The Legal Objectives of the EU Emissions Trading System

An Evaluation Framework

Bibliographic Data

ID4610108
AuthorsManolis Kotzampasakis (0000-0002-1672-7680, University of Groningen, corresponding author), Edwin Woerdman (0000-0003-2883-160X, University of Groningen)
Year2024
Volume13
Issue2
Pages312-336
Publication date2024-07-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueTransnational Environmental Law (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2047-1025 • E-ISSN: 2047-1033
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s2047102524000153
OpenAlexW4401922743
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited7

Climate policies are often evaluated using criteria that are heterogeneous and misaligned with the stated aims of these policies. By combining legal research methods with insights from economic theory, we systematically map and analyze the legal objectives of the European Union (EU) Emissions Trading System (ETS), a key climate policy instrument. We find that the EU ETS is shaped by a nuanced internal normative framework, the principal goal of which is emissions reduction, combined with three secondary goals of cost-effectiveness, economic efficiency and equity, and a meta-goal of coherence. Based on the contents and interrelations of these legal objectives, we formulate evaluation criteria that can be used to critically analyze and evaluate the EU ETS performance in a more comprehensive, transparent, and comparable manner. The resulting methodology is applicable to other environmental policies and jurisdictions

Business · Climate change · Climate policy · Economic policy · Economics · Emissions trading · Environmental economics · European union · Normative · Political science · Public economics · Climate Change Policy and Economics · Computer Science · Energy, Environment, and Transportation Policies · Energy, Environment, Economic Growth · Law

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Open DOIOpen Access