Including Consumption in Emissions Trading: Economic and Legal Considerations

This timely book addresses the need for further measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union, arguing that the EU Emissions Trading Scheme does not offer sufficient incentives for the carbon-intensive materials sector. It highlights the challenge that emissions from industries such as iron and steel, cement and aluminium, amongst others, pose to the EU's commitment to significantly cut emissions by 2030.

Offering an in-depth review from an economic and legal perspective, Manuel Haussner explores these carbon-intensive sectors and their contribution to current emissions, and provides insightful suggestions on how a consumption-based carbon charge would create incentives for deep decarbonisation. He demonstrates how the design of such a charge would comply with the EU's obligations and WTO's legal requirements, and illustrates how such a charge would be drafted, providing guidance on administering carbon taxation and analysing carbon charges alongside the EU recommended portfolio of policy instruments.

This thought-provoking book will be an essential read for all policymakers, consultants and practitioners working in environmental law and policy in the EU. It will also be valuable to scholars working at the intersections of economics and environmental and energy law.

Manuel W. Haussner, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany