EU industry emissions falls 3% in 2008

Emissions of greenhouse gases from EU businesses participating in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) fell 3.06% in 2008 compared with a year earlier, according to the information provided by Member State registries. With the 6.5% reduction in emission allowances that the European Commission has secured for the second trading period, the EU ETS really started to make a difference to emissions in 2008. 2008 marked the beginning of the second trading period of the EU ETS, which runs from 2008 to 2012.

While the fall in the industrial and power sectors covered by the emissions trading scheme was claimed by the European Commission as a victory for environmental policies, carbon traders were quick to note that the recession also played a big part.

EurActiv, 18.5.09: EU defends cap-and-trade scheme as 2008 data unveiled http://www.euractiv.com/climate-change/eu-defends-cap-trade-scheme-2008-news-221751

European Commission: Press Release, IP/09/794: Emissions trading: EU ETS emissions fall 3 % in 2008 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/794&format=DOC&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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