BRUSSELS 20 September 2019. The EU carbon market is currently unfit to accommodate national coal phase-outs scheduled in Europe. EU policymakers should combine coal plant closures with the cancellation of pollution permits and strengthen the market stability reserve to absorb more surplus pollution permits off the market. Failing this, the market will be flooded with…
Following the publication of the European Commission’s recommendations on EU countries’ draft energy and climate plans, LIFE PlanUp has analysed the plans of Finland, Sweden, Portugal, Germany and France. While the plans include ambitious goals, they lack concrete policies and measures to deliver on the promises. On 18 June 2019, the European Commission released its…
EU governments breach citizens’ right to information on international aviation climate policy Dear friends, As I write this at the UN Climate Change Conference, Bonn, along with the rest of Western Europe, is sweltering in the scorching heat, an uncomfortable foretaste of what an ever-warming climate has in store for us. I can only hope that…
European countries who are members of the UN civil aviation body are keeping their work on climate policies for the aviation sector secret from their citizens, in breach of an international treaty on public access to environmental information. The Aarhus Convention covers three principles: access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision-making and access…
BRUSSELS 18 June 2019. Today, the European Commission published its analysis and country-specific recommendations for the EU Member States on their draft National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). Largely confirming findings by LIFE PlanUp, the Commission urges governments to strengthen their plans in order to bridge the gap between the EU climate targets and what the Member…
This week, UN climate negotiators are meeting in Bonn, Germany, to try and find common ground on the Paris Agreement’s market provisions. There is growing political momentum to move beyond offsetting in global climate policy, but only a handful of countries around the negotiating table are willing to walk the talk. “We can no longer…
Voters put climate crisis firmly on EU agenda Dear friends, I am delighted to share with you a revamped Carbon Market Watch News. I hope you enjoy the new look, and easily find content that most interests you. I also look forward to receiving any feedback or suggestions! Last weekend, EU citizens turned up at the…
Last weekend’s European Parliament elections made it clear that climate change will be high on the agenda of the incoming EU policymakers. Different forms of carbon taxes will be among the key climate topics. Last weekend, Europeans cast their vote in record numbers, with an overall turnout at the EU Parliament elections rising to…
BRUSSELS, 8 May 2019. A new analysis of five draft EU energy and climate plans reveals a lack of climate commitment by governments in terms of ambition, concrete sectoral measures and public participation. Tomorrow, EU leaders are meeting in Sibiu, Romania to discuss the Future of Europe, amid youth climate protests across Europe, rising…
The EU is on track to meet its 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target but needs to increase efforts in energy efficiency and renewables, according to the European Commission’s latest State of the Energy Union report. All three components are needed if the EU is to meet its 2030 climate targets. Today, the European Commission…
Kaisa Amaral, Communications Director
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