To fall in love with the EU Emissions Trading instrument? Opportunities and challenges of this core pillar of EU climate law

Activity: Talk or presentation / Performance / SpeechesTalk or presentation - at conferenceAcademic

Description

In the hearing for the European Parliament as designate commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra confessed to be in love with the
EU greenhouse gas emissions trading instrument. He conveyed the view that it is the “crown jewel” and “working horse”
of EU climate policies and law. While indeed economic theory paved the way for a positive appreciation of this marketbased regulatory instrument, legal research has identified opportunities but also challenges. This lecture will introduce
the surprisingly simple theoretical design of the instrument, and the evolution and complexities of applying it in EU law,
including the impressive number of court procedures. Focal points will be the contribution to climate neutrality by the
gradual lowering of the allowed emissions, the increased obligation of emitters to pay and the spending of revenues by
governments, and the expansion of the instrument to other emitters than industries. The lecture will question whether
we can know whether emissions are reported trustworthily, and calls for more civil society attention for the instrument.
Period14 Mar 2024
Event titleEnvironmental Law Lecture Series: Strengthening EU Environmental Law: Legal Perspectives on Greening Europe
Event typeOther
LocationMaastricht, NetherlandsShow on map
Degree of RecognitionInternational