Europe’s energy-intensive industries need an urgent transformation in order to dramatically reduce their emissions in line with the Paris climate goals. This is far from the reality: EU industrial emissions rose by 2% in 2017 and projections show that they are not expected to decline up to 2030. One of the more challenging elements of…
The way our societies currently measure development and prosperity is strongly biased and incomplete. This leads most individuals and organisations to prioritise polluting activities whose net benefits to society have been artificially increased through the failure to correctly price their social and environmental impacts. The polluter-pays principle is therefore not being implemented, which is akin…
This feedback was submitted to the European Commission, expressing Carbon Market Watch’s views on the inclusion of sectors on the carbon leakage list of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). The carbon leakage list identifies all sectors which are deemed by the Commission to be at risk of leakage, i.e. the geographical displacement of…
Executive summary In autumn 2017, the EU Member States and the European Parliament agreed on the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), setting out the scheme’s rules for the 2021-2030 period. The EU ETS aims to put a price on carbon by requiring installations across Europe to surrender allowances reflecting their level…
The assessment of the carbon leakage list for the post-2020 period will need to be informed by the performance of the carbon leakage provisions to date. So far, the excessively generous handout of free permits has resulted in over 25 billion euros windfall profits (e.g. the polluter has been paid, rather than having been made…
Stop the ETS funding coal, Start a meaningful carbon price This Agreement […] aims to […] making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development. Paris Agreement, Article 2(1)c We, the undersigned, urgently appeal to Representatives of European Parliament, Council and the European Commission to ensure that European power…
Dear Respected Colleague, Carbon Market Watch is pleased to share our SBSTA, SBI, and APA recommendations as well as an overview of our upcoming events and recent publications (below). Phase out Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) To reach the objectives of the Paris Agreement, it is essential to learn from past experience avoid the mistakes made with…
Executive Summary Putting a price on carbon, based on the polluter pays principle, has the potential to be a powerful policy tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the fight against climate change. A carbon price can come in the form of a tax or a cap and trade system. With a tax, the price of polluting…
The EU is currently finalizing the implementation of its 2030 climate framework. This work includes a revision of the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), the EU’s flagship climate instrument. The European Parliament (EP) and the Council adopted their positions on the EU ETS revision earlier this year and are currently holding talks to reach an agreement on how to design the system for the 2021-2030 period.
Executive Summary Around the world, governments are establishing carbon pricing systems to put a price-tag on greenhouse gas emissions and incentivize more climate friendly practices. The EU launched its own Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) in 2005. While the ETS is a necessary instrument to decarbonise the power and industry sectors in Europe, experience shows…
Carbon pricing 
International transport 
Climate governance 
Fair climate action