EU Emissions Research Articles

Has the EU Emissions Trading System Worked Properly?

Has the EU Emissions Trading System Worked Properly?

Facilitating a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Transition in Italy

Civil aviation significantly contributes to “hard-to-abate” emissions, responsible for 2% of global CO2 emissions. This paper examines the most effective policies to promote Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) in Italy, using a multi-level policy analysis and a stakeholder-based case study approach. The policies reviewed comprise the international, European, and national level. The paper analyses at the international level, ICAO CORSIA and, at the European level, the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), ReFuel EU, and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for aviation. Italy has not yet implemented specific policies targeting SAF transition, which is challenging due to commercialization issues and policy inconsistencies. These include the price gap between SAF and conventional fuels, different definitions adopted, and environmental objectives pursued with respect to sustainable fuels by ICAO and the EU. Other challenges include double-counting risks and fuel tankering practices. This article contributes to Italy’s SAF policymaking by developing a stakeholder-based quantitative survey, whose results suggest that three measures are key: tax subsidies for technology and infrastructure users, tax credits for upgrading production infrastructure, and tax breaks for SAF-using companies, fuel handlers, and distributors.

First Principles Study of Europium doped Gallium Nitride in Wurzite Structure

In the present work, we have successfully deposited Sb antimony doped tin dioxide (SnO2) thin films with Several advantages over well known LCD's including increased brightness and viewing angle. We are currently investigating Eu doped GaN as a potential red phosphor for TEFL display applications. Eu doped GaN films were grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy on Si (111) substates. The material was optically characterized through temperature dependent emission spectroscopy using a He-Cd laser at 325 nm for above band gap excitation. A strong red emission was obtained at 622 nm, which corresponds to an Eu3+ inner 4f-shell transition from the 5D 0 to 7F2 state. Therefore, the observed thermal quenching of red Eu emission is assigned to a strongly temperature dependent pumping process.

EU emissions trading in the buildings sector – an ex-ante assessment

ABSTRACT The EU ETS is one of the first emissions trading schemes in the world and has contributed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the sectors covered by the scheme in recent years. The EU has adopted the introduction of a new, separate emissions trading scheme (ETS 2) for the buildings and transport sectors as well additional sectors. In our paper we estimate the impact of the new ETS 2 on the buildings sector. We calculate the greenhouse gas emission reduction in the year 2030 using an approach based on price elasticities. We further discuss the impact of the ETS 2 on cost-effectiveness of heat pump deployment in the EU Member States to outline an example of longer-term effects on investments. The results show that with a carbon price of 45 Euro per ton the impact ranges between three and seven Million tons of greenhouse gas emission reductions. Even with optimistic assumptions on the reaction of building owners, the overall contribution of the ETS 2 to meeting the EU target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the year 2030 is limited. The results furthermore show that the carbon price needed to make heat pumps competitive in the use phase differs largely between the Member States, where in three Member States the required level exceeds 100€/t CO2eq. We conclude that in addition to carbon pricing under the ETS 2, a strong policy framework is needed for the transition of the buildings sector. Key policy insights The new carbon pricing scheme in ETS 2 contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in buildings in the EU, however its impact on the EU energy and climate targets for the year 2030 is limited. Carbon pricing supports the diffusion of heat pumps, however a price of 45 €/t is insufficient to make heat pumps competitive even in the operation phase in several countries. Due to the low price elasticities and the long investment cycles in the buildings sector, a strong policy mix is needed in addition to carbon pricing.

Leadership in EU policy-making: a deep dive into the extension of the EU emissions trading system

ABSTRACT This article offers insights into how leadership can be provided to advance the EU policy-making process through a case study of the policy-making for the new EU emissions trading system for buildings, road transport and additional sectors (ETS-2). Conceptually, it contributes to the literature on leadership in the EU by developing a three-part framework for observing leadership in EU policy-making, focussing on the intentions of an actor, the effects of the actions of an actor and the perceptions of other actors. The article also contributes to the literature on interactions between leaders in EU policy-making. Empirically, we provide a process tracing analysis of leadership in the policy-making process for the ETS-2. Using our framework, we examine five key leadership moments, showing how Denmark provided cognitive leadership, Germany provided exemplary and structural leadership, and the Commission and rotating Presidencies provided cognitive and entrepreneurial leadership. Our empirical analysis shows that various types of leadership were partially simultaneously and partially consecutively provided, with some leaders following up on the leadership strategies of others. We term this dynamic ‘sequential leadership’. Our finding confirms the importance of seeing leadership as a relationship, not just between leaders and followers, but also amongst leaders.

