Update 1 July: Verra published a statement in response to this report, questioning its findings and accusing it of using flawed methodologies. Our response to Verra is available here. Executive summary The Colombian government adopted a carbon tax of approximately US$5/tCO2e covering fossil fuels in 2016. Companies can avoid paying the tax by purchasing carbon…
This policy paper complements the briefing “A New Hope – recommendations for the EU Emissions Trading System review” Introduction: The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has been hampered by a historical oversupply since its inception. Since 2019, some of the excess allowances are being absorbed by the Market Stability Reserve (MSR), and a portion…
Executive summary The Emissions Trading System (ETS) is a centrepiece of the EU’s climate policy and its main tool to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Europe’s industrial and power sectors. Until today, most of the emission reductions achieved under the EU ETS were driven by the power sector due to fuel switches in the…
This report by CE Delft was commissioned by Carbon Market Watch Summary This study has calculated the additional profits that sectors and companies have made from the EU ETS between 2008 to 2019 for the fifteen most CO2-intensive sectors plus aviation in nineteen EU countries. In our study we have investigated three types of profits:…
Executive summary Since its inception, the EU Emission Trading System (EU ETS) has been giving free allowances to most energy-intensive industries deemed at risk of carbon leakage. “Carbon leakage” refers to a hypothetical situation where companies transfer production to countries with weaker climate policies in order to lower their costs. This policy briefing interprets the…
An NGO statement on forests in voluntary carbon markets Summary Forest protection and restoration is in urgent need of increased financial support, but cannot be used to offset fossil emissions Financial contributions should be directed at jurisdictional programs addressing deforestation and forest degradation, rather than stand-alone projects, as they provide incentives for improved land use…
Introduction: Plastic production is the largest part of the chemical sector, constituting about one-third of chemicals production worldwide and about one fifth in Europe. The petrochemicals sector is the sector that uses the most energy in the world, more than the iron and steel, cement, pulp and paper, and aluminium industries, and is the third-largest…
Update 12/04/2021: Adjustments to the infographics “EU carbon emissions” and “The effect of a one-off EU ETS cap reduction” Executive summary With total greenhouse gas emissions of around 700 million tonnes per year, resource and energy-intensive industry is the third-largest climate polluter in Europe. The cement, chemical and steel sectors alone are responsible for almost…
Executive summary Relying on carbon offsets to meet climate targets is risky and unsustainable. Carbon credits can have low environmental integrity, and they will become increasingly difficult to source as countries need to “keep” their reductions to meet domestic targets. When companies purchase a carbon credit generated in a country that also has a climate…
This report by NewClimate Institute was commissioned by Carbon Market Watch Summary In order to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement, it is essential to rapidly move from a zero-sum offsetting approach towards rapid transitions to decarbonise all emitting sectors. Though originally developed for offsetting, using aspects of carbon market mechanisms to deliver results-based…
Carbon pricing 
International transport 
Climate governance 
Fair climate action