The European Energy Review has published an interesting article on the European Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme ETS. It points out that while virtually all stakeholders agree that the ETS needs a fix, there are many different perspectives on what that fix should be.

TheCompensators*think that an immediate set-aside of carbon emission allowances is necessary to take overallocation out of the market. This would then give the time to design a longterm mechanism which relates the number of allowances to the success of e.g. renewable energy policies. This mechanism should then automatically and predictably reduce emission allowances in the market depending on renewable energy technologies installed as well as other factors.

Thus, it would then be guaranteed that installing solar panels or wind turbines will reduce carbon emissions and rather than providing free emission allowances for dirty technologies such as lignite and coal.

As always, let us remind you that you can already help reduce emissions in the market by buying and deleting EUAs with TheCompensators*.

Sorry, but this text exists only in German. Please click here to read it.

Compensating has become even more beautiful!

As you might already have noticed, TheCompensators* have got a new website. We hope that our new layout and the new structure help people to find faster all necessary information on the site.

Oh, and we also have got a new donation tool – generously written by Gerrit. Try it now – and compensate your emissions!

P.S. We are quite sure that there are some mistakes on our new website. Please do not hesitate to send us a short message if you discover one. Just leave us a comment below or write us through our contact form!

In an interesting article published in the European Energy Review,  Thomas Spencer and Emmanuel Guérin, two researchers from IDDRI, explain why the ETS is a crucial element of European (and consequently also of worldwide) climate policy.

They point out the two main shortcomings of the ETS and suggest a two pronged approach to address these. On the one hand, there is oversupply of certificates at the moment; on the other hand, there is uncertainty with regards to EU policy concerning the ETS beyond 2020.

The approach they propose therefore includes a strengthening of the long-term ETS carbon caps with the EU’s official 2050 target of reducing GHG emissions by 80%, and to set down more precise intermediate targets for 2030.

What is more, the authors point out that the European Commission has the option of limiting the supply of certificates for short periods by delaying auctioning. The problem with the latter approach is, though, that the EUAs are not deleted, their issuance is merely postponed.

Therefore, TheCompensators* point out that civil society, including you, can contribute to reducing the availability of EUAs by buying and deleting CO2 emissions. These certificates are then removed from the market for good and cannot be used ever again!

Despite strong protests by the aviation industry, the emissions of all flights landing or taking off in the European Union have tob e compensated in the European Emissions Trading Scheme. Especially American and Chinese airlines tried with all means to prevent this. On 21 December 2011, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that international airlines also need to compensate their flights into and from the EU. American as well as Chinese airlines have already announced that they will fight back against the ECJ’s ruling. Meanwhile, some European airlines have started buying emissions, while the Federation of German Industry both explains and criticises (document in German) the adding of aviation to the ETS.

In light of the fact that large amounts of emission certificates and the fact that they are largely allocated free of charge, TheCompensators* consider this uproar to be unjustified and demand that fewer certificates be handed out as well as that a larger portion of certificates be sold at auction. For 2012, 221,420,279 tonnes of CO2 have been allocated to the aviation industry. Of this amount, 85% will be handed out free of charge in 2012, while 15% will be sold at auction. From 2013 on, 82% will be allocated free of charge, 15% will be auctioned off and 3% will be put aside, for example for new airlines. There are voices who even claim that airlines could make a profit from the ETS.

In sum, the addition of the aviation industry is an important step for the European Emissions Trading Scheme. It remains that too large a portion of the industries’ emissions is free.

This is why TheCompensators* encourage you to continue compensating for the emissions incurred during unavoidable air travel yourselves.

The European Commission will publish its “Roadmap 2050” to a decarbonised economy in the next days.

Drafts of the document circulate already in Brussels, and the “European Energy Review” gives an overview of the different stakeholder’s opinions on it.

The article refers to the position of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). According to the review, EWEA’s Senior Regulatory Affairs Advisor on Climate and Environment, Rémi Gruet, advocates not only a target for renewable energies, but also a stronger carbon market. According to EWEA, the cap of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme for emissions “will need to be tightened to set the EU on track to an 80% domestic emission reduction by 2050”.

One solution currently in discussion is to decrease the number of pollution rights in the ETS. This would allow the European Union to set a new emission reduction goal of 30% in 2020 instead of 20%. According to the European Energy Review, this idea is “starting to garner some support beyond the NGO community, but many in the power sector say 2020 is ‘tomorrow’ and it makes more sense to concentrate on 2030 now.”

TheCompensators* support the idea to raise the emission reduction goal to 30% by axing the number emissions allowances. Now it’s up to you to do your share by deleting your own emissions!

Furthermore, TheCompensators* acknowledge that some of the most progressive utilities have started to join the decarbonization movement. According to the European Energy Review “three utilities in particular stepped out from the mould in November with a call for the Commission to present a second EU climate and energy package that would set binding targets for emission reductions, renewables and efficiency for 2030.”

According to the article Eneco from the Netherlands, SSE from the UK and DONG Energy from Denmark say “they need long-term predictability to invest in the technological innovations needed and bring down costs.”

Support TheCompensators* and compensate your emissions right now!

We are pleased to annouce that we have joined PlanetHelp just in time for the Christmas season.

PlanetHelp is an organisation which helps collect donations through online shopping. In other words, you can make a contribution to our work while shopping on the internet – without paying more money!

You will pay exactly the same price as everyone else and we will then receive a certain percentage of the money you spent.

There is a whole host of vendors who have agreed to join PlanetHelp, so there will definitely be something there for you.

So think of us when you do your online Christmas shopping (or any other shopping for that matter). It won’t cost you a penny, but it’ll mean a great deal to us!

