The negotiations on key climate files of the Fit For 55 package which was launched by the European Commission in July 2021, are approaching critical moments. On 16-17 May, the Environment (ENVI) committee of the European Parliament will vote on the reports for the EU...
Category: Blog posts
Reform, not a patch, will curb carbon price volatility
As energy prices hit record levels, the European Union’s carbon emissions permits – which hit €100 on futures markets in February – have been accused of making electricity too expensive, and although natural gas has a much larger responsibility, the carbon price also...
Risk of surplus with Market Stability Reserve – a short story
The EU is in the process of reforming its carbon market (EU ETS) in line with raising the bloc’s emission reduction target up to 55%, from 40% currently. Amongst the many features of the reform, one is raising little attention, despite contradicting a higher…
Time to vote for an EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) that works for climate and industrial transformation
Today the ITRE Committee of the European Parliament will vote on some key aspects of the bloc’s Emissions Trading Scheme. Sandbag has teamed up with other NGOs…
EU ETS Reform – Policy Suggestions for the European Parliament
Achieving the increased EU climate targets and the goals of the Paris Agreement requires strong incentives to be set for the economy to decarbonise. A significant part of the EU’s carbon emissions is found in the industrial sectors. Consequently, a more robust...
EU ETS Revenues: Who Receives What? The Trillion Euro Question
This brief gives an analysis of the EU ETS Revenues, and aims to highlight, under various scenarios, how much is allocated to industry, Member States, and the Union’s budget respectively. The European carbon market, currently under review, will likely generate...
Why Free Allocation in the EU ETS Must Stop Urgently
Free allocation (FA) under the EU ETS has been criticised for directing large amounts of taxpayers’ money towards incumbent polluting plants, turning the polluter-pays principle on its head and not being sustainable in the long run. It also creates competitive...
Feedback on the EU ETS reform
Sandbag welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the update of the EU ETS under the FF55 package. Our analyses [1] show that the proposed changes are not enough to guarantee that emissions will stay below the cap and that they could exceed it by 45% in 2030....
Supply-demand analysis of EU ETS reform: Letting Industry Loose
This note aims to put numbers on the amendment proposed by the European Commission to the Directive ruling the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) as part of its Fit-for-55 package, and its impact on the supply and demand balance of emission allowances (EUA). In...
A Storm in a Teacup: preliminary findings on the CBAM proposal
[Update: check out our latest analysis of the Fit For 55's CBAM proposal] Last month, a draft regulation proposal for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) was leaked by the European Commission. Sandbag analysed its scope and impacts on the EU's foreign trade. ...