National Carbon Trading System (Germany)

The FT reports (this morning) higher inflation in Germany, and cites (amongst other components) the carbon tax introduced Jan 1 (2021).

This Blog doesn’t often report on domestic policies in non-UK/Ireland jurisdictions. However, in this case, we comment as follows –

A new national carbon trading system was introduced in Germany, to start Jan 1 2021. In many places, this is cited as a carbon tax. The German National Emissions Trading System sits alongside the EU ETS (and is influential in terms of possible extension of the EU ETS to transport and buildings). The new German system applies to GHG emissions from fuel distribution and supply. Fuel distributors and suppliers based in Germany are obliged to participate (there are exemptions). Specifically, the obligated parties are those that place fuels on the market include fuel wholesalers, gas suppliers or companies in the mineral oil industry that are liable to pay energy tax. For each tonne of CO2 produced by the combustion of these fuels, the party placing the fuel on the market must acquire a corresponding emissions certificate and surrender it to the DEHSt – here.

Further information is set out – here (English).

As you are aware, the UK national carbon trading scheme based on electricity through half hourly meters, was abolished, and the material removed from Cardinal Environment EHS Legislation Registers & Checklists.

The Future of Carbon Pricing (UK)

UK CRC (carbon trading based on electricity through half hourly meters) is closed. The final compliance year for participants in CRC was 2018 to 2019. A participant’s CRC registry account must be maintained until 31 March 2022 and evidence packs until 31 March 2025. The CRC regulators will continue to do compliance audits and take enforcement action where necessary until 31 March 2025.

From 1 April 2019 SECR requires many companies formerly within the scope of the CRC to report energy consumption and energy efficiency actions. They must do this as part of their annual director’s report. Subscribers with Law Checklists have a line entry for SECR, which I have asked on a number of occasions should be completed, as evidence you are on top of this requirement.

The UK Government and Devolved Administrations consulted on the future of carbon pricing in the UK after EU Exit, receiving over 130 responses from a range of stakeholders, with the majority supporting most of the proposals on the design of a UK ETS.

As a result, the UK intends to establish a UK Emissions Trading System with Phase I running from 2021- 2030, which could operate as either a linked or standalone system.

As stated in ‘The UK’s Approach to Negotiations’ the UK would be open to considering a link between any future UK Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the EU ETS (as Switzerland has done with its ETS), if it suited both sides’ interests.

As announced at Budget 2020, the UK Government will publish a consultation later this year on the design of a Carbon Emission Tax as an alternative to a UK ETS, to ensure a carbon price remains in place in all scenarios. I blog posted some time ago, that provision for a Carbon Emissions Tax is already on the statute books in a UK Finance Act.

The UK ETS will apply to energy intensive industries (EIIs), the power generation sector and aviation – covering activities involving combustion of fuels in installations with a total rated thermal input exceeding 20MW (except in installations for the incineration of hazardous or municipal waste) and sectors like refining, heavy industry and manufacturing. The proposed aviation routes include UK domestic flights, flights between the UK and Gibraltar, flights from the UK to EEA states, and flights from the UK to Switzerland once an agreement is reached.

In light of the UK’s commitment to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, the UK ETS will show greater climate ambition from the start. As such, the cap will initially be set 5% below the UK’s notional share of the EU ETS cap for Phase IV of the EU ETS.

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) will advise later this year on a cost-effective pathway to net-zero, as part of their advice on the Sixth Carbon Budget. The state will consult again on what an appropriate trajectory for the UK ETS cap is for the remainder of the first phase within nine months of this advice being published.

The aim is that any changes to the policy to appropriately align the cap with a net zero trajectory will be implemented by 2023 if possible and no later than January 2024, although the aim is also to give industry at least one year’s notice to provide the market with appropriate forewarning.

Auctioning will continue to be the primary means of introducing allowances into the market. To safeguard competitiveness in the UK ETS and reduce the risk of carbon leakage, a proportion of allowances will be allocated for free. Some free allowances will also be made available for new stationary entrants to the UK ETS as well as existing operators who increase their activity – these allowances will be accessible through the New Entrants Reserve. The initial UK ETS free allocation approach will be similar to that of Phase IV in order to ensure a smooth transition for participants for the 2021 launch.

In a standalone UK ETS the state will introduce a transitional Auction Reserve Price (ARP) of £15 (nominal) to ensure a minimum level of ambition and price continuity during the initial years.

