EU carbon market reform deal: taking stock and moving forward

Last week the European Parliament adopted its position on the revision of the EU’s Emission Trading System (EU ETS) for the 2021-2030 period. Next week, EU environment ministers will try to reach an agreement on the reform deal. Time to take a fresh look at what is on the table, and what is at stake.

European Commission restricts free pollution permits to carbon-intensive industry

The European Commission last week finalized a decision to reduce the amount of free pollution permits handed out to energy intensive industry for the period up to 2020. This decision comes at a time when the European Parliament and EU ministers are deliberating over how many pollution permits heavy industry should get for free after 2020.

New report underlines the risks for Europe’s bloated carbon market

According to a European Environment’s Agency (EEA) report published this week the oversupply of carbon permits in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) remains ‘substantial’. At a time when lawmakers are discussing how to get Europe’s flagship climate policy back on track, this report comes as an urgent warning to those trying to save the EU’s failing carbon market.