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Re:Europe’s aggressive new emissions rules put gas engines o... by nabla9 on Thursday July 15, 2021 @09:35AM (#27844476)
More importantly EU is finally, gradually, fixing the problems in Emissions Trading System (ETS is cap-and-trade where they set up a annual cap for emissions and then it's possible to trade with emissions)

They have been giving the largest chunk of emission allowances (EUAs) free for big polluters. In principle that's OK because there is still incentive to reduce emissions and get money from selling EAUs. Unfortunately if you pollute less they reduce those EUAs and that takes incentives away. That will be eventually fixed.

There will also be carbon tariffs from imported products to take out incentive to move emissions elsewhere and level the playing field.

Re:Europe’s aggressive new emissions rules put gas engines o... by imtringued on Thursday July 15, 2021 @10:35AM (#27845246)
Actually, giving out certificates for free is bad because it means that planning for a specific certificate price is impossible because the free handouts constantly mess with the prices.

A carbon tax has the advantage that you can plan ahead because the government releases a schedule for future CO2 tax increases.

Re:Europe’s aggressive new emissions rules put gas engines o... by nabla9 on Thursday July 15, 2021 @10:53AM (#27845464)
No. Free certificates don't mess with the price when there is a predefined cap (as in cap in cap-and-trade). Trade afterwards is the price discovery mechanism.

What messed the system was the reason I mentioned.

Re:Europe’s aggressive new emissions rules put gas engines o... by raxxorrax on Thursday July 15, 2021 @09:54AM (#27844731)
I think sensible policy crafting would have required to reorder these approaches.