Cement production is one of the largest and most carbon-intensive sectors in the European Union. The industry emits 114 megatonnes of carbon dioxide each year. To ensure the EU achieves climate neutrality well before 2050, it is necessary to drastically reduce emissions
in the cement sector. The EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is the key instrument for incentivising emissions reduction in energy-intensive sectors, such as cement, but it has been underperforming compared with its potential. The ongoing revision of the system is a crucial opportunity to strengthen the EU ETS
A study commissioned by Carbon Market Watch and conducted by the Öko-Institut analysed the action or investments that eight major European airlines were taking outside their value chains. These include activities that supposedly avoid or reduce greenhouse gas emissions and those that remove and store greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The eight selected airlines are …
Read more “Flights of Fancy: Preventing European airlines from making far-fetched climate claims”
A study commissioned by Carbon Market Watch and Transport & Environment (T&E), and conducted by TAKS, analysed the emission reductions, costs and auctioning revenues generated by extending the scope of the Emission Trading System (ETS) for aviation. The three scenarios analysed are 1) the European Commission’s (EC) proposal as part of the Fit For 55 …
Read more “Expanding the EU’s carbon market for aviation: Study and Briefing”
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) latest report underscores the urgency of the climate crisis: the effects of the climate breakdown are already being felt around the world, and will only become more destructive in the coming decades. Humanity is rapidly running out of time to keep planetary heating limited to the Paris Agreement’s …
Read more “Model answers: Studies reveal EU must revamp Emissions Trading System to live within its carbon budget”
There are multiple arguments for why the EU’S 2030 climate target aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% is not compatible with the 1.5°C temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. The EU thus will need to look at how it can do more. Substantial additional action in all economic sectors and in …
Read more “Why the EU must strengthen its climate target, including in the Emissions Trading System”
The Emissions Trading System (ETS) is one of the key EU climate policies and its reform is essential for the successful implementation of the EU Green Deal and the achievement of the Union’s 2030 climate targets. Advocating for a strong revision of the EU ETS is an inherent part of civil society’s work to help …
Read more “How to advocate for effective EU carbon pricing”
Steelmaking is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the European Union. The sector emits 221 megatonnes of carbon dioxide each year. To ensure the EU achieves climate neutrality well before 2050, it is necessary to drastically reduce emissions in the steel sector. The EU’s Emissions Trading System is the key instrument for incentivising emissions …
Read more “Decarbonising Steel: Options for reforming the EU’s Emissions Trading System”
Our FAQ document on the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) explaining its objectives, how it will work in practice, which sectors are covered, what happens during the transition phase, and more. This is a downloadable PDF. The text is also available as a webpage: A brief explanation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
Executive summary We need technologies and processes to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, removals accounting and targets must remain separate from those for GHG emissions; and only real removals should be taken into account. Emission reduction and carbon dioxide removal accounting and targets need to be kept strictly separate to ensure removals can …
Read more “Respecting the laws of physics: Principles for carbon dioxide removal accounting”
Introduction: The UK COP Presidency has planned informal ministerial consultations on July 7 and July 12, in order to make progress on Article 6, which is still in stalemate despite recent technical discussions. Ministers have been asked to discuss a set of framing questions on three key sticking points: double counting of emissions, possible transition …
Read more “Briefing for ministerial discussions on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement”
