EU to Revise System for Distributing Allowances to Emissions Trading Participants

摘要

A revised system for giving out carbon dioxide emission allowances under the European Union's Emission Trading System (ETS) is likely to be finalized in early 2011, the European Commission said Sept. 9.rnThe new system will go into effect in 2013 when the EU ETS moves into its third phase, which runs from 2013 through 2020. Commission officials said it will be more fair than the current scheme because it will reward the most environmentally efficient companies in each industrial sector.rnUnder the revised scheme, the least-polluting companies in each industrial sector will serve as benchmarks. The 10 percent of companies with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per unit of production will receive enough free allowances to cover 100 percent of their emissions. Less efficient companies will receive the same volume of allowances but will have to buy additional allowances to cover their excess emissions.