News & Press
By Daniele Rao, Agnese Ruggiero on 30 Mar 2021
Making the industrial pollution law fit for the EU Green Deal
A recent Carbon Market Watch webinar discussed the upcoming revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive in the framework of the European Green Deal. Achieving the goals of the European Green Deal (EGD) will entail driving down greenhouse gas emissions as well as achieving zero pollution and a non-toxic environment by 2050. The upcoming revisions of…
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By Wijnand Stoefs on 25 Mar 2021
A global pollution price for ships is back on the agenda – here’s how to get it right
A worldwide shipping carbon pricing scheme must reduce pollution fast, finance technologies that reduce more emissions, and support countries most impacted by climate change. It must not include offsetting nor be allowed to weaken national or regional measures. The global shipping sector is still not paying for the climate damage it is causing. While carbon…
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By Wijnand Stoefs on 23 Mar 2021
From pipeline to pipe dream: why there’s no such thing as shipping carbon-neutral LNG
This opinion piece was first published on Splash247 on 22 March “Carbon-neutral” liquefied natural gas (LNG) is the new kid on the block when it comes to fake climate credentials. The number of deals across the world is growing at an alarming pace. This greenwashing trend is wrong at many levels. First, let it be…
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By Kirsten Sleven on 21 Dec 2020
What can we learn from the Dutch national carbon tax?
Guest article by Kirsten Sleven, Director, WISE As the first country in the world, the Netherlands is about to introduce a carbon tax on industrial pollution. The tax is part of a broader policy package (Dutch Climate Agreement) to stimulate major industrial polluters to ‘decarbonize’ their production processes and was drawn up in consultation with…
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By Kaisa Amaral on 26 Nov 2020
UN shipping body torpedoes its own climate strategy
As the global efforts to cut CO2 pollution from ships hit the wall, regions and countries must step up. In Europe, work to bring the sector under the bloc’s carbon market is ongoing, but slowing down. Earlier this month, the UN shipping agency International Maritime Organisation (IMO) approved a draft plan to cut CO2 pollution…
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By Agnese Ruggiero, Gilles Dufrasne on 25 Nov 2020
EU carbon market report underlines the need to end pollution handouts
While the EU carbon market is helping to clean up Europe’s power sector, industrial CO2 pollution remained stubbornly high, and that from aviation kept growing in 2019. This is partly due to overly generous handouts of pollution permits. These subsidies must be phased out to incentivise cleaner production and more sustainable transport as the scheme…
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By Kaisa Amaral on 25 Nov 2020
What should a carbon border measure look like?
A carbon border adjustment measure can support a clean industrial transition globally if it’s designed properly and fairly. It must replace all current EU pollution handouts and its revenues must be used wisely to drive innovation and to provide climate finance to countries that most need it. The EU Commission is preparing the law to…
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By Ilaria Buttu, Gilles Dufrasne on 29 Oct 2020
Airlines continue to push against climate policies as EU Commission proposes new rules
Airlines have been hit hard by the pandemic induced economic slowdown and travel restrictions, but are also using the situation as an excuse to lobby even harder against climate regulations. As the EU works on its aviation climate package, it must ensure that – like other transport modes – the sector pays for its pollution…
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“Offsetting must not be a license to continue polluting”
We joined the World Press Clubs Alliance for Climate launch event on Friday 23 October. Watch the interview with Sabine Frank here. Companies and governments are announcing “climate-neutrality” targets, and consumers are being offered ways to offset their carbon footprint. What does this mean in practice? How can we distinguish between real climate action and…
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By Gilles Dufrasne on 1 Jul 2020
Airlines’ golden (corona) life jacket makes a mockery of the green recovery
It’s been a rough few months for the aviation sector around the world, as most aircraft have not left the tarmac and major airlines are losing millions every day. But the industry has used the situation very effectively to push governments to weaken climate policies. The same governments are handing out multi-billion euro bailout packages,…
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