Start shopping now and compensate your emissions!

(Please note that this is a German language website!)

In a recent study (http://www.roadmap2050.eu/pp2030) on the European power sector the European Climate Foundation concludes that:

“A physically and commercially integrated European electricity market combined with greater compatibility among national regulatory frameworks and a sufficiently restrictive carbon regime provide the foundation for achieving established GHG abatement objectives affordably, reliably and securely. However, progress on market integration is lagging and the current ETS linear reduction factor of 1.74% needs to be adjusted to align with the 2050 target of 80% domestic GHG abatement.”

TheCompensators* agree that the ETS reduction factor needs be adapted. Instead of waiting for politics to do that, you can delete emissions today with TheCompensators*!

Find out how to do that here.

Are you looking for a Christmas present? Why not give something meaningful: climate protection!

The nations are debating how global warming might be limited and how the climate might be protected in the Southafrican city of Durban at the moment. To date, it once again appears that the necessary decisions will not be taken.

But you have the opportunity to become active yourself in advancing climate protection! Compensate your emissions or simply send out a signal: make a donation to TheCompensators* so that we can withdraw emission rights from the European Emissions Trading Scheme and thus reduce the amount of emissions which European industries are able to emit.

If you want to give away emission certificates as a gift, send us a quick e-mail to info_at_thecompensators.org after your donation. You will then receive a Christmas certificate in addition to your donation receipt.

Compensate now!

You can also shop your christmas presents online in order to support TheCompensators* – it won’t cost you a penny more. It’s really easy!

Hundreds of origami cranes folded thanks to your help!

An estimated 100,000 people participated in Saturdays’ protest march against nuclear power in Berlin last Saturday, sending out a clear signal that there is strong sentiment against this dangerous source of energy and for the development of clean and safe technologies among all parts of the German population.

With the help of many protesters, big and small, around 400 origami cranes were folded and many interesting discussions were had. So, although we did not manage to achieve our goal of 1,000 cranes, we are very pleased with how the day went, both in terms of taking a stance on nuclear power as well as showing our support for the Japanese people.

We will carry on making cranes – and . If you want to lend us a hand, fold (at least) one crane and send us a picture of it! We will publish it on this page. Should you need instructions on how to fold origami cranes, you will find them here.

Again, thanks to everyone for their support!

We will fold 1,000 origami cranes but we won’t fold on nuclear power

On Saturday, 26 March 2011 TheCompensators* will support the Germany-wide protests against nuclear power and for true climate protection. Recent events in Japan have once again shown the inherent risks of nuclear energy as well as how uncontrollable this technology is.

TheCompensators* don’t consider nuclear power to be a clean source of energy nor is it a solution in the fight against climate change, because it delays the development of renewable energies. These, however, are necessary in order to stem climate change. This is also the goal which TheCompensators* are aiming for with their involvement in emission trading.

Through our initiative at the protest on Saturday we would also like to express our sincere sympathies with the Japanese people. We will follow a Japanese tradition which states that the person who folds 1,000 origami cranes will be granted a wish.

It is our wish to stop the use of nuclear energy, to promote green technologies and to combat climate change effectively. That is why we will set up our stall at the concluding rally of the anti-nuclear march in Straße des 17. Juni in Berlin. There we will attempt to fold 1,000 emissions certificates into origami cranes – and we count on your help in this!

If you are not in Berlin, there are other places in Germany where you can participate in anti-nuclear protest marches. You will find more information here (in German).

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

Are you looking for a Christmas present? Why not give something meaningful: climate protection!

The nations are debating how global warming might be limited and how the climate might be protected in the Mexican city of Cancún at the moment. To date, it once again appears that the necessary decisions will not be taken.

But you have the opportunity to become active yourself in advancing climate protection! Compensate your emissions or simply send out a signal: make a donation to TheCompensators* so that we can withdraw emission rights from the European Emissions Trading Scheme and thus reduce the amount of emissions which European industries are able to emit.

If you want to give away emission certificates as a gift, send us a quick e-mail to info_at_thecompensators_dot_org after your donation. You will then receive a Christmas certificate in addition to your donation receipt.

Donate now!

On Sunday 10/10/10 TheCompensators* will participate in the “Global Day of Doing”. This worldwide event coordinated jointly by 350.org and the 10:10 campaign. We are pleased to announce that the Berlin event has been selected as the lead event for Europe and should generate a great deal of attention.

Under the motto of “Berlin replugs” our partners from the Klimapiraten will symbolically replug households, hospitals and other consumers of electricity from plants using fossil fuels or nuclear power to green sources of electricity such as wind or solar. Visitors will be able to follow this example by changing their electricity providers there and then. All that’s needed is the number of your electricity meter.

At their stand, TheCompensators* will not only provide information on what they do as an organisation, but will also offer the opportunity to buy emissions certificates in two ways: either by directly buying a certificate or by buying a slice of homemade cake. The money earned on the sale of cakes will of course be spent on purchasing and deleting further emissions certificates.

So if you would like to meet us in person or would like to find out how easy it is to make your own contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions you should not miss Sunday’s event!

Join us on 10/10/10 at 11am at the Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate.

TheCompensators* have signed a letter addressed to Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council. The letter was initiated by our friends of Sandbag, a British campaign group which tries to public awareness on emissions trading.

In the letter Van Rompuy is urged to move to a reduction of emissions across the European Union by 30%, if not more. This target has already been reached halfway, showing that reducing emissions is possible. What is more, the EU is in a unique position to be a role model to the rest of the world by setting ambitious targets. TheCompensators* wholeheartedly support this cause.

If you would like to sign the letter, please follow this link.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

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