News & Press
EU’s climate reputation bruised as long-haul flight exemption extended
BRUSSELS 3 February 2017. The European Commission has proposed to continue to exempt all flights to and from Europe from paying for their pollution under the EU’s carbon market rules, following an international agreement on aviation emissions. An uncertain global agreement should not be allowed to undermine EU’s climate efforts. The proposal comes after the…
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Europe’s emissions trading system lives to fight another day
Strasbourg, 15 December 2016. Today members on the European Parliament’s environment committee voted on the revision of the EU’s Emission’s Trading System (EU ETS). The vote enables faster cuts in Europe’s carbon pollution but falls short of putting a halt on free handouts to polluters. The EU ETS is the world’s largest carbon market and…
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Cement industry made €5 billion in pollution windfall from EU’s carbon market
BRUSSELS 30 November 2016. The European cement sector has earned over 5 billion euros from the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) according to updated windfall calculations taken from 2008-2015. The findings from independent analysts at CE Delft highlight the urgent need to drastically curb the volume of free pollution permits handed out to carbon-intensive…
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In landmark decision, Panama withdraws UN registration for Barro Blanco hydrodam project
Marrakech, Morocco; Panama City, Panama – 10 November 2016: Last week, Panama withdrew its registration of the controversial Barro Blanco hydro dam project on grounds of stakeholder violation, a precedent under the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). While this decision is a step in the right direction for climate action, lessons need to be learned…
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Media advisory: EU climate policy should not be the scapegoat for oversupplied steel market
Updated on 7/11/2016 at 17:50 Media advisory by Carbon Market Watch and Sandbag ahead of European Steel Action Day on 9 November BRUSSELS | LONDON, 7 November 2016. This Wednesday, IndustriAll Trade Union organises a demonstration in Brussels demanding actions against the European steel sector’s economic decline. Some of the unions perceive the EU’s emissions…
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EU lawmakers fail to fix Europe’s broken carbon market
The position adopted today by the European Parliament’s industry committee on the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) does little to reform the EU’s key climate legislation or to bring it in line with the Paris climate change agreement.
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New report finds energy intensive industry can cut emissions by 80% without losing competitiveness
– European Union policy – meant to curb pollution – currently gives away more in pollution payouts than for innovation support – Split in industry opinion adds momentum for urgent overhaul of crucial policy currently not “fit for purpose” Brussels 25 May 2016 – New analysis shows that energy intensive industries are able to reduce…
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Barro Blanco: Flooding begins on UN approved hydro dam as indigenous defenders are forcefully removed
Washington DC, Bonn, Kiad, Panama 24 May 2016 – Today the floodgates were opened on the contentious UN backed Barro Blanco hydro dam in Panama, sparking forced removal by authorities of indigenous Ngäbe communities that are living in protest camps near the dam site. With construction finished, GENISA, the company that owns and operates the…
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EU’s flagship climate instrument used to subsidise coal in Central and Eastern Europe
The EU’s carbon market rules allow Central and Eastern European Member States to invest up to €12 billion in coal powered energy production. As representatives of the EU Member States are due to discuss the EU ETS this Wednesday, the new publication “Fossil fuel subsidies from Europe’s carbon market” adds momentum to the need to overhaul this policy.
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EU needs to step up domestic climate efforts to deliver on Paris
Brussels 22 April 2016. Today at least 160 countries – and the EU – gather in New York to sign a landmark climate deal with an ambitious target to limit global warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. On this occasion, 23 organisations urge EU leaders to ensure that Europe’s largest climate instrument will be made coherent with the Paris agreement. Other key areas where the EU needs to deliver are the EU Emissions Trading System, and emissions from aviation.
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