Emissions trading scheme
EU leaders to decide tougher climate goal in December
EU leaders on Thursday (15 October) said they will decide on a more stringent climate target for 2030 at a summit in December, leaving more time to forge a united European response to climate change.
EU’s carbon border tax proposal still has many grey areas
While the EU carbon tax should be introduced at the bloc's borders by 2022, a report details the challenges and options of this mechanism, which still has many grey areas. EURACTIV France reports.
EU lists sectors eligible for carbon compensation perks
The European Commission reduced on Monday (21 September) the number of industrial sectors eligible for compensation against higher electricity costs caused by the EU carbon market, the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Europe’s new climate plan heralds energy ‘transformation’
Meeting the EU’s proposed new climate targets for 2030 will require a “transformation” of the bloc’s energy system, with a renewed focus on renewables and further efforts to cut fossil fuels in buildings, transport and industry, the European Commission has said.
A carbon neutral Nordic region would need 75% more electricity, study shows
Nordic countries would have to generate another 290 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity, an increase of 75% from current levels, to meet the additional demand for power if they become carbon neutral, a study published on Thursday showed.
EU climate plan could see bloc’s carbon price double this decade
Carbon costs for Europe's businesses could double this decade under European Union plans to deliver deeper emissions reductions by 2030, according to analysis of European Commission modelling.
German industry sceptical of EU’s new 2030 climate goals
The European Commission will present today (17 September) detailed proposals to reduce carbon emissions in the EU by 55% below 1990 levels by 2030. While German industry officially welcomes the new ambitions, it is also clearly sceptical. EURACTIV Germany reports.
MEPs agree to chart shipping’s ETS course
The European Parliament on Tuesday (15 September) voted in favour of including greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector in the European Union's carbon market from 2022, throwing its weight behind EU plans to make ships pay for their pollution.
Carbon market’s free perks need rethink, insists EU watchdog
The EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) of offering free pollution permits needs to be reviewed and aligned more closely with climate policy if the bloc wants to reap its full benefits, the European Court of Auditors said on Tuesday (15 September).
EU to withdraw free CO2 pollution credits to clear way for carbon border tax
The European Commission plans to withdraw free allowances given to polluting industries under the EU’s emission trading system (ETS) in order to clear the way for their inclusion in the bloc's upcoming carbon border adjustment mechanism, the EU executive's vice-president, Valdis Dombrovskis, said on Monday (14 September).
Shippers balk at EU carbon market plan
The shipping industry has railed against plans to expand the EU carbon market to the maritime sector ahead of a crucial vote in the European Parliament on Tuesday (15 September) that risks putting lawmakers on a collision course with shippers.
LEAK: EU’s 2030 climate plan makes case for 55% emissions cut
The European Commission will argue this week in favour of a 55% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and push for higher shares of renewable energy as part of an ambitious plan to achieve net-zero emissions by mid century, EURACTIV has learned.
Warsaw says ‘committed’ to EU’s climate neutrality goal
Poland moved a step closer to formally endorsing the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality goal this week when its climate ministry presented an update of the country’s 2040 energy roadmap during an online event hosted by EURACTIV.
EU carbon market not the right policy for cars, says Timmermans
Road transport should not be top of the list when the European Union expands its carbon market into new sectors, the bloc's climate policy chief said on Tuesday (8 September).
A ‘solidarity clause’ in the EU climate law
The European Union should include a “solidarity clause” in its climate law to ensure that member states most burdened by the EU's new carbon reduction targets are compensated for the additional costs of purchasing allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System, writes MEP Anna Zalewska.
World’s first ‘carbon-capture at sea’ set for shipping trials
Japanese shipbuilding giant Mitsubishi announced on Monday (31 August) that it will build and test a carbon-capture system for ships, which is aimed at significantly reducing the emissions of the maritime sector.
Scientists call on EU to ‘correct’ biomass carbon accounting rules
Europe's academies of science have called on EU lawmakers to introduce a “radically new standard” in the bloc's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to ensure net carbon emissions from biomass power stations are “properly accounted for and declared”.
Tougher EU climate target technically, economically feasible, researchers say
A European Union plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions up to 55% below 1990 levels by 2030 is technically and economically possible, researchers said on Monday (24 August).
Extended ETS outperforms carbon border adjustment in the power sector
Creating a carbon border adjustment mechanism would not work as well as extending the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to reduce global emissions and further integrate energy exporting countries into the European power market, argue András Mezősi, Zsuzsanna Pató and László Szabó.
Commission chews over changes to aviation emissions rules
The European Commission revealed on Friday (3 July) details about how it plans to adapt climate policy to the aviation sector, by integrating a global offsetting scheme into EU rules and slashing free pollution permits.
MEPs set to navigate shipping into the EU’s carbon market
Members of the European Parliament’s environment committee will vote on Tuesday (7 July) on a package of measures intended to clean up the maritime sector and include shipping in the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS).
EU opens bidding for €1 billion from clean technology fund
Clean technology projects are in line for a billion-euro slice of support from the European Union, which on Friday (3 July) launched its flagship scheme for funding breakthrough low-carbon technologies.
Airlines granted huge emissions reprieve by UN compromise
The UN’s aviation emissions offsetting scheme will not take 2020 into account when calculating how much airlines have to pay to neutralise their carbon dioxide output. Environmental groups have derided the decision for “making a mockery” of climate policy.