Pricing pollution can drive green growth 

New report busts industry competitiveness myths Carbon pricing can unlock the potential for innovation and boost new low-carbon businesses. Contrary to industry claims, it plays only a limited role in companies’ location and investment decisions. Sectors such as cement where transport costs are high are unlikely to lose competitiveness due to carbon pricing.  The months …

Aviation needs a credible long-term climate strategy 

The UN aviation body must urgently set robust, science-based long-term climate targets if the industry wants to win back the confidence of both investors and customers. Many Europeans are losing patience with airlines’ defensive attitude towards the aviation industry’s climate impact and are taking matters into their own hands – by choosing not to fly.  …

Over 2 billion surplus pollution permits could flood Europe’s carbon market by 2030 – analysis

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 …

Rocket

European businesses need clear direction, not populism

A strong and clear political climate commitment leading to the right policies and measures will help Europe’s industry thrive in a zero-carbon world. Last week, a veto by the Polish, Czech, Estonian and Hungarian governments led to the failure of the long-awaited endorsement of the EU’s long-term climate strategy and commitment to climate neutrality by …

Cracking Europe’s hardest climate nut – How to kick-start the zero-carbon transition of energy-intensive industries?

Executive summary With total greenhouse gas emissions of 708 million tonnes per year, the resource and energy-intensive industry is the third-largest climate polluter in Europe. The cement, chemical, and steel sectors alone are responsible for almost 60% of these emissions. Industrial emissions are regulated under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS), but the numerous exemptions …

Letter: CORSIA & European climate ambition on aviation

Dear Vice-President Šefčovič, Commissioner Bulc, Commissioner Arias Cañete EU aviation emissions increased 96% from 1990 to 2016, and are now 3.6% of EU emissions. These emissions are included in the EU 2030 target, and ambitious action is required to ensure the target is achieved. ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme (CORSIA) for International Aviation is …

Carbon Market Watch Newsletter – May 2018

Editorial At the recent UN climate talks in Bonn, negotiations on future market provisions largely focused on the process, but key issues will need to be sorted out at the next session in Bangkok before the “Paris rulebook”  can be adopted. It is particularly important to have strong rules in place to protect the rights of those affected by climate …

Big polluters continue to get a free pass on Europe’s carbon market

Last week, the European Commission published a list of 44 industries, representing 90% of total industry emissions, that will continue to receive their pollution permits for free under Europe’s carbon market rules after 2020. Over-generous hand-out of free pollution permits doesn’t incentivise emission cuts, and policymakers will need to find other ways to put industry …