A Small Emitter and Hospital Opt-Out will be implemented for installations with emissions lower than 25,000t CO2e per annum and a net-rated thermal capacity below 35MW. An Ultra-Small Emitter Exemption will be implemented for installations with emissions lower than 2,500t CO2e per annum.

International credits will not be permitted in a UK ETS at this time. This is without prejudice to ongoing reviews on how best to implement the UN global offsetting scheme, CORSIA, alongside a UK ETS.

The sections above re the UK ETS are abridged (with highlights) from the summary in the Responses Document – the document itself is here.

Carbon Pricing Consultation (UK Brexit)

Exit day is 31st October 2019

UPDATE : persons are invited to attend one of consultation workshops:

• London, 22 May 2019: book on Eventbrite

• Northern Ireland, Belfast, 30 May 2019*

• North Wales, Llandudno Junction, 3 June 2019

• South Wales, Swansea, 5 June 2019

• Scotland, Glasgow, 12 June 2019*

All the workshops will be available on Eventbrite. * events do not cover aviation

———-

The UK government and the devolved administrations are now seeking views (by way of consultation) on their proposals for carbon pricing after Exit. The consultation ends 12 July 2019, and the documents are here

The consultation focuses on four aspects :

(1) the design of a UK Emissions Trading System (ETS) (I posted a few days ago, that a UK ETS is a prospect)

(2) the operation of a UK ETS

(3) aviation

(4) continued UK membership of the EU ETS for Phase IV (2021-2030).

[Note: I don’t cover aviation in detail in this Blog]

A UK ETS that is linked to the EU ETS is the UK Government’s and the Devolved Administrations’ preferred carbon pricing option. This is envisaged in the Political Declaration that accompanies the Withdrawal Agreement (that is not ratified by the UK Parliament).

The view is a linked ETS would create a larger carbon market that would deliver more cost-effective emission reduction opportunities for UK businesses.

The consultation document sets out alternatives, including:

* a standalone domestic emissions trading system;

* a tax on carbon, similar to the policy described in the HMRC technical note “Carbon Emissions Tax” (and provided for in Legislation, not yet commenced – I Blog posted about this); or

* participating in Phase IV of the EU ETS.

Note : the consultation does not seek detail re a tax on carbon. But, the summary states – if necessary, responses to this consultation may be used to develop work on such an alternative.

Questions relevant to a standalone UK ETS or a tax on carbon are included. The proposals in Chapters 1-3 would be applicable for either a linked or standalone UK ETS unless clearly stated otherwise.

Chapter 1 focuses on proposals for the design of a linked or standalone UK ETS which covers: the scope in terms of gases and sectors; the cap and trajectory; the distribution of allowances; free allocation; supply flexibility; phases and reviews; the small emitter opt-out; and the ultra-small emitter exemption; and a UK industrial decarbonisation fund.

• To ensure that any UK ETS is linkable to the EU ETS, the proposal is to match the scope of a UK ETS with the scope of the EU ETS both in respect of sectors and greenhouse gases covered. Views are, in addition, sought on the potential to expand scope in later years of UK ETS operation.

• For the free allocation of allowances, the proposal is to follow broadly the free allocation methodology used in the EU ETS to provide a smooth transition for the relevant sectors and to support the potential for linking a UK ETS with the EU ETS.

• The proposals for a Small Emitter and Hospitals Opt-out Scheme and an Ultra- Small Emitter Exemption also align with the EU ETS, including setting a threshold of 25,000t CO2eq/35MW and 2,500t CO2eq respectively.

• In addition, views are sought on the possibility of monetising allowances from within the UK ETS to fund UK industrial decarbonisation.

Chapter 2 seeks views on the operation of a UK ETS.

Chapter 4 covers the scenario whereby the UK remains part of Phase IV of the EU ETS past 2020. Note: while the UK is still within the EU or within the Transition/Implementation Period, the UK has an obligation to transpose the Phase IV revisions to the EU ETS Directive into UK law before 9 October 2019.

The chapter also includes proposed Phase IV implementation features which may be incorporated within a UK ETS.

Chapter 4 seeks views on:

• The timing and method of this transposition (and further transposition arising as a result of tertiary legislation not yet agreed at EU level);

• Elements of Phase IV where the UK has discretion over whether and how to implement – most notably the opt out schemes for small emitters, which the proposal is to implement anyway as part of a linked or standalone UK ETS.

The above sets out some salient features, the reader is asked to scan the entire consultation.

[the Exit Day could change, please continue to follow this Blog]