ERCST – European Roundtable on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition

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European Roundtable on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition

LATEST PUBLICATIONS

February 7, 2025

Omnibus simplification package: CSRD and CSDDD

February 5, 2025

Reflection Note: Road Transport decarbonisation: innovative policy approaches for competitiveness and investment

December 12, 2024

Future of emissions trading in the EU: Role of Emissions Trading in EU Climate Policy

UPCOMING EVENTS

Public Debate – Beyond Electrification: Balancing Complexity and Flexibility in the EU’s Sustainable Fuels Policies
March 4 @ 15:00 - 16:30
Stakeholder Consultation – 2025 State of the EU ETS Report
March 5 @ 10:00 - 12:00
Stakeholders Consultation: Green Claims Directive (GCD) trilogues – How does the GCD connect to (Voluntary) Carbon Markets?
March 6 @ 10:00 - 12:00
Launch Event – Implementation and transposition of hydrogen regulations in the EU Member States
March 11 @ 15:00 - 17:00
Focus Group – Circular Carbon Economy: CO₂ as a Valuable Resource
March 12 @ 15:00 - 16:30
Launch Event: Solutions for exports of EU CBAM-covered goods
March 25 @ 15:00 - 17:00
Launch Event – Future of Emissions Trading in the EU: Price Signal and Competitiveness (Public Event)
March 27 @ 10:00 - 12:00
Expert consultation: Extension of the CBAM scope
April 8 @ 15:00 - 17:00

RECENT EVENTS

Expert consultation: Solutions for exports of EU CBAM-covered goods
February 17 @ 15:00 - 16:30
Focus Group – Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage: Balancing Land Use and CDR Potential
February 13 @ 15:00 - 16:30
Launch Event – Omnibus Regulation: on CSRD and CSDDD
February 7 @ 10:00 - 12:00
Stakeholder Roundtable – Future of Emissions Trading in the EU: Price Signal and Competitiveness
February 6 @ 10:00 - 12:00
Second Stakeholders and Member States Consultation – Implementation and transposition of hydrogen regulations in the EU Member States
January 30 @ 15:00 - 17:00
Paper Launch – Unlocking CO₂ Storage Opportunities Outside the EU – Policy Challenges and Business Prospects
January 28 @ 15:00 - 16:30
Focus Group: Green Claims Directive (GCD) trilogues – How does the GCD connect with (Voluntary) Carbon Markets?
January 21 @ 10:00 - 11:30
Stakeholder Roundtable: 2025 State of the EU ETS Report
December 17 @ 10:00 - 12:00

RECORDINGS

As the European Commission prepares to unveil the “Omnibus Regulation” proposal on February 26, 2025, with President Ursula von der Leyen now directly overseeing the file, pressure is mounting from all sides – both within and beyond the EU, and from companies as well as governments.

In this context, and amid the uncertainty arising from current geopolitical circumstances and concerns about the EU’s economic competitiveness – which may raise doubts about the resilience of its industrial base – ERCST wrote a paper addressing key issues to be considered in the Omnibus package, particularly in relation to the CSRD and CSDDD, along with a set of recommendations.

As the European Union intensifies its efforts to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, the pursuit of innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions becomes ever more crucial. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies are vital components of this strategy. Despite significant advancements within the EU and EEA in developing CO₂ storage capabilities, technical limitations and capacity constraints make it imperative to consider storage options beyond EU borders.

This event marks the official launch of a comprehensive paper that explores the regulatory challenges and business potential of storing EU-generated CO₂ in non-EU countries. The paper delves into existing EU and international regulations affecting cross-border CO₂ storage, highlighting the limitations of the Carbon Capture and Storage Directive and the constraints imposed by the London Protocol and the Helsinki Convention. The discussion will identify policy gaps within EU legislation impacting international CO₂ storage projects and propose potential solutions to overcome these hurdles. This includes advocating for the ratification of the 2009 amendment to the London Protocol and suggesting updates to the CCS Directive to explicitly address cross-border CO₂ storage.

The review of the scope of the Emission Trading System (ETS) in the EU and how the architecture emerges should there be an expansion is an issue of increasing urgency. This has also been recognized by the European Commission, which has already started its own examination of this matter.

This report focuses on the role the Emissions Trading System plays within the overall EU climate policy. Considering the overall climate picture is important as Emissions Trading does not operate in isolation, but it is part of a complex policy mix.

This is the second in a series of seven reports planned under ERCST’s recently launched “Future of Emissions Trading in the EU” project. The project aims to examine the architecture, governance and role of emissions trading in meeting EU objectives in the European Climate Law during the second half of Phase IV (2025-2030) and beyond.

The initiative is being supported by: Cefic – CEMBUREAU – Cepi – EDF- Électricité de France – ENEL – EuLA – Eurelectric – Eurofer – Eurometaux – European Aluminium – ExxonMobil – Fertilizers Europe – FuelsEurope – PGE – Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities – French Ministry of Ecological Transition – German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action – Ministry of Climate and Environment of the Republic of Poland

LATEST NEWS

February 17, 2025

ERCST in action: Andrei Marcu at the French Ministry of Economics and Finance event “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism for Climate | Addressing carbon leakage to strengthen global climate action” – Gallery

February 7, 2025

ERCST in action: Andrei Marcu will moderate the French Ministry of Economics and Finance event “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism for Climate | Addressing carbon leakage to strengthen global climate action”

January 29, 2025

Czechia calls for CBAM changes to cut admin burdens – Carbon Pulse

January 9, 2025

US business groups set on weakening EU sustainability rules

The European Roundtable on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition (ERCST) is an independent think-tank, registered under belgium law, working on European and Global climate change policies.

ERCST is committed to the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement and works towards promoting a just, inclusive and sustainable global transition.

ERCST has always been careful to ensure an inclusive working environment and to be attentive to gender diversity and to the plurality of voices represented in its initiatives. When this is not reflected in one of our publications or events, it is due to the unavailability of the consulted experts to participate, to choices of organizations on their representation or specific representation in the respective organization.