Emissions trading scheme
EU carbon market emissions (excluding aviation) fell 8.7% in 2019
Greenhouse gas emissions regulated under Europe's carbon market fell by 8.7% last year, according to preliminary like-for-like European Commission data examined by carbon analysts at Refinitiv.
Europe’s domestic air travel emissions increase again
Greenhouse gas output from plane journeys within the EU rose again in 2019, according to new data from the European Commission, but that growth is likely to stop for a while, with 2020 set to be a lean year for airlines because of coronavirus.
EU sticks to carbon reporting deadlines, rejects industry calls for coronavirus delay
An EU-wide April 30 deadline for firms to surrender emissions trading system (ETS) carbon allowances will stand, the European Commission said, despite calls from the cement and steel industry to extend it due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Thyssenkrupp to scrap 3,000 steel jobs as part of coronavirus ‘crisis package’
German industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp on Wednesday (25 March) announced it was scrapping 3,000 jobs in its troubled steel unit as part of a coronavirus "crisis package".
EU carbon market ‘the first victim’ as electricity demand collapses
Every country in Europe has seen electricity demand decrease by 2 to 7% week-on-week as coronavirus-related confinement measures were enforced, according to new research by Ember, a climate think tank. Some analysts are now calling for urgent measures to prevent the EU carbon market from collapsing.
German CO2 emissions dive amid coronavirus slump
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a dramatic impact on Germany's demand for electricity. According to initial projections, Germany could emit between 50 and 120 million tons less CO2 this year, meaning it could even exceed its climate target. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU should scrap emissions trading scheme, Polish official says
The European Union should scrap its Emissions Trading System or exempt Poland from the scheme, which helps combat global warming, to free up funds for Warsaw to fight the effects of the coronavirus, a senior Polish official said.
Inside the EU’s shadow climate fight
The EU’s new industrial strategy, due out on 10 March, is an opportunity to shake up more than a decade of lethargic progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions from Europe’s heavy industries, writes Wilf Lytton.
The EU 2030 climate target is tomorrow
The European Climate Law falls short of providing meaningful financial compensation for Member States with different starting points like Poland. This is a very unfortunate development at time when more unity and more solidarity are needed in the EU.
Green transition will require ‘Herculean effort’, EU admits
The European Union will need to “re-orient most, if not all” of its policies in order to protect vulnerable regions and workers in industries affected by the transition to a green economy, the EU Commission’s vice-president Frans Timmermans has said.
Stage set for EU-UK tussle over green credentials
Trade talks between the EU and UK start next week with thorny issues like state aid and fish set to complicate matters. There is also a fight brewing over environmental policies that may make an agreement by year’s end even more difficult to come by.
EU hopefuls up climate game in Western Balkans
Montenegro and North Macedonia have both pledged to cut emissions and put a price on pollution, as new initiatives in the two Western Balkan countries aim to align climate policies more and more with EU norms and standards.
Ryanair’s green claims branded ‘misleading’ by UK regulator
A British regulator on Wednesday (5 February) banned advertisements by Ryanair that gave "misleading" claims over the Irish airline's "low" level of carbon emissions - a move welcomed by environmental campaigners.
Glass: A low-hanging fruit for the climate – and a tough nut to crack
Glass is irreplaceable in buildings, making it a key part of the solution to unlock energy savings and help reach Europe's decarbonisation targets. But it's also an energy-intensive industry, for which no immediate clean energy alternative is available.
Glass industry boss: Replacing old windows can bring huge energy savings
If Europe goes climate neutral, it will consume more flat glass, predicts Christian Quenett. And the benefits could be huge: simply doubling the replacement rate of windows, in line with the European Green Deal, would achieve 20% of the EU’s energy efficiency targets for 2030, he says.
What will Germany’s coal phase-out mean for the EU carbon market?
When Germany eventually closes its coal-fired power plants, millions of CO2 pollution credits will be flushed into the EU emissions trading system, threatening to send the EU carbon market crashing. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Germany’s official 2018 emission figures are better than expected
Germany has sent the EU Commission its official emissions figures for 2018, which are slightly lower than the previous year. Most reductions were made in the energy sector, while transport and agriculture still lag behind. Yet, Germany will not miss its climate targets for this decade as was initially anticipated. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Extending EU carbon market must not hinder more urgent reforms
The European Commission’s proposal to include new sectors in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is not expected to significantly reduce emissions but could risk the stability of the EU’s carbon market and the decarbonisation of the power sector, argue Outi Haanperä and Verena Graichen.
Shipping to splash out on ammonia in green bid
A shipbuilder and engine maker are among leading companies looking to develop a vessel that can run on ammonia as part of efforts to speed up carbon reductions in shipping through cleaner fuel options, officials said on Wednesday (15 January).
EU plans ditching carbon cost refund for seven industrial sectors
The European Commission has proposed removing mining activities and fertiliser manufacturing from a list of heavy industries eligible for state aid, arguing EU climate policies no longer puts them at risk of relocating production outside Europe.
Achieving 1.5°C warming goal requires rapid reform of EU carbon market
To deliver quick results at least political cost, the European Commission should focus on two measures when revising the EU Emissions Trading Scheme: strengthening the cap and enhancing the Market Stability Reserve (MSR), write Mari Pantsar and Outi Haanperä.
Question marks raised over scale of EU’s new climate fund
The European Commission finally lifted the lid on its long-awaited just transition plans on Tuesday (14 January) but doubts have already been raised over the amount of funding on offer for the next decade compared to the bloc's Green Deal ambitions.
Road transport in the EU ETS: A high-risk, low-reward strategy
The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is not a good instrument to cut road transport emissions because it will raise petrol prices and fuel popular discontent, as seen in the past with the ‘Gilets Jaunes’ protests, writes William Todts. Road emissions...