A broad consensus exists that carbon pricing is key for cost-effective emission reductions and that it must play a major role in driving the transition to a climate-neutral economy. However, despite significant progress in wider climate policy uptake in recent years, the vast majority of...

This report assesses options for the effective implementation of sustainable development impact assessment, in the context of climate change mitigation mechanisms such as those of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Existing carbon crediting programmes were analysed to draw insights on the best...

The report analyzes, by looking back at existing compliance systems in the EU, Alberta, Australia, Colombia and Japan, the conditions under which offsets can add value to the compliance system without undermining its environmental integrity. The compliance system’s climate ambition as well as...

The report examines the role offset approaches can play in the post-2020 climate regime. For this purpose, the report first develops a conceptual approach and a normative vision of what should be viewed as successful offset use. It then proposes tools to operationalize this vision. Lastly it...

The report develops an assessment framework that policy makers can use to determine whether offsets can add value while ensuring the environmental integrity of a compliance system. It uses an assessment framework for these factors to: (1) identify sectors that warrant offsets as cost-containment...

In November 2018, the European Commission published its Strategic Long-Term Vision entitled “A Clean Planet for all” calling for the target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This proposal was subsequently agreed upon by EU heads of state and government, it features centrally in...

The effectiveness of carbon pricing as a market-based policy tool with economy-wide transformation potential has increasingly rendered it the instrument of choice among policy makers responding to challenges posed by climate change. However, the potential for jurisdictions to introduce carbon...

The European Commission’s (EC) proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is meant to mirror the carbon price of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for several imported goods. While the CBAM can rely on certain aspects of the EU ETS regarding its costs and compliance obligations,...