greenhouse gas emissions

The Role of Industrial Emissions Within the EU: Trends and Policy

SNA — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 12:01:30 +0000

Greenhouse gas emissions generated by industrial activity constitute a significant share of total emissions in the EU. The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) is the cornerstone of policies leading to reduction of industrial emissions, supplemented by regulation to prevent fluorinated gases. Industry fears a high burden under the proposed 2030 targets and actively opposes them.Read more

Non-Market-Based Climate Policy Instruments

SNA — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 08:56:57 +0000

European climate policies apply a mix of different policy instruments to impose emissions reductions. Main instrument categories include non-market-based and market-based instruments. This knowledge package introduces the workings of non-market-based instruments currently part of the EU’s climate policy toolbox.Read more

Carbon Leakage and Industrial Innovation

SNA — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 12:19:29 +0000

Carbon leakage is defined as an increase of emissions outside the EU because of EU climate policies. As such policies affect the costs of economic activity, especially in energy intensive industries, they might cause companies to move production to countries with laxer greenhouse gas emission policies. Therefore, affected industries receive benefits, such as more free emission allowances in the EU...Read more

The Global Rise of Emissions Trading

SNA — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 11:08:01 +0000

An increasing number of countries and regions around the world are developing and implementing emissions trading as a way of putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions. This knowledge package gives an overview of such systems, compares design features and giving an outlook on future developments.Read more

International Ambition on Targets for the Post-2020 Era

SNA — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 10:25:39 +0000

The international community is negotiating a post-2020 framework for global climate action. The UNFCCC meeting concluded with such a framework of increasing emissions reduction commitments beyond 2020. Countries are likely to attach their new post-2020 commitments to the international agreement made at this time. The role of the European Union, USA and China is crucial, given that their emissios comprise...Read more

Mitigation: Co-Benefits and Interlinkages to Adaptation

SNA — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 09:49:10 +0000

Climate mitigation is a popular strategy to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Various options are available for both mitigation policy and technology measures, providing enough economic potential to offset the projected emissions growth. It is crucial for policymakers to be aware of possible side effects, such as co-benefits and interlinkages to adaptation, to pursue a cost-effective implementation...Read more

Household Contribution to Buildings' Carbon Footprint

melanie.schlund — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 09:44:23 +0000

Households remain one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector, due to their energy consumptions, with certain Member States having thrice or more the household emission footprint than others. The efforts carried out to minimize their emissions have brought certain results, but more actions are considered necessary. Improvement of households' energy efficiency is a...Read more

History of the UN Climate Negotiations - Part 1 - from the 1980's to 2010

melanie.schlund — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 08:06:01 +0000

Based on first scientific insights on climate change, policy makers agreed in 1992 on a UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Since then, the UNFCCC has been the basis for climate negotiations with the Kyoto Protocol (1997), the Marrakech Accords (2001) and the Cancun Agreements (2010) as major milestones. This Knowledge Package explains how climate policy making has increasingly...Read more

The European Climate Policy Mix

melanie.schlund — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 09:28:19 +0000

To realise the savings aimed at with the 20-20-20% targets for 2020, the European Union has introduced a mix of climate policies, using a variety of policy instruments and targeting all economic sectors. The different policies have fulfilled their purpose with varying success and different performances regarding environmental and cost effectiveness, as well as additional impacts on society. Read more

Are Transport Emissions "Mobilizing" an EU Policy Response?

melanie.schlund — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 08:56:38 +0000

Within the EU-28, transport is responsible for around 20% of greenhouse gas emissions, rendering it the second largest emitting sector after the energy industry. Emissions from transport have also grown by 19% from 1990 to 2011. In order to turn this trend around and accomplish the corresponding emission targets, the EU has designed and implemented a series of measures, including...Read more