Policymakers agree to slash capital requirements for EU carbon trading, decline to extend treatment to voluntary market
EU institutions have provisionally agreed to lower the perceived level of financial risk associated with EU Allowances, reducing the capital requirements banks need to hold when trading these units but declining to extend the same treatment to voluntary carbon credits.
Read MoreDanish firm expands nature carbon portfolio in ‘beyond value chain’ partnership with WWF
A Danish manufacturing company has teamed up with green group WWF to add two projects to its nature-based carbon portfolio as part of its ‘beyond value chain’ mitigation plans to “capture” emissions from its historical operations dating back to 1941.
Read MoreBiodiversity offsetting included as green investment in EU green taxonomy
The European Commission has included an element of biodiversity offsetting in its taxonomy of what counts as a sustainable investment, against the recommendations of the body advising the EU executive on green taxonomy rules.
Read MoreEU climate science advisors recommend 90-95% GHG cut as 2040 target
The EU’s panel of climate science advisors has recommended that the bloc set a 2040 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal of 90-95% below 1990 levels in upcoming legislation, an interim goal that would hinge largely on the rapid decarbonisation of the power sector.
Read MoreFood for thought: Experts digest idea of including agricultural emissions in EU ETS
Experts weighed the merits of including agriculture emissions in the EU ETS at an event in Brussels on Wednesday, with panellists agreeing that the market mechanism could be a stronger policy tool than what is in place now to lower the bloc’s farming emissions, which have not fallen since 2005.
Read MoreGerman government waters down divisive clean heating bill, delaying transition
Germany’s government has agreed on a watered down version of a law to cut emissions from heating amid fears over excessive costs, a move likely to apply bullish pressure to the nation’s fuels carbon pricing system as a result of delaying the transition.
Read MoreEU expands green investment label list to transport, goes beyond climate
The European Commission on Tuesday expanded and updated its criteria for economic activities that can be listed as ‘green’ under the EU’s guidance for sustainable investing, raising the bar compared to a draft version.
Read MoreInvestor associations criticise Brussels for diluting climate disclosure rules
Draft European Commission rules to require companies in the EU to disclose social and environmental risks and impacts of their activities have been significantly watered down compared to the technical advisory recommendations, sustainable finance associations said on Monday.
Read MoreBiodiversity offsetting scheme has had limited-to-no impact, study finds
A scientific study evaluating the impact of one of the first established biodiversity offsetting schemes on native vegetation found it was not possible to conclusively demonstrate the policy had resulted in a net biodiversity gain due to limited data and the lack of robust impact evaluations.
Read MorePanel highlights starkly different EU and US approaches on removals policy
The US and EU are approaching carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology ramp up in starkly different ways, a panel heard on Thursday, reflecting on US efforts to disburse funding while the EU focuses on setting ground rules and definitions prior to initiating large-scale cash disbursals.
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