Carbon Market Watch Newsletter – November 2019

Global Carbon Markets Could Make Or Break Climate Action Dear friends, Just five weeks before the UN climate summit (COP25) was due to start in Santiago, the Chilean government pulled the plug on the event amid ongoing violent protests against deep inequalities in one of the wealthiest Latin American countries. While the talks found a …

What does flight shame have to do with global carbon markets?

In two parallel global climate processes governments need to finalise details for both international carbon markets under the Paris Agreement and the future aviation offsetting scheme CORSIA. Meanwhile, citizens are losing patience with their leaders that move too slowly in the face of a climate breakdown. Strong action is therefore expected from decision-makers if they …

Markets must increase climate action, not undermine it

Carbon Market Watch priorities at the COP25 in Madrid BRUSSELS 27 November 2019. The next round of UN climate talks takes place in Madrid from 2 to 13 December. The future of carbon markets could be a make or break element for climate action as some countries attempt to cash-in on badly designed mechanisms. While …

Can global carbon markets help us reach the Paris climate goals? 

What is the state of play of the talks on the Paris Agreement market mechanisms? How do we ensure that markets reduce emissions instead of shifting them around the globe? And that climate action drives sustainable development and benefits local communities?  A Carbon Market Watch webinar on Monday 25th of November took a deep dive …

Carbon Market Watch Newsletter – October 2019

Stronger climate action should be the main goal of an EU carbon border tax Dear friends, Tomorrow was supposed to start the count-down to the much-touted “European Green Deal”. The rejection of three Commissioner-candidates by the Europen Parliament means that Ursula von der Leyen’s team is not able to start their work at least before December, but …

Carbon taxes globally too low to address the climate crisis – OECD

Governments do not deploy energy and carbon taxes to their full proposal, the latest “Taxing Energy Use” report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) finds, urging for higher pollution prices to effectively address the climate crisis.  Pricing high-carbon activities is an effective tool for making polluters pay while encouraging them to switch …

Carbon Market Watch Newsletter – September 2019

EU carbon market unfit to handle coal phase-out Dear friends, A week of climate mobilisations is coming to its end. Ahead of the UN climate summit in New York last Monday, four million people across the globe took to the streets on Friday 20 September to demand that their governments take urgent action to solve the …

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 …

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 …