Cop 27: EU to await ETS deal for climate target updates
The EU will update its emissions targets once all elements of its so-called Fit for 55 legislative package have been agreed, the outstanding element of which is the section relating to the EU emissions trading system (ETS), representative of the Czech presidency of the EU Council Pavel Zamyslicky told the UN Cop 27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, today.
"After we have the full agreement on the Fit for 55 we are planning to update all the information… on the EU targets and sub-targets," as well as targets for individual member states and sectors, Zamyslicky, who is director of energy and climate protection at the Czech environment ministry, told conference delegates.
The EU is hoping for an agreement to be reached on the final part of its Fit for 55 package — constituting revisions to the EU ETS — in December, Zamyslicky said. Proposed changes to the scheme put forward by the European Commission last year are currently at the stage of trilogue negotiations between the commission, the European Parliament and European Council.
Zamyslicky was speaking after the EU agreed a law setting a target of 310mn t CO2 equivalent (CO2e) of net greenhouse gas (GHG) removals in the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector by 2030.
The parliament said the new target will increase the EU's GHG reductions to 57pc by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, from 55pc based on previous calculations, assuming LULUCF savings of 225mn t CO2e.
But the EU is not for the moment changing its "headline" target of a 55pc GHG cut by the end of this decade, Zamyslicky said. "If we can go beyond it that would of course be beneficial to all," he said.
The EU set its latest nationally determined contribution to the Paris climate agreement, of a net reduction of at least 55pc by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, in late 2020. Under the Glasgow climate pact agreed at last year's Cop 26, parties were requested "to revisit and strengthen the 2030 targets in their nationally determined contributions as necessary to align with the Paris Agreement temperature goal by the end of 2022".
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New Zealand, Australia carbon brokerage rivalry builds
New Zealand, Australia carbon brokerage rivalry builds
Sydney, 17 July (Argus) — Commodities broker Marex announced today it opened an office in New Zealand and launched a new carbon trading platform for local emissions units, days after New Zealand competitor Jarden rolled out its own trading platform in Australia. Marex will initially focus on execution and clearing services across carbon, electricity and dairy sectors in New Zealand, in both listed and over-the-counter products. Its New Zealand-based and global clients will also be able to trade New Zealand emissions units (NZUs) in a newly launched platform called Neon Carbon. New Zealand clients will have access to clearing directly through Marex on the Singapore Exchange and Australian Securities Exchange, with the latter planning to soon launch physically settled futures contracts for Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) and NZUs . The new Marex team will be led by Nigel Brunel, formerly Jarden's head of commodities in New Zealand. Jarden is considered to have the biggest share of the brokered NZU market through its CommTrade spot trading platform, followed by domestic trading platforms CarbonMatch and emsTradepoint, which is operated by state-owned electricity transmission system operator Transpower New Zealand's Energy Market Services. CommTrade expansion Marex has hired several other former Jarden brokers in recent months in New Zealand and Australia, as it looks to expand its environmental products business across Asia-Pacific . But the increasing brokerage competition in Australia with growing trading volumes for ACCUs in recent years prompted Jarden to roll out CommTrade in the Australian market. Jarden's clients in Australia had until now only a price display mechanism for ACCUs. But they are now able to directly input bids and offers through CommTrade, with real-time matching capabilities displayed on screen. "Transactions remain anonymous until matched, after which clients receive a contract note from Jarden detailing settlement terms," Jarden announced late last week. All transactions are settled directly through the company, with clients also able to trade other products such as LGCs. Marex told Argus it would not be able to share any product details on Neon Carbon at this stage. UK-based broker Icap entered the New Zealand carbon trading market earlier this year with the acquisition of domestic brokerage firm Aotearoa Energy, while several other brokers have entered the ACCU market in recent years. By Juan Weik Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Trump taps Vance as running mate for 2024
Trump taps Vance as running mate for 2024
Washington, 15 July (Argus) — Former president Donald Trump has selected US senator JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his vice presidential pick for his 2024 campaign, elevating a former venture capitalist and close ally to become his running mate in the election. Vance, 39, is best known for his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy that documented his upbringing in Middletown, Ohio, and his Appalachian roots. In the run-up to the presidential elections in 2016, Vance said he was "a never Trump guy" and called Trump "reprehensible." But he has since become one of Trump's top supporters and adopted many of his policies on the economy and immigration. Vance voted against providing more military aid to Ukraine and pushed Europe to spend more on defense. Trump said he chose his running mate after "lengthy deliberation and thought," citing Vance's service in the military, his law degree and his business career, which included launching venture capital firm Narya in 2020. Vance will do "everything he can to help me MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN," Trump said today in a social media post. Like Trump, Vance has pushed to increase domestic oil and gas production and criticized government support for electric vehicles. President Joe Biden's energy policies have been "at war" with workers in states that are struggling because of the importance of low-cost energy to manufacturing, Vance said last month in an interview with Fox News. Trump made the announcement about Vance on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and just two days after surviving an assassination attempt during a campaign event in Pennsylvania. Earlier today, federal district court judge Aileen Cannon threw out a felony indictment that alleged Trump had mishandled classified government documents after leaving office. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
