According to EU environment ministers, the carbon price must be urgently boosted to fix the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) and fight climate change. This message was delivered today during in an informal discussion in Horsens, Denmark. The focus of the meeting was whether or not to raise the carbon price in the ETS.
In a statement by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) who held its annual international wind conference earlier this week, the carbon market is overflowing with spare emission allowances due to the economic crisis. The result has been the lowering of carbon prices. EWEA says the most effective way to push the price back up is by avoiding too many allowances coming into the market in the next few years.
“The EU ministers need to ensure no more emissions allowances are put on the market,” said Rémi Gruet, Senior Regulatory Affairs Advisor for EWEA. “This must be included in the Energy Efficiency Directive, currently being negotiated between the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament, where decisions can be taken by a majority of Member States. This directive is the only upcoming legislative opportunity to push such a measure.”
EWEA says the European Parliament supports such as move and voted by a large margin in favor of withholding carbon allowances in the ETS and voiced it’s decision in the low carbon roadmap 2050 that was released this past February. In addition, there is major support from energy companies and the wind energy industry for such a move to take place.
A new poll showing strong support for renewable fuels validates some of the most important ethanol industry legislative priorities – including maintaining the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), commercializing E15, providing incentives for the development of cellulosic ethanol, limiting tax incentives for the oil industry, and requiring automobile manufacturers to build cars that will run on fuel sources other than oil.
“Poll after poll consistently demonstrates that Americans of all stripes believe we must be pursuing the production and use of renewable fuels to reduce our dependence on imported oil,” said RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “The RFS is a critical component to the continued growth and innovation of this industry. The RFS ensures that ample supplies of renewable fuels like ethanol are available today and that new and promising renewable fuel technologies will have a market in the future. The RFS has proven effective in addressing America’s goals by helping reduce volumes of imported oil, create jobs, and lower greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuel.”