During the on-line climate meeting the previous 2,5 weeks there was progress, the UNFCCC Executive Secretary said during the press briefing. However, that does not seem the case on the issue of guidance on the use of carbon markets to help increase ambition in the implementation of the Paris Agreement. “Talks on carbon markets and…
Category: column
Impact of the Shell judgement on climate policy: more ambition and more flexibility
The Paris Agreement legally binds countries: they must therefore make plans for companies to achieve the temperature targets. For industrialized countries, that means a 50% reduction in 2030 compared to 1990 and zero emissions in 2050! Countries are not there yet with their climate plans, but a large number is working on tightening up. The…
Tackle emissions in international supply chains to meet strengthened CO2 targets
In the past year, a lot of attention has been paid to the role of international supply chains. This was because we noticed their vulnerability due to corona as important manufacturing parts could not be delivered, shareholders are forcing oil companies to reduce CO2 emissions in the upstream and downstream chain (‘scope-3’ emissions) and research…
Climate policy under Biden: homework & international rallying
With Biden, the United States can give global climate policy the necessary stimulus, and fill in the political vacuum if it gets its own house back in order. New US President Joe Biden cited climate as one of his priorities. Now that he can have a majority in the Senate with 50 Democratic senators and…
Tropical forest protection needs positive incentives from the EU
Tropical deforestation still contributes some 17% to global greenhouse gas emissions and the problem is on the radar of the EU and against EU driven deforestation. However, the focus is limited to negative incentives: on import restrictions and penalties. But forest nations ask for support, for example for sustainable farming without clearing forests. Making use…
EU CO2 target requires flexibility. Switzerland signs a CO2 deal with Peru. Sweden prepares deals.
The European Commission’s “Impact Assessment”, presented with the climate proposals for 2030, describes various scenarios for achieving the CO2 targets. What is striking is that there is still a gap in the emissions budget. The Commission wants to promote CO2 storage in nature and soils through additional market incentives. That is indeed an important, but…
Changing the CORSIA offset baseline breaks trust and is a blow to carbon markets
Changing the CORSIA *) baseline by the June ICAO Council for CO2 offset purchases into 2019 – instead of the agreed average of 2019 and 2020 – would be big mistake. It would break the trust of investors and the public in the aviation offsetting system before it has even begun. And it can mean…
Emissiehandel als Mechanism Design: het belang van informatie en prikkels
Vooraf: Deze column schreef ik in maart 2012 nadat ik met Arnold Heertje had gesproken over de wereld in overlevingscrisis en noodzakelijke omslag naar een duurzame economie. Volgens Heertje stond “optimaal organiseren van prikkels” centraal; hoe zorg je dat ongewenste effecten minder gaan optreden? CO2-handel als “mechanism design”. Ik pleitte in de column voor een…