New Mexico statute could make LCFS tricky
New Mexico statute could make LCFS tricky
Houston, 12 July (Argus) — US independent refiner Valero warned other New Mexico's low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) advisers today that lawmakers may make the program uniquely difficult. The language lawmakers passed earlier this year appeared to require the state's Clean Transportation Fuel Standard to reduce the carbon intensity of blended transportation fuels, said Brian Bartlett, part of Valero's public policy and strategic planning group, in a presentation to fellow advisory committee members on the draft rulemaking. That could mean tougher initial targets for the program if the state sets requirements for finished fuels already blended with biofuels, in addition to requirements for neat gasoline and diesel common to other markets, he said. "We are looking at it from the definition that is in the statute, and that is a different definition than is in any other statute," Bartlett said. Regulators and some other advisers in the meeting did not agree with the interpretation as the only way to read the law. LCFS programs require yearly reductions to transportation fuel carbon intensity. Higher-carbon fuels that exceed the annual limits incur deficits that suppliers must offset with credits generation from the distribution to the market of approved, lower-carbon alternatives. New Mexico lawmakers earlier this year directed the state Environment Department to establish an LCFS by July 2026. The state is speeding toward a formal rulemaking this summer to establish a program on a faster timeline. California's LCFS exists almost entirely through agency rulemakings. The law that led to its creation directs the state to reduce emissions, but legislators did not prescribe a transportation program. Oregon lawmakers, in part building off of that model, referenced a low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) in 2009 legislation but did not include blended fuels in its definitions. Washington's legislation, passed in 2021 and leading to a program that began enforcement last year, defined regulated fuels as "electricity and any liquid or gaseous fuel" used for transportation. The law explicitly directs reductions using gasoline and diesel baselines, similar to other states. Under the interpretation proposed today, New Mexico would be unique in needing to determine a baseline for blends such as 10pc ethanol gasoline, or 5pc biodiesel. Blended fuels, especially renewable diesel blends, have driven much of the recent credit generation and carbon intensity reductions in west coast programs. "I think that's a novel interpretation that you have presented, and the Environment Department will definitely consider it," the agency's environmental protection division director Department Michelle Miano said. Representatives of ExxonMobil and Phillips 66 suggested that the process may need more time to offer sufficient technical expertise to the department. The Environment Department is seeking to complete a technical report ahead of a planned August petition for a rulemaking establishing the program to the state's Environmental Improvement Board. The advisory committee will meet to discuss the technical report and hold public comment on 26 July. By Elliott Blackburn Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia's Climate Active program drives ACCU demand
Australia's Climate Active program drives ACCU demand
Sydney, 12 July (Argus) — The Australian federal government-backed Climate Active certification program continued to drive voluntary demand for Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) last year, although future growth remains uncertain as the scheme will undergo a planned reform. Cancellations of ACCUs for Climate Active certification reached 592,837 units in 2022, down from an all-time high of 625,705 in 2021, according to estimated data that the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) recently disclosed to Argus . Figures for 2023 are not yet available, according to the department, but cancellations may have reached a new high between 650,000-700,000 units, according to Argus estimates ( see table ). Each ACCU represents 1t of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) stored or avoided by a project. The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) said it does not have a dataset of ACCU cancellations for Climate Active certification, despite having disclosed figures in some of its quarterly carbon market reports in recent years. It mentioned late last year that the program accounted for around 0.5mn of a total 0.8mn cancelled for voluntary purposes in the first three quarters of 2023, and later reported total voluntary cancellations of 290,146 units in the fourth quarter alone. Voluntary cancellations reached nearly 1.1mn units in 2023 , a new record high. Certification under the Climate Active standards is awarded to businesses that measure, reduce and offset their carbon emissions to achieve carbon neutrality. More than 700 certifications have been provided to entities