Energy markets are not cash machines for milking low-income households

Fossil fuel companies across Europe raked in huge profits last quarter, including Italian energy giant Eni, whose net profits quadrupled while low-income Italians struggled to pay their energy bills. The EU must make the polluters pay and not the most vulnerable in our society. Italy is a country where people spend proportionately more of their …

How to get ‘Fit for 55’ in shape for the climate emergency

Some EU governments believe the ‘Fit for 55’ package is too ambitious but, in reality, it is not ambitious enough. More action is needed today because tomorrow will be too late to avoid catastrophic global warming, write Agnese Ruggiero and Andrew Marshall. This week, European environment ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss the draft ‘Fit …

Carbon Market Watch Newsletter June 2021

Forestry offsets allow Colombian fossil fuel companies to dodge taxes Colombia has a carbon tax in place, but companies are allowed to buy offsets to avoid paying the tax.  Our new investigation finds that two large-scale Amazonian forestry projects have sold carbon credits for way more emission reductions than they have actually achieved. Such “hot …

How heavy industry is profiting from the EU carbon market

Welcome to Carbon Countdown, a podcast by Carbon Market Watch covering all things carbon pricing and climate action Episode 3: How the heavy industry is profiting from the EU carbon market Carbon Market Watch · [Carbon Countdown] EPISODE 3: How the heavy industry is profiting from the EU carbon market Music: Ambient Technology by Joystock …

Europe’s industry polluters make €50 billion in carbon market windfall profits

BRUSSELS, 7 June 2021 New analysis shows that the energy-intensive industry across Europe has profited up to €50 billion from 2008 to 2019 as a result of the free allocation of pollution permits under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). The findings in the report from independent environmental consultancy CE Delft highlight the need …

The Phantom Leakage – Industry windfall profits from Europe’s carbon market 2008-2019

Executive summary  Since its inception, the EU Emission Trading System (EU ETS) has been giving free allowances to most energy-intensive industries deemed at risk of carbon leakage.  “Carbon leakage” refers to a hypothetical situation where companies transfer production to countries with weaker climate policies in order to lower their costs.  This policy briefing interprets the …

Return of the Allowances – Fixing the EU carbon market rules to drive industrial innovation

Date and Time: 15.00-16.30 CEST, 07 June 2021 (online). Watch the recording here or on YouTube Background:  The EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is Europe’s main instrument to reduce carbon pollution from the power and industrial sectors. Over the years, it has helped to drive down the use of coal. However, when it comes …

EU Commission waters down carbon market state aid rules to please large polluters

The final EU carbon market state aid rules will ensure massive handouts of taxpayer money to large polluting industries such as oil refineries and plastic producers over the next decade.  The EU ETS state aid guidelines for 2021-2030 set the framework for EU countries to compensate their electricity-intensive industries deemed at risk of ‘carbon leakage’ …