This book focuses on the linking of the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) with other independent regional ETS. While rich practical and academic research has evolved on the economic and technical side of ETS linking, political drivers and barriers have so far been underrepresented in this debate. Filling this lacuna and based on international relations theory, existing research and qualitative fieldwork, this book introduces the range of political conditions that influence linking, such as political leadership and stakeholder activity. Specifically, it analyzes which of these aspects have played a role in three different linking activities of the EU: (1) a failed linking attempt: EU ETS–California Cap-and-Trade Program; (2) a successful linking treaty: EU ETS–Switzerland Emissions Trading System; and (3) an agreed-upon but not realized link: EU ETS–Australia Carbon Pricing Mechanism. Through an interrogation of these examples, Dr. Unger concludes that it is not only the technical challenges or the overall economic benefit but rather domestic interests, structural aspects, and external international political developments that have jointly dominated linking activities, especially those in which the EU takes part. This book will be of great interest to scholars and policy-makers working in climate policy and EU environmental politics.

The EU emissions trading scheme is the largest emissions control scheme in the world, capping almost half of European CO2 emissions. As the scheme emerges from its pilot phase, this special issue of Climate Policy journal analyses the lessons learned from the last two years and their implications for phase II.The volume presents some of the key analyses that helped inform the European Commission's decisions on national allocation plans, with research ranging from detailed country-by-country comparisons to more generic analysis that puts forward the case for harmonization. Challenging calls to seperate electricity from other sectors, a macroeconomic study suggests that the biggest efficiency gains come from inter-sectoral trading, even more than international trading. Empirical papers, which look at the expected scarcity of allowances in the market and merge models for the power and non-power sectors to project emissions and contrast these to the aggregate allocation volume, are complemented by two numerical simulations of trade and distributional effects, estimating the efficiency gains of the EU ETS in phase I and assessing allocation and distribution effects in the RGGI context.

Both the UK and the EU have pinned much of their climate change policy on the effective opeation of the EU emissions trading system (ETS). Now in its second year the scheme has yet to demonstate that it can deliver the substantial greenhouse gas emission reductions that will form the yardstick of its success. This report examines the proposed revisions to the ETS, which would take effect in the scheme's third trading period, scheduled to last from 2013 to 2020. It is ultimately felt that if the ETS is to live up to its full potential, the aim must be to link it up with emissions trading schemes in other parts of the world so as to make the most of emission reduction opportunities in additional countries and sectors. However, the establishment of such links could prove arduous. It is anticipated that the EU may eventually face stark trade-offs between maintaining the environmental integrity of the ETS and extending its reach.

This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. The European Union¿s (EU) ETS is a cornerstone of the EU¿s efforts to meet its obligation under the Kyoto Protocol. It covers more than 10,000 energy intensive facilities across the 27 EU Member countries. A ¿Phase 1¿ trading period began 1/1/05. A second, Phase 2, trading period began in 2008. A Phase 3 will begin in 2013 designed to reduce emissions by 21% from 2005 levels. Contents of this report: (1) Overview; (2) Results from Phase 1 and 2; (3) Phase 3: Auctions; New Entrant Reserves; Decision on Eligible Industries; Flexibility Mechanisms and Price Volatility Control; Expanding Coverage; (4) U.S. Cap-and-Trade Proposals: Emission Inventories and Target Setting; Coverage; Allocation Schemes; Flexibility and Price Volatility. Illustrations.

Given the rapid spread of ETSs in an increasing number of countries and the important role that they are likely to play for the success or failure of the environmental policy in the years to come, this book provides an interdisciplinary analysis of the EU ETS from both the legal and economic perspectives comparing it with the other main ETSs existing worldwide, in order to assess whether the EU ETS has truly represented a prototype for the other ETSs established around the world and to investigate the current perspectives for linking them in the future.Through the years, the EU ETS has progressively gained a paramount position within the EU environmental policy and climate change legislation and currently represents the most striking flagship in this sector, with more than 11.000 installations covered by the scheme. In parallel, the EU ETS has paved the way for the establishment of many other ETSs in several other jurisdictions. Such schemes are now recognized worldwide as the “cornerstones” of the climate change policy.

A collection of twelve superbly written contributions by leading researchers and scientists on greenhouse gas emissions trading by members of the European Union, as well as alternatives and new developments in this specialized area of global warming and reduction related commercial exchange. . . a seminal and strongly recommended work of particular relevance and value for both academic and governmental reference library collections on international environmental studies. Midwest Book Review This timely book focuses on the EU-wide greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme for major sources. It combines legal and economic approaches and reviews the major revision of this scheme. A distinguished range of authors assess the experiences thus far and also consider future development from both theoretical and practical perspectives. They also discuss many design options, including auctioning, credit and trade, the inclusion of aviation emissions, and linking possibilities. Moreover, attention is paid to the role of legal principles, the role of case law, and to aspects of democratic accountability within an emissions trading scheme. Ways to avoid carbon leakage and the role of national climate policies are also discussed. This book makes clear that the economic efficiency and effectiveness of an emissions trading scheme depend to a large extent on the specific legislative choices, and hence the legislative design of such a scheme deserves meticulous attention. Discussing legal and economic aspects of emissions trading, this book offers new insights to academics and policy makers both in the public and private sector. Those insights are not only relevant for understanding the past, but moreover for guiding the future design of emissions trading for greenhouse gases.

The Government's decision to set a unilateral Carbon Price Floor could have a "devastating effect" on UK industry and will artificially raise electricity prices for consumers, while having no overall impact on emissions. Unless the price of carbon is increased at an EU-wide level, taking action on our own will have no overall effect on emissions other than to out-source them. Energy generators and heavy industry could be subject to an 'exorbitant' top-up tax of up to £25 per tonne of CO2 under current plans, because the price of carbon in the rest of the EU is so low. Electricity prices will increase as the price floor keeps the cost of carbon higher than in other countries, effectively subsidising other Member States at the expense of the UK consumer and resulting in "carbon leakage". DECC expects there to be as much as 10 GW of interconnection with other countries by 2020, some 10% of installed capacity. This makes electricity generation more susceptible to leakage than other sectors, such as goods manufacture, which may be restricted by the difficulties of relocating production. The report recommends that the: overall EU ETS cap should be toughened to deliver a 30% emissions reduction target by 2020; the annual reduction rate for the EU ETS cap must also be adjusted to set out a long-term emissions trajectory that will deliver a 60-80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050; the EU should set aside a significant number of EU Allowances and Members States should support this move as a necessary short-term fix