Broadband sensitized near-infrared emission in Eu2+-Nd3+ co-doped BaAl2O4 as a potential spectral modulator for silicon solar cells.

The near-infrared (NIR) down-conversion process for broadband sensitization has been studied in Eu2+-Nd3+ co-doped BaAl2O4. This material has a broad absorption band of 200-480 nm and can convert photons in the visible region into NIR photons. The NIR emission at 1064 nm, attributed to the Nd3+:4F3/2 → 4I11/2 transition, matches the bandgap of Si, allowing Si solar cells to utilize the solar spectrum better. The energy transfer (ET) process between Eu2+ and Nd3+ was demonstrated using photoluminescence spectra and luminescence decay curves, and Eu2+ may transfer energy to Nd3+ through the cooperative energy transfer (CET) to achieve the down-conversion process. The energy transfer efficiency (ETE) and theoretical quantum efficiency (QE) were 68.61% and 156.34%, respectively, when 4mol% Nd3+ was introduced. The results indicate that BaAl2O4:Eu2+-Nd3+ can serve as a potential modulator of the solar spectrum and is expected to be applied to Si solar cells.

Regulatory compliance and operational efficiency in maritime transport: Strategies and insights

In recent years, with increasing maritime trade, the shipping industry has faced the challenge of mitigating escalating greenhouse gas emissions. This study investigates the cost mitigation strategies of shipping companies in response to three key regulations: the Carbon Intensity Indicator, the EU Emissions Trading System, and the FuelEU Maritime regulation. By proposing optimal speeds for container ships on the Asia–Europe route and examining the potential for carbon leakage, the study aims to predict strategies of shipping companies and derive insights for achieving sustainable regulatory compliance. The results provide a comprehensive analysis of the regulations' impact on operational costs and emissions, with the robustness of the findings confirmed through extensive sensitivity analyses. The discussion highlights the unintended consequences of current regulations that may deviate from the ultimate objectives of reducing GHG emissions and achieving sustainable maritime transport. Ultimately, the study seeks to support the development of effective maritime regulations that align with the operational strategies of shipping companies, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to achieve the intended outcomes of environmental policies.

Modification of the electronic and optical properties of YVO4:Eu induced by different charge states of the Eu ion

By employing first-principles calculations within the frame of density functional theory, we investigated the modifications of the electronic and optical properties of isolated Eu impurities within YVO4:Eu3+ compound in the presence of additional electron charges. This scenario arises when YVO4:Eu3+ is exposed to gamma radiation that ejects electrons from certain ions and makes them available for capture by others. Our findings reveal that a significant portion of the additional charge is captured by the Eu3+ ion (0.32 e), but this portion is insufficient to confirm a change in the Eu oxidation state from 3+ to 2+. Nevertheless, this capture significantly modifies the Eu electronic configuration, elevating the energy of its occupied 4f-states and bringing them closer to the conduction band bottom. This fact causes the optical absorption of Eu to be generated by 4f → 5d electron transitions, instead of 4f → 4f as in the case of the non-irradiated compound. The presented results qualitatively explain drastic changes in the Eu emission spectrum induced by gamma irradiation of the YVO4:Eu3+, perceived experimentally.

