Emissions Trading Worldwide: ICAP Status Report 2016
The International Carbon Action Partnership’s Status Report 2016 shows emissions trading is gaining ever more importance in the fight against climate change.
Read MoreCOMMENT: The five A’s of an effective NZ ETS review
The New Zealand emissions trading scheme is hitting its target by missing the point, and needs to be changed by considering five “A’s”: Ambition, Architecture, Alignment, Acceptance and Agriculture.
Read MoreCOMMENT: In a volatile EU ETS, spare a thought for the compliance guys
After a period of relative calm towards the end of 2015, volatility has returned in force to the EU carbon market in 2016, with EU Allowance prices falling as much as 32% since the start of the year and intraday price swings of over 50 cents.
Read MoreCOMMENT: Carbon markets firmly back on the agenda
December’s historic Paris Agreement was clinched after the highest profile event of its kind, attracting the largest number of heads of state and government in history. As always, there are many interpretations of the outcome, which will enter into force in 2020. However, in terms of the market mechanisms, despite the muted language in the final text, these are firmly back on the agenda as an instrument for climate action.
Read MoreCOMMENT: Carbon markets in the Paris Agreement – an early holiday gift
Last Saturday, UN climate negotiators from 195 countries agreed on a historic climate change accord in Paris after two weeks of intense negotiations. While many of us were hoping for a hook that would support the use of markets, we were happily surprised to see the extent and detail on carbon markets that was ultimately included in the Paris Agreement.
Read MoreCOMMENT: For carbon pricing in China, the question is not “if” but “how” – with lessons for the United States
China’s experiment with emissions trading should give the United States pause to consider whether and how CO2 pricing might be a prudent solution, if not a generator of competitive advantage in a carbon-constrained world, writes MIT’s Valerie Karplus in this comment.
Read MoreCOMMENT: Still smoking – The dark side of Alberta’s new climate plan
As a casual observer of Canadian climate policy, you might think Alberta is the new poster child for consensus climate thinking. When Alberta’s new climate policy was announced on Nov. 22 it was quickly met with praise from industry and environmentalists alike who celebrated that the province had finally turned a corner on carbon emissions. But scratch deeper into the plan and all the champagne seems more fitting for an Irish wake.
Read MoreWEBINAR: Role of carbon markets under the Paris climate treaty and impact on EU’s climate policies
Despite the domestic mitigation targets expressed by most developed countries in their INDCs, some countries, such as the EU, have expressed interest in using carbon markets under the Paris agreement. This event will discuss the potential role of carbon markets post-2020 and will focus on the impact of the Paris climate treaty on the ongoing EU ETS reform.
Read MoreWEBINAR: Market Dynamics and Risks in Emissions Trading Systems
The Ecologic Institute is pleased to invite you to participate in the first of a 4-part guest-speaker webinar series devoted to discussing key topics on Emission Trading Systems (ETS). These webinars will also mark the launch of a new online course providing in-depth instruction on ETS theory and design, freely available on 25 November 2015.
Read MoreCOMMENT: Russian business must develop its own path towards climate mitigation
The regulation of greenhouse gas emissions in Russia, and the introduction of market-based approaches to environmental issues in general, is still at the embryonic stage of development. Experience suggests there is a high probability of a slow-moving path: from setting up a mandatory MRV system, to imposing emission targets on sectoral basis, progressing to command-and-control enforcement of the targets in parallel with government subsidies for individual emission reduction projects.
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