundation of market-based …
This bulletin provides an overview of recent discussions about the impact of corruption on environmental governance, with a focus on emissions trading. It reviews new definitions and the latest corruption assessment methodologies in order to emphasise the broader challenges faced by GHG trading mechanisms and climate finance.
This report draws on projections from the “Energy Roadmap 2050” to assess whether the European Union is on track to reach its greenhouse gas (GHG), renewable energy, and energy efficiency targets. Find that the EU is on track to surpass its 2020 GHG reduction and renewable energy targets based on …
This report is one of three commissioned by the High-Level Panel to facilitate its provision of recommendations. The objective of this report is to provide an in-depth analysis of the evolving context of the CDM, particularly with regard to new and emerging mechanisms, and to locate the CDM within the …
The annual report on State and Trends of the Carbon Market 2012 presents an optimistic view of the carbon market, which despite adverse conditions, still grew by 11% in 2011, amounting to US$176 billion with US$10.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) traded during 2011. The report was launched …
The outcome of the December 2011 United Nations climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa, provides an important new opportunity to move toward an international climate policy architecture that is capable of delivering broad international participation and significant global CO2 emissions reductions at reasonable cost. This paper evaluate one important component …
This report by Copenhagen Economics has been commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers to give an overview of the industries at risk of carbon leakage in the Nordic countries, and estimate the expected extent of carbon leakage from unilateral climate policies in the Nordic countries. The report also assesses …
Successful deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is critically dependent on comprehensive policy support. While policy plays an important role in the deployment of many low-carbon technologies, it is especially crucial for CCS. This is because, in contrast to renewable energy or applications of energy efficiency, CCS generates no …
Human-induced climate change poses enormous risks to our environment, economies and societies. Nations have come together under the auspices of the United Nations to debate what needs to be done to manage these risks. They have agreed that it is prudent to attempt to limit the increase in the global …
A discussion paper by the UNCTAD argues that Green Growth based on enhanced material, resource and energy efficiency, as well as a drastic change in the energy mix will not lead to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction necessary to avoid dangerous climate change. The paper, titled “Some Reflections on …