Exploring OH incorporation pathways in pulsed laser deposited EuOOH thin films

This study sheds light on the formation of EuOOH thin films intended for photonic applications in light emission. To this end, we designed a unique experiment in which we deposited films by pulsed laser deposition from an Eu2O3 target followed by low temperature annealing in an isotopic furnace, which allows selecting atmospheres (18O2 or D218O vapour) containing specific isotopes. Ion beam techniques have been used for the absolute determination of 16O and H content as well as that of the isotopes (18O, D) incorporated in the films upon annealing. A large content of either H2O or hydroxyl (OH−) groups was identified in the as-deposited films by infrared spectroscopy, while the incorporation of 18O or D upon annealing is limited (≤8 % and ≤ 4 %, respectively). Yet, annealing is a critical and necessary step to achieve the right stoichiometry and to induce the formation of hydroxides. Films produced under the optimum deposition pressure range (≤4 × 10−4 Pa) and annealing atmosphere (D218O) show the EuOOH monoclinic structure, while their photoluminescence response is in excellent agreement with the emission of Eu3+ ions in monoclinic EuOOH.

Policy credibility is a key component for an effective and efficient EU Emissions Trading System

Policy credibility is a key component for an effective and efficient EU Emissions Trading System

Border carbon adjustments in agri-food markets: Not as effective as one might think

Abstract Using the EU as case study, we simulate the impact of border carbon adjustments on agri-food markets. While border carbon adjustments alleviate adverse carbon price impacts on EU agricultural competitiveness and emission leakage, our simulation results also reveal that (i) border carbon adjustments may diminish domestic mitigation efforts, thereby partly offsetting benefits from reduced emission leakage, and (ii) trade diversion further undermines global emission reduction. The results indicate that border carbon adjustments on agri-food products in major exporting countries with emission-efficient production systems may not reduce global emissions as effectively as commonly assumed, highlighting the importance of emission efficiency improvements especially in developing and emerging countries.

Highly dispersed spherical phosphors obtained by encapsulating silica hollow spheres with SnO2: Eu3+ layers for enhancing red light emission

Orange light (593 nm, 5D0→7F1) and red light (613 nm, 5D0→7F2) are the two most important emission lines belonging to Eu3+ ions in high and low symmetries, respectively, making them important indicators for judging the nanoenvironment around Eu3+ ions. Therefore, obtaining significant red light emission in Eu3+ doped SnO2 nanocrystals requires anchoring Eu3+ ions onto lattice sites with low symmetries, which can be achieved through maximizing surface doping. To achieve this goal, we coated very thin Eu3+ doped SnO2 nanocrystal (10–20 nm) coatings on extremely dispersed SiO2 hollow spheres (500 nm in diameter) to investigate doping dependent luminescent properties. A significant increase in red emission was observed in such a system, accompanied by a significant attenuation of orange light, and the intensity of red emission increases with increasing Eu3+ concentration. When the concentration of Eu3+ exceeds 3 at%, the intensity of red light emission sharply decreases due to the quenching effect. For the optimal doped hollow sphere sample (3 at%), the asymmetry ratio (red/orange light integration intensity ratio) under indirect excitation is 5.58, which further rises to 11.3 under direct excitation, while the asymmetry ratio of SnO2 nanopowder with the same doping concentration is less than 0.2 under both excitation modes, indicating that the current structural design plays a significant role in the modulation of Eu3+ ion luminescence. Our research not only demonstrates an effective method to enhance the red light emission of Eu3+ doped SnO2 nanocrystals, but also provides a method for manipulating the polychromatic luminescence of such systems.

EU carbon prices signal high policy credibility and farsighted actors

AbstractCarbon prices in the EU emissions trading system are a key instrument driving Europe’s decarbonization. Between 2017 and 2021, they surged tenfold, exceeding €80 tCO2−1 and reshaping investment decisions across the electricity and industry sectors. What has driven this increase is an open question. While it coincided with two significant reforms tightening the cap (‘MSR reform’ and ‘Fit for 55’), we argue that a reduced supply of allowances alone cannot fully explain the price rise. A further crucial aspect is that actors must have become more farsighted as the reform signalled policymakers’ credible long-term commitment to climate targets. This is consistent with model results that show historic prices can be better explained with myopic actors, whereas explaining prices after the reforms requires actors to be farsighted. To underline the role of credibility, we test what would happen if a crisis undermines policy credibility such that actors become myopic again, demonstrating that carbon prices could plummet and endanger the energy transition.

