How the political groups are aligned: An overview of ITRE committee amendments to the Market Stability Reserve proposal An overview of the amendments tabled in the ITRE committee,[1] often a difficult venue for environmental concerns, reveals that the need for some...
Category: Publications
Is Europe's new climate target a walk in the park?
Sandbag responds to the Environment Agency's 2014 Trends and Projections report. Challenging the limited emissions reductions the Agency expects until 2020 and warning that spare carbon allowances amassed in the EU ETS risk scuppering the 2030 climate target newly...
Restarting Europe’s drive for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), a variety of processes for extracting CO2 from large point sources and permanently storing it, has been recognised by the European Commission since the 2008 Impact Assessment as an essential part of Europe’s low carbon pathway....
Sandbag’s response to the Market Stability Reserve Proposal
Recognising the problems with the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, including a vast surplus of carbon allowances, and a continually low carbon price, the European Commission has proposed a Market Stability Reserve to fix the scheme. Sandbag has responded, in this...
Europe’s ten biggest carbon polluters in 2013
Press briefing from 1st April 2014 New data released by the European Commission today for the EU emissions trading scheme reveals the ten largest carbon emitters in Europe for 2013[1]. Five of the ten installations – all of which are coal or lignite fired power...
Growing glut of carbon allowances threatens EU climate ambition
New data arriving fresh on the heels of an alarming new IPCC report on the impacts of climate change finds EU climate policy under growing threat from a burgeoning stockpile of carbon allowances in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
Poland gets best deal under past carbon targets, report finds
As European leaders meet today to discuss Europe’s next energy and climate framework, Poland is again poised to delay or block efforts to agree a 2030 climate target. But new research conducted by the NGO Sandbag finds that Poland has consistently gained preferential...
Ryanair overcharges passengers on the back of green levy
In 2012 Ryanair made an estimated €8 million windfall from overcharging its passengers for the costs of the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS), reveals Sandbag Climate Campaign in a new report on aviation's controversial first year in the EU carbon market. In 2012...
European industry is crying crocodile tears over the reduction in free allowances
A new decision on the free carbon allowances awarded to manufacturers under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme has been met with hostility by industry, but according to our research these complaints are disingenuous. Sandbag's Damien Morris comments “While industry will...
Response to the public consultation on the EU ETS backloading proposal
The content for the blog that follows is taken from Sandbag's submission to the European Commission's public consultation on the backloading proposal. The ETS has successfully imposed legal limits on emissions of carbon from over 11,000 installations across 27 member...