Today preliminary data released on the 12,194 installations in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) show 2015 emissions fell again. Stationary emissions were 1802Mt in 2015 (i.e. excluding aviation), down by 0.6% from 1813Mt in 2014. This is exactly as Sandbag...
Category: Carbon Markets
ETS funds can break the climate ambition deadlock
See our newest paper “Sharing the Burden – EU ETS Support to Central and Eastern Europe” for detailed policy solutions regarding low-carbon funds in the EU ETS revision. To anybody that follows the post-Paris developments it’s clear that the debate about European...
Calling something a flagship policy doesn’t make it one
On Thursday 19th February, Sandbag's Head of Policy Damien Morris gave evidence to the European Parliament's Environment Committee (ENVI) on fixing the Emissions Trading Scheme. You can watch his opening speech here, or read the speech below. I want to start by...
Record increase in renewables, but only a small fall in emissions
New analysis by Sandbag looks at the 2015 power sector in Europe. The data shows that 2015 saw a record increase in renewables generation, equal to 2.5% of European electricity demand. But despite this, power sector CO2 emissions are expected to fall by only about...
Carbon costs for the Steel Sector are not as high as feared
A recent report by the consultancy Ecofys for the European steel association Eurofer suggests steel companies face costs of €28/tonne of steel to comply with ETS obligations by 2030. However, at Sandbag we are sceptical that the proposed revision to the Emissions...
Europe’s 2030 climate offer threatened by massive over-delivery of 2020 target
Figures released from the European Environment Agency yesterday indicate that Europe will significantly outperform its 2020 climate target; however, Sandbag finds that the EEA continue to seriously downplay the level of emissions cuts Europe can expect. Moreover, we...
As Paris approaches, an easy route to increased EU climate ambition
As pressure mounts on leaders to reach a new global climate change agreement this December, European policymakers have begun the process of constructing laws that will enforce Europe’s emissions cuts out to 2030. In July, the European Commission released a first major...
Discharging a political storm: Supporting EU competitiveness and innovation in the ETS
On Wednesday, the EU Commission will release new legislation to reform Europe’s key climate policy, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). This will kick off a year-long debate about how best to marry low carbon ambitions with economic competitiveness. In our...
Deep cuts in industrial emissions are needed: How do we pay for them?
Deep emissions reductions in the European power sector are already occurring, but emissions reductions in industrial sectors have been largely limited to incremental efficiency gains. In a new briefing, Sandbag looks at a funding model for industrial decarbonisation...
How does the ETS fit with other EU climate policy?
Some say ditch it, others say it's all we'll ever need. Sandbag's new report, released today alongside an animation and webinar, shows that the Emissions Trading Scheme can only be part of the wide variety of climate policies Europe needs to...