News & Press
EU’s Long Term Strategy offers hope for net-zero carbon future
Today, the EU Commission released its “Long Term Strategy for a Clean Planet For All”, an ambitious plan for Europe to tackle climate change and fulfill its commitment to the Paris Agreement. Carbon Market Watch welcomes the strategy, in particular the EU Commission’s open support for net-zero emissions by 2050. Of the 8 scenarios outlined…
Read more →
Failure to align Europe’s carbon market with Paris goals adds pressure on governments to price pollution
BRUSSELS 9 November 2017. Today, the European Parliament, the EU Member States and the Commission reached a provisional agreement on the reform of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for the 2021-2030 period. The deal falls far short of meeting the Paris climate goals, pointing to the need for additional action at national and…
Read more →
Markets must increase climate ambition – Carbon Market Watch priorities at the COP23 in Bonn
BRUSSELS 3 November 2017. The next round of UN climate talks takes place in Bonn from 6 to 17 November, under the Fijian Presidency, on how to implement the Paris climate deal. One open question is the role carbon markets will play in meeting global climate targets. Carbon Market Watch will be in Bonn to follow…
Read more →
EU delays climate action for international flights
Updated 19 October to amend the “notes to editors” BRUSSELS 18 October 2017. Today, the EU Member States together with the European Commission and the European Parliament reached a provisional deal on aviation’s role in the EU carbon market. Lawmakers chose not to make airlines pay more for their pollution and postponed the date to…
Read more →
European Parliament backs stricter aviation pollution rules
BRUSSELS 13 September 2017. Today, the European Parliament adopted its position on aviation’s role under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Lawmakers agreed to continue the exclusion of international flights from the EU ETS until 2021 but took steps to ensure that the sector will have to reduce and pay more for its soaring emissions. Decision…
Read more →
EU lawmakers improve Europe’s aviation pollution rules
11 Jul 2017 BRUSSELS 11 July 2017. Today, the European Parliament’s environment committee voted to include international flights in Europe’s carbon market from 2021 onwards. Lawmakers also took small steps towards making the aviation industry pay more for its massive climate impact. The committee was voting on aviation’s future role under the EU’s Emissions Trading…
Read more →
New study adds urgency to end UN carbon offsetting scheme
Brussels 19 April 2017. The European Commission has released a new study showing major flaws in carbon offsets from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). As countries flesh out the rules to implement the Paris Agreement, Carbon Market Watch calls for an end to the scheme, and a shift away from offsetting as a climate policy…
Read more →
EU countries take a small step to address carbon market oversupply
BRUSSELS 28 February 2017. Today the EU environment ministers adopted their position on the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) revision. While the ministers proposed some improvements to the original proposal, more is needed to align one of the EU’s key climate laws with the Paris Agreement on climate change. To address the chronic glut…
Read more →
EU carbon market future in doubt as lawmakers fail with reform
STRASBOURG 15 February 2017. Today the European Parliament adopted its position on the revision of the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for the 2021-2030 period. Regrettably, the lawmakers missed out on an opportunity to strengthen the polluter pays principle through a carbon border tax on cement imports and an end to free pollution permits…
Read more →
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…
Read more →