Maritime Freight Carbon Emission in the U.S. using AIS data from 2018 to 2022

Global maritime emissions, a 3% contributor to greenhouse gases, anticipate a surge of 90–130% by 2050. Regulatory challenges persist due to international governance gaps. Legislative strides, including the EU Emission Trading System, highlight global efforts. In the U.S., despite legislative commitment, consensus hurdles impede cross-regional carbon management. Prevailing top-down emissions estimation methods warrant scrutiny. This paper unveils U.S. maritime emissions intricacies, focusing on carbon accounting, transfer, and compensation for cargo and tanker vessels. Leveraging AIS data (2018–2022), an activity-based/bottom-up approach navigates emissions calculations, aiming to reshape understanding and foster strategic reductions. The study bridges gaps in U.S. maritime emission research, promising insights into transfer and compensation dynamics. By concentrating on high-impact vessel types, it contributes to emissions mitigation strategies, steering towards a sustainable U.S. maritime future.

Judd–Ofelt Intensity Parameters and Optical Properties of Eu/Li Co‐Doped CeO2 Phosphor

AbstractIn this work, the intense orange‐red emission of Eu3+ singly and Eu3+/Li+ co‐doped CeO2 phosphors synthesized by solution combustion using urea as fuel was investigated experimentally and theoretycally. X‐ray diffraction and high‐resolution transmission electron microscope analysis confirmed the formation of a single‐phase CeO2 cubic with high crystallinity. Under 360 nm excitation, the phosphors emitted an intense orange–red region of Eu3+ as a function of Li+ doping content. Significantly, it was enhanced 12/10 times by Li+ co‐doping due to the increased crystallinity of the host lattice. The energy transfer proccesse associated with cross‐relaxation is responsible for decreasing the experimental lifetime of Eu3+. The influence of Li+ doping content on the characterization properties of CeO2:Eu, Li phosphors was further explained using Judd‐Ofelt (J−O) theory, from which branching ratios (βr), transition probability (A), radiative lifetime (τcal), and stimulated cross‐section (σe) emission of the phosphors were estimated. The results indicate that an effectively improved crystallinity by Li+ co‐doped CeO2:Eu can significantly enhance its luminescence intensity, making it suitable for optoelectronic and display applications.

Alternative climate metrics to the Global Warming Potential are more suitable for assessing aviation non-CO2 effects

A growing body of research has highlighted the major contribution of aviation non-CO2 emissions and effects to anthropogenic climate change. Regulation of these emissions, for example in the EU Emissions Trading System, requires the use of a climate metric. However, choosing a suitable climate metric is challenging due to the high uncertainties of aviation non-CO2 climate impacts, their variability in atmospheric lifetimes and their dependence on emission location and altitude. Here we use AirClim to explore alternatives to the conventional Global Warming Potential (GWP) by analysing the neutrality, temporal stability, compatibility and simplicity of existing climate metrics and perform a trade-off. We find that using the temperature-based Average Temperature Response (ATR) or using an Efficacy-weighted GWP (EGWP) would enable a more accurate assessment of existing as well as future aircraft powered by novel aviation fuels.

Cover crops support the climate change mitigation potential of agroecosystems.

Cover crops have the potential to mitigate climate change by reducing negative impacts of agriculture on ecosystems. This study is first to quantify the net climate change mitigation impact of cover crops including land-use effects. A systematic literature and data review was conducted to identify major drivers for climate benefits and costs of cover crops in maize (Zea maize L.) production systems. The results indicate that cover crops lead to a net climate change mitigation impact (NCCMI) of 3.30 Mg CO2e ha-1 a-1. We created four scenarios with different impact weights of the drivers and all of them showing a positive NCCMI. Carbon land benefit, the carbon opportunity costs based on maize yield gains following cover crops, is the major contributor to the NCCMI (34.5% of all benefits). Carbon sequestration is the second largest contributor (33.8%). The climate costs of cover crops are mainly dominated by emissions from their seed production and foregone benefits due to land use for cover crops seeds. However, these two costs account for only 15.8% of the benefits. Extrapolating these results, planting cover crops before all maize acreage in the EU results in a climate change mitigation of 49.80 million Mg CO2e a-1, which is equivalent to 13.0% of the EU's agricultural emissions. This study highlights the importance of incorporating cover crops into sustainable cropping systems to minimize the agricultural impact to climate change.