including large and small businesses, local governments, and non-profit organisations. But significant changes in climate science, business practices and international benchmarks since the program was established in 2010 prompted the federal Labor government to seek modifications aimed at driving a more ambitious voluntary climate action in Australia, following its separate reform of the compliance market's safeguard mechanism . The DCCEEW late last year launched a consultation with proposals to reform Climate Active, which would require more climate ambition from businesses seeking to be certified under the program. The use of carbon credits to offset emissions that have not been reduced by businesses would be tightened, with a requirement that all eligible international offset units meet a five-year rolling vintage rule, replacing the existing post-2012 vintage requirement. Other proposals include mandating a minimum level of gross emissions reductions and a minimum percentage of renewable electricity use. "The government is working through feedback on these proposals and will announce the consultation outcome later this year," a DCCEEW spokesperson told Argus . No expected changes in eligible offsets ACCUs have been representing a small share of the total offsets used for Climate Active certification at between 5.7-10.8pc in recent years, despite the estimated record high last year, according to DCCEEW estimates ( see table ). Organisations can currently use certified emissions reductions (CERs) and removal units (RMUs) under the program, as well as verified carbon units (VCUs) from the Verra registry and verified emissions reductions (VERs) from Gold Standard. The DCCEEW did not provide a breakdown of cancelled volumes per credit type. No minimum use of ACCUs and no changes to the list of eligible international units are expected in the near term, following advice from a review from Australia's Climate Change Authority (CCA) in 2022. But some market participants have been asking for the removal of CERs, which account for the "vast majority" of carbon offsets surrendered by Australian organisations, according to utility AGL. CERs are "outdated", utility Origin Energy said in its submission to the Climate Active consultation. "We consider it would be consistent with international carbon reduction mechanisms to introduce a clear end date to phase out the use of CERs from the program and ensure greater alignment with the more relevant Paris Agreement," Origin said. "This reform is considered an immediate priority, and of more urgent need than some of the other proposals in this consultation." Uncertainties over future demand More investor and activist pressure in recent years over the use of carbon offsets with perceived low levels of integrity have also been forcing companies to review not only their offset standards, but also claims of ‘carbon neutrality' and similar terms. One of the DCCEEW's proposals is to discontinue the use of ‘carbon neutral' to describe the certified claim and to choose a different description. "A lot of the voluntary demand for carbon offsets in Australia has traditionally come from Climate Active, but the landscape is indeed moving quickly and the concept of carbon neutrality is being replaced by net zero," said Guy Dickinson, chief executive of Australia-based carbon offset services provider BetaCarbon and head of carbon trading at sister company Clima. This should drive more price stratification between carbon removals and carbon avoidance credits, he noted. Telecommunications firm Telstra, one of the biggest companies in Australia, recently announced it will stop using carbon offsets to focus instead on reducing its direct emissions. It will no longer seek Climate Active certification as a result and will remove references that its plans are ‘carbon neutral' or ‘carbon offset'. This could prompt other businesses to follow suit, market participants said. Another source of uncertainty over future voluntary demand comes from a DCCEEWW proposal that abatement from all ACCUs used under Climate Active would count towards meeting Australia's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. The use of ACCUs under the program have so far been treated as ‘additional' to Australia's emissions reduction target through accounting under the Kyoto Protocol. If the government goes ahead with such a proposal, this could disincentivise participation in Climate Active as organisations might consider this as "paying to help the government meet its targets through the voluntary action of businesses," utility EnergyAustralia warned in its submission. There has been increased interest in emerging and alternate standards to those acceptable under Climate Active, such as the American Carbon Registry, Climate Action Reserve and Puro.Earth offsets, according to environmental marketplace Xpansiv's vice president of carbon and Australian energy, Peter Favretto. But Climate Active has reported positive growth in certified brands since its inception and will likely continue to create demand for offsets in the international voluntary market and the Australian ACCU market, he said. "With the upcoming mandatory climate reporting legislation in Australia , and a similar atmosphere in other global jurisdictions such as the US and the UK, there is a growing demand that could lead to further growth in Climate Active certifications," Favretto added. By Juan Weik ACCUs used for Climate Active certification units Year Volume Total voluntary ACCU use Climate Active % 2019 243,105 329,145 73.9 2020 417,405 605,499 68.9 2021 625,705 844,445 74.1 2022 592,837 855,081 69.3 2023 650,000-700,000* 1,090,575 60-64* DCCEEW, CER *Argus estimates Total offsets under Climate Active unit Year ACCUs Total offsets ACCUs % 2019 243,105 4,230,011 5.7 2020 417,405 6,857,628 6.1 2021 625,705 5,796,466 10.8 2022 592,837 7,472,711 7.9 DCCEEW Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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