Europe’s most effective tool to cut greenhouse gas emissions ‘risks being weakened’

Western Europe endured hottest June ever, with temperatures scientists said would be ‘virtually impossible’ without climate breakdown. Photograph: Ralf Hirschberger/AFP/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Western Europe endured hottest June ever, with temperatures scientists said would be ‘virtually impossible’ without climate breakdown. Photograph: Ralf Hirschberger/AFP/Getty Images Europe’s most effective tool to cut greenhouse gas emissions ‘risks being weakened’ Proposal would water down emissions trading system to make EU more competitive – despite extreme heatwaves Europe’s most effective method of cutting dangerous planet-heating gases risks being weakened after the European Commission proposed an overhaul of its flagship carbon market, critics have said. In a long-awaited review of the European Union Emissions Trading System (ETS), the European Commission proposed giving companies a less demanding and cheaper pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The review of the ETS – widely seen as Europe’s most effective policy for reducing planet-heating emissions – follows deadly wildfires in Spain and extreme heatwaves across the continent. Western Europe endured its hottest June ever, with record-breaking temperatures scientists said would be “virtually impossible” without climate breakdown . The review was needed to bring the ETS in line with Europe’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, on the way to freeing its economy from fossil fuels by the middle of the century. But the EU executive has also been under pressure from 10 EU member states that argue the ETS contributes to higher energy costs and damages Europe’s competitiveness. In response to those concerns, some heavy industries will benefit from free pollution permits for longer, while the number of permits in circulation will be reduced more slowly, also giving companies more leeway. Since 2005, the EU’s biggest polluters have been required to buy permits to pollute, creating an incentive to invest in cleaner energy generation and manufacturing. The ETS, which was later extended to intra-EU aviation and shipping, is credited with reducing planet-heating emissions by 47% by 2023 compared with 2005 levels. Under the latest proposals, the ETS would be extended to include municipal waste, with the aim of increasing recycling and cutting the amount of rubbish sent for incineration. View image in fullscreen EU climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said European industries faced unfair competition from rivals using ‘heavy state subsidies’ and ‘dubious labour conditions’. Photograph: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images The commission also wants to extend the ETS to flights within a 5,000km radius of a central point in Europe, a distance that will affect airlines flying to north Africa and the Middle East but not China or the US, thus avoiding a new conflict with the Trump administration. The ETS would also apply to private jets for the first time, ending a privilege for the ric