Cost, market, and policy constraints on mitigating climate change through afforestation in China

Afforestation is a promising nature-based climate solution for mitigating climate change, but it is subject to a complex web of biophysical, cost-benefit, market, and policy processes. Although its biophysical feasibility has been established, the cost, market, and policy constraints that affect climate change mitigation through afforestation are still unclear. Here, we estimate such cost, market, and policy constraints on the basis of biophysical feasibility. Our findings reveal that implementation costs are a more relevant constraint than opportunity costs on mitigating climate change through afforestation. The China Certified Emission Reduction market currently provides only a 0.308 % incentive for climate change mitigation through afforestation, due to market access constraints. The current market prices of China Certified Emission Reduction, China Carbon Emissions Trading Exchange, and Nature Based Carbon Offset in Voluntary Carbon Market constrain 88.15 %, 87.95 %, and 85.75 % of CO2 removal actions through afforestation, compared to the carbon price scenario (US$62.97 tCO2-1) of the EU Emissions Trading System. Moreover, land policy under the scenarios of prohibiting conversion of cultivated land to forest and forest restoration in degraded areas exhibit 8.87–29.59 % and 65.16–74.10 % constraints, respectively, on mitigating climate change through afforestation compared to land-use freedom conversion scenarios from 2020 to 2060. Thus, enhancing the incentive price of CO2 removal, addressing the market access barrier, strengthening cooperation between global carbon markets, and exploring carbon–neutral and food multi-oriented land policies can be valuable sources of mitigation efforts over the next 40 years.

Trade flows, carbon leakage, and the EU Emissions Trading System

The EU Emission Trading System (EU ETS) has been shown to have reduced emissions in the participating countries and industries since its adoption in 2005. However, there is less evidence on the shifting of production outside EU to avoid emission controls. We study this so-called carbon leakage with gravity analysis of international trade flows and carbon intensities of trade. We utilize the gravity model on a sectoral level and study its implications empirically. Our findings with new OECD data indicate that some carbon leakage has in fact occurred due to the EU ETS, resulting in higher carbon content of imports to the EU. At the same time, we show that the EU ETS has induced lower carbon content of exports from the EU. In further analysis, we show that the carbon leakage we find has caused a moderate increase in total carbon content embodied in the EU’s trade, despite the decreases in exported carbon.

Article: Sustainable AI Regulation

This article addresses a critical gap in the current AI regulatory discourse by focusing on the environmental sustainability of AI and technology more broadly, a topic often overlooked both in environmental law and in technology regulation, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the EU AI Act. Recognizing AI’s significant impact on climate change and its substantial water consumption, especially in large generative models like ChatGPT, GPT-4, or Gemini, the article aims to integrate sustainability considerations into technology regulation, in three steps. First, while current EU environmental law does not directly address these issues, there is potential to reinterpret existing legislation, such as the GDPR, to support sustainability goals. Counterintuitively, the article argues that this also implies the need to balance individual rights, such as the right to erasure, with collective environmental interests. Second, based on an analysis of current law, and the proposed EU AI Act, the article suggests a suite of policy measures to align AI and technology regulation with environmental sustainability. They extend beyond mere transparency mechanisms, such as disclosing greenhouse gas footprints, to include a mix of strategies like co-regulation, sustainability by design, restrictions on training data, and consumption caps, potentially integrating AI and technology more broadly into the EU emissions trading regime. Third, this regulatory toolkit could serve as a blueprint for other technologies with high environmental impacts, such as blockchain and metaverse applications. The aim is to establish a comprehensive framework that addresses the dual fundamental societal transformations of digitization and climate change mitigation. AI regulation, environmental sustainability, GDPR, EU AI Act, sustainability goals