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 paper focuses upon the increasing propensity of the EU to engage in climate change unilateralism. EU climate unilateralism consists of two key components. First, it extends the reach of EU climate change law beyond the borders of the EU and regulates GHG-generating activities that may be viewed as taking …
This paper assesses the trade flows from a number of developing countries to the EU in some of the sectors that have been identified by the European Commission as particularly sensitive to carbon leakage. By doing this, the authors are able to quantify the potential exposure of developing countries to …
Carbon Fat Cats 2011 sets out the analysis of those companies profiting most from Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The results matter because of their bearing on a crucial debate being held in Europe and the wider world – a debate about how to respond to profound challenges created by …
During the Carbon Expo taking place in Barcelona, Spain, the World Bank released the 2011 edition of its State and Trends of the Carbon Market Report, which indicates a slight decline in carbon markets compared to 2009. Among the reasons for the carbon market's lack of growth, the report signals …
Emissions trading is the European Union’s flagship measure for tackling climate change, and it is failing badly. In theory it provides a cheap and efficient means to limit greenhouse gas reductions within an ever-tightening cap, but in practice it has rewarded major polluters with windfall profits, while undermining efforts to …
This paper illustrates the environmental elements of a strategy towards the creation of sustainable enterprises by highlighting impacts on employment of different environmental instruments and policies.
This brochure provides information to potential users of GHG standards and programs. It includes: an overview of the climate change context including a map of available GHG standards, as well as those currently in development; information on how GHG standards, such as ISO 14064, can provide the tools for implementing …
This publication, the IEA Carbon Capture and Storage Model Regulatory Framework (Model Framework), seeks to deal with the reality that such rapid expansion and scale-up of CCS technology raises a number of regulatory issues that need to be addressed in parallel with ongoing efforts to demonstrate the technical, safety and …
Putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions is a cornerstone policy in climate change mitigation. To this end, many countries have implemented or are developing domestic emissions trading systems. This paper reviews key design features of mandatory emissions trading systems that had been established or were under consideration in 2010, …
This report presents an overview of the progress achieved so far by the EU, its Member States and other EEA member countries towards their respective targets under the Kyoto Protocol and the EU burden-sharing agreement. The assessment is based on greenhouse gas emission data in Europe for 2008, the first …
Coal is the biggest single source of energy for electricity production and its share is growing. The efficiency of converting coal into electricity matters: more efficient power plants use less fuel and emit less climate-damaging carbon dioxide. This report explores how efficiency is measured and reported at coal-fired power plants. …
International transport, both aviation and maritime shipping, is a critical element of the global economy and trade. At the same time, it is also one of the main drivers of human-induced climate change. This background paper is intended to explore the many aspects of regulating international transport emissions in the …
This briefing illustrates how HFC-23 projects under the CDM are working directly against the objectives of the UNFCCC and the Montreal Protocol, which is working to phase out HCFCs. HFC-23 emissions are clearly best addressed through direct measures outside the CDM. Setting the demand for the majority of CDM credits …
This recent study analyses the economic and political consequences of introducing a tax on the carbon content of imported goods at EU borders and whether such a tax would be compatible with WTO rules. This study analyses the economic and political consequences of introducing a tax on the carbon content …
The World Bank released its annual State and Trends of the Carbon Market report at Carbon Expo in Cologne, Germany, on 26 May. The report indicates that the value of the global carbon market grew six percent, to US$144 billion, in 2009 despite being its most challenging year to date. …
What are the main trends in the carbon market in 2010? What do market participants and observers expect this year, the next few years and up to 2020? This report presents and analyses the results of the fifth annual Carbon Market Survey, which garnered 4,767 responses in January and February …
This paper provides the latest developments of announced, proposed and existing greenhouse gas emissions trading schemes (ETS) around the world since 2006. It also examines different potential design options for ETS (e.g. coverage, allocation mode, provision for offsets), and how these options are treated in the existing, announced or proposed …
