Procrastinating reform: The impact of the market stability reserve on the EU ETS

We study the impact of the market stability reserve (MSR) on price and emission paths of the EU ETS. From 2019 onwards, the MSR will adjust the number of allowances auctioned as a function of the size of the surplus, i.e. in times of a large surplus it shifts the issue date of allowances into the future. In a perfectly competitive allowance market the MSR only affects price and emission paths if the baseline equilibrium becomes unfeasible. If the MSR is binding, prices increase in the short run but drop in the medium run relative to the baseline. The MSR increases price variability if uncertainty over future allowance demand is resolved while there is a surplus. The long run cap is unaffected by both the MSR and overlapping climate policies. This contrasts the EU׳s objectives of improving the resilience of the EU ETS and increasing synergies with overlapping climate policies.     

Does the EU ETS cause carbon leakage in European manufacturing?

Carbon leakage is of interest in both academic and policy debates about the effectiveness of unilateral climate policy, especially in Europe, where the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) affects many traded sectors. We review how the literature identifies leakage and the pollution haven effect. We then evaluate whether EU ETS emission costs caused carbon leakage in European manufacturing, using trade flows in embodied carbon and value from the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP). We find no evidence that the EU ETS caused carbon leakage.     

欧盟各国废钢铁用量和国际贸易

近年来,欧盟各国的废钢铁贸易十分活跃。根据《欧盟27国废钢铁贸易统计》2012的统计,列出欧盟各国2010年的粗钢产量、炼钢用废钢量、国际贸易量以及欧盟成员国之间的废钢铁贸易量,供行业参考。     

化学品健康风险评估过程中的数据质量评估技术概述

自1938年美国首先颁布管控化学品的法律以来,健康风险评估逐步发展,各个国家和地区相继颁布文件,并已形成较为完善的评估框架.由于在化学品健康风险评估的过程中,存在大量收集引用的数据及信息,因此数据质量评估是保证风险评估结果可信的关键.目前为止美国环保署(environmental protection agency,E...     

欧盟工业废水污染物排放限值的制定方法

依据欧盟委员会的IPPC指令和水框架指令，欧盟成员国目前在制定废水污染物排放限值时，都以最佳可得技术（BAT）为参考，同时运用反演的方法将污染物排放限值与环境质量标准相结合。阐述了欧盟国家制定废水污染物排放限值的“BAT法”和“质量标准反演法”，并举例分析了“质量标准反演法”。提出了我国借鉴欧盟方法的几点建议。     

论欧盟的环境外交政策

欧盟在一体化过程中对环境问题给予了高度关注,环境外交已成为其共同安全和外交政策的重要组成部分.在开展全球性、区域性环境外交的同时,欧盟还与发展中国家进行了有效的环境合作,并与工业发达国家进行环境对话,从而在国际范围内拓展了其环境政策的影响.     

Survey of dioxin sources in the Baltic Region (extended summary)

The present paper summarises the results of the project: 'Survey of Anthropogenic Sources of Dioxins and Furans in the Baltic Region'. As a part of the project, inventories have been carried out in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland by applying the toolkit for quantification of dioxin and furan releases developed by UNEP Chemicals. The main route of direct releases to the environment is emission to air. Total emission to air from Poland was estimated at 490 (88-1,300) g I-TEQ/year, whereas the emissions from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were estimated as being 14 (2.4-54), 23 (2.6-63) and 17 (2.6-38) g I-TEQ, respectively. In general, the uncertainty on the estimates is very high, and recommendations regarding further development of the inventories have been made, and measures for reducing the releases have been provided.     

European environmental assistance to the region of Pskov in northwest Russia: sustainability,effectiveness and implications for environmental governance

The paper explores the impact and sustainability of environmental assistance coming to Russia from EU-based public and private foundations, and its implications for environmental governance. Geographically, the study ’encompassed all the assistance projects awarded in 1991–2016 involving beneficiaries from Pskovskaya Oblast’. This region is potentially an important target for EU investments in environmental infrastructure, due to its location by the EU border and high value of natural capital. The study demonstrates how the assumptions offered by the international aid literature (mostly derived from the global South) apply to Russia. We found major limitations to the assumption that co-financing provided by recipients ensures project effectiveness (demonstrating the acceptance of the donor's agenda) or sustainability (providing interest to the maintenance of outputs). Tangible assets are normally co-financed only if the investment was in agenda anyway (and therefore the donor gets only time gains, although this can be a valid purpose too); soft outputs (plans, surveys, policies, etc.) are usually co-financed in-kind, and therefore cannot secure any additional commitment. Likewise, physical infrastructure often ends up mismanaged due to low or no maintenance budgets available, while maintenance of soft outputs is too much dependent on contextual factors beyond the co-finance paradigm.     

Emissions trading systems with cap adjustments

Emissions Trading Systems (ETSs) with fixed caps lack provisions to address systematic imbalances in the supply and demand of permits due to changes in the state of the regulated economy. We propose a mechanism which adjusts the allocation of permits based on the current bank of permits. The mechanism spans the spectrum between a pure quantity instrument and a pure price instrument. We solve the firms׳ emissions control problem and obtain an explicit dependency between the key policy stringency parameter—the adjustment rate—and the firms׳ abatement and trading strategies. We present an analytical tool for selecting the optimal adjustment rate under both risk-neutrality and risk-aversion, which provides an analytical basis for the regulator׳s choice of a responsive ETS policy.     

Towards the harmonization of water-related policies for managing drought risks across the EU

Drought is recognized as a major issue in the EU, particularly in the Mediterranean region, posing risks to the environment as well as to local and regional economies. The EU policy on water management is continuously evolving, particularly in relation to water scarcity and drought. Starting with the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), which sets the general policy framework for water management across the EU, the EC Communication on Water Scarcity and Drought COM(2007) 414 final set the priorities for managing water scarcity and drought risks. Three follow-up reports (COM(2008) 875 final, COM(2010) 228 final and COM(2011) 133) highlighted achievements and yearly progress within the context of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, whereas guidance has further been provided through the issue of Technical Reports (e.g. the EC Water Scarcity Drafting Group Technical Report 2008–023 on Drought Management, Including agricultural, drought indicators and climate change aspects). The 2012 EU Water Review (“Blue Print for Safeguarding European Waters” will assess achievements and identify further requirements towards long-term sustainable water use across the EU. However, a harmonized approach on drought risk management at the EU level is still lacking, whereas drought risk in several countries and regions has not been yet fully integrated in water management and relevant sectoral policies.This paper focuses on a proposed paradigm shift from crisis to risk management, which is currently gaining ground as a means of reducing societal vulnerability to droughts. The paper underlines the importance of engaging into risk assessment and management practices and identifies policy gaps and requirements for further improvement of the drought management policy framework at all levels of governance: at the EU, at the national and at the river basin and regional levels.