Eurobrief July

The global cement sector has continued to reduce the amount of CO2 it emits per tonne of cement, according to new data published by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI).

Greenhouse gas emissions from industrial installations included in the EU’s Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) will be provisionally capped at just under 1.927Bt in 2013, the first year of the 2013-2020 trading period.

Member States have unanimously approved European Commission proposals for rules governing the auctioning of carbon allowances from 2013 under the EU’s Emission Trading Scheme (ETS).

In a personal letter addressed to the Financial Times (15 July 2010), French, German and UK environment ministers have urged the EU to agree to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2020.

Emissions from industrialised countries could be 9% above 1990 levels by 2020 because of loopholes stemming from the Kyoto protocol, claims a study by the Stockholm Environment Institute and Third World Network.

Global CO2 emissions did not fall last year as predicted by the International Energy Agency (IEA).