By Sabine Frank on 27 Jun 2019
EU countries under scrutiny for their role in opaque aviation agency
European countries who are members of the UN civil aviation body are keeping their work on climate policies for the aviation sector secret from their citizens, in breach of an international treaty on public access to environmental information. The Aarhus Convention covers three principles: access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision-making and access…
By Ludovica Serafini on 28 Mar 2019
EU, Tax Me If You Can!
The aviation sector must not escape an effective tax on its emissions "A great, great deal has been said about the weather, but very little has ever been done" – Marc Twain On Friday 15th of March, Carbon Market Watch took to the streets with more than 30,000 people as part of the Fridays for…
ICAO agrees on offset criteria for aviation carbon market
During a closed door session, the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) –the UN body responsible for global aviation– approved the eligibility criteria for what offsets can be used under the new aviation pollution scheme. While an important step, the decision leaves the door open to billions of older 'junk' emission units that…
Change of leadership at Carbon Market Watch – January 2019
After 10 successful years of scrutinizing market-based mechanisms designed to combat global warming, Carbon Market Watch sees a change of leadership at the beginning of 2019. Sabine Frank becomes Executive Director succeeding founding director, Eva Filzmoser; and Sam Van den plas takes over from Femke de Jong as Policy Director. Leadership Transition Eva Filzmoser led the…
By Ludovica Serafini on 5 Dec 2018
COP24: Real facts or just dreams
Over the next two weeks more than 22,000 people – including parties, observers, and journalists will arrive to in the little mining city of Katowice (Poland). Guests will be welcomed not only by delicious pierogi (typical Polish dish) and cold temperatures, but above all by a crisp and exhilarating atmosphere. As the eyes of the…
By Gilles Dufrasne on 8 Oct 2018
New IPCC report shows 1.5C° is still possible, but more needed from aviation and shipping
This week, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a leading climate science body, has published a report on the scientific evidence relating to 1.5C° global warming. The report shows that it is still possible to limit warming to 1.5C° and avoid dangerous climate change. Reaching this goal, however, would require rapid and large-scale climate…
By Kelsey Perlman on 12 Jul 2018
Deciphering ICAO negotiations for a climate audience
The latest round of negotiations on aviation's offsetting scheme finished in ICAO at the end of last month, with crucial rules on offsets and biofuels postponed until the next meeting in mid-September. Long-standing reservations from China and Brazil challenged the enforcement of criteria developed in the UN agency that would restrict low-quality offsets from entering…