New EU ETS: time for steel, cement and chemicals to (be)come clean

The EU carbon market has helped drive down carbon pollution from Europe’s power sector but has failed to do the same for heavy industries such as cement, steel and chemicals. A part of the reason is the free allocation of pollution permits, which means that the industry has little incentive to clean up its act. …

How can the EU Emissions Trading System drive the aviation sector’s decarbonisation?

This policy paper complements the briefing “A New Hope – recommendations for the EU Emissions Trading System review” Introduction: The aviation sector is responsible for nearly 4% of the EU’s total CO2 emissions, and is the second biggest contributor to transport emissions, after road transport. While in flight, planes emit CO2 and also impact the …

Why Europe cannot rely on forests to meet its climate targets

EU Climate Law negotiators must keep emission reductions and forest protection as separate targets and agree to cut pollution by 65% over the next ten years.    Forests play a vital role as carbon sinks in efforts to avoid catastrophic climate change. They are essential for all life on Earth. They need protection so that they …

Four key issues to watch in the EU’s carbon market reform

This opinion piece was first published on Euractiv on 15 April 2021 EU carbon market emissions experienced a record fall last year, but when it comes to heavy industry, the effect is likely to be short-lived, writes Agnese Ruggiero. The latest EU carbon market emissions data released by European Commission on April 1 was not …

How can the EU Emissions Trading System drive the plastics sector’s zero-carbon transition?

Introduction: Plastic production is the largest part of the chemical sector, constituting about one-third of chemicals production worldwide and about one fifth in Europe. The petrochemicals sector is the sector that uses the most energy in the world, more than the iron and steel, cement, pulp and paper, and aluminium industries, and is the third-largest …

A New Hope – Recommendations for the EU Emissions Trading System review

Update 12/04/2021: Adjustments to the infographics “EU carbon emissions” and “The effect of a one-off EU ETS cap reduction” Executive summary With total greenhouse gas emissions of around 700 million tonnes per year, resource and energy-intensive industry is the third-largest climate polluter in Europe. The cement, chemical and steel sectors alone are responsible for almost …

Carbon Market Watch’s response to the public consultation on the revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive

Carbon Market Watch fully supports the comprehensive feedback provided by the European Environmental Bureau to the revision and welcomes the opportunity to give specific views on how the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) should be revised to support industrial decarbonisation in a complementary manner to the EU Emission Trading System.   While we support the general direction …

Making the industrial pollution law fit for the EU Green Deal

A recent Carbon Market Watch webinar discussed the upcoming revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive in the framework of the European Green Deal. Achieving the goals of the European Green Deal (EGD) will entail driving down greenhouse gas emissions as well as achieving zero pollution and a non-toxic environment by 2050. The upcoming revisions of …

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger [1]

Two key elements to get right in the EU carbon market review The upcoming revision of the EU carbon market rules is an opportunity to ensure that industries covered by it cut their pollution in line with the EU Green Deal objectives and the Paris Climate Agreement. Agreeing on a faster pace at which emissions …

Carbon Market Watch’s response to the public consultation on the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) review

Summary The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) covers around 40% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions from more than 11,000 installations and airlines.  As part of the EU Green Deal implementation, the scheme will be revised starting in the summer of 2021. The revision is a crucial opportunity to ensure that the sectors covered …