Green paper on greenhouse gas emissions trading in the EU
The European Commission's Green paper on greenhouse gas emissions seeks feedback from stakeholders on a number of questions such as 'which sectors should be included initially in any Community trading system?' and 'what level of diversity is possible between Member States?' Adopted on 8 March as part of a new European Climate Change Programme (see RCN 14467), the paper builds on a number of elements covered in previous Commission Communications. These include considerations for starting up a limited emissions trading scheme within the Community by 2005. In addition, it discusses the actors most suited to start emissions trading, who the Commission says are large fixed point sources which account for almost half of carbon dioxide emissions in the Community. The Green paper also considers compatibility with any Community scheme and emissions trading under the Kyoto protocol. Each section of the Green paper that discusses options is closed by a number of questions that the Commission would like interested parties to reply to. These include questions on how allocations should be made to companies within the emissions trading system and what the Community's and the Member States' respective roles are in ensuring compliance and enforcement. The Environment Directorate General is now inviting interested parties to submit comments on the Green paper to the Commission before 15 September 2000.