The European Commission launched two consultations on Thursday to help it prepare legislative proposals due later this year on extending beyond 2020 laws regulating greenhouse gas emissions outside EU ETS sectors.
Respondents have until Jun. 17 to respond.
Non-ETS sectors represent around 55% of total EU emissions and as part of 2030 climate goals the bloc’s leaders agreed last year must be cut by 20% under 2005 levels.
The leaders said that existing criteria that divides the effort into national targets based on GDP per capita will remain but with enhanced “flexible mechanisms” enable inter-governmental emissions trade that has yet to emerge.
A report published by think tank Climate Strategies on Wednesday said the Commission should set up a central clearing house and allow the private sector to develop carbon-cutting projects to help save money in meeting the targets.
The second consultation will focus on how emissions from agriculture, forestry and other land use are treated.
Earlier this month the Commission dropped plans to include these sectors within the 2030 Climate and Energy framework after environmental campaigners and some nations said it risked weakening targets in other sectors.
