This event will take place online.

The European Commission has put forward a proposal for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) which is the subject of ongoing discussions in the European Parliament and the Council. The lead committee on the CBAM in the European Parliament, ENVI, is voting on the final set of amendments on May 17th. This is a decisive moment for the CBAM on the European stage.

On the global stage, other countries have been reacting to these developments, and we can expect to see some follow suit. Ideally, there would be international coordination of these emerging policies; they have high-stakes implications for international trade, international equity, and climate diplomacy. Some have suggested that BCAs could be an essential element of “climate clubs”, acting both as a common tariff-like wall, and as incentive to join. Others have called for international agreement on principles and best practice. Consequently, the exact role of the CBAM on the international arena remains a subject of debate, even as the EU process moves forward.

No matter what the final shape and role of the CBAM, if it is to be successful, concerns about circumvention need to be allayed. Questions of resource shuffling, transshipment, and other circumvention and avoidance strategies are frequently voiced by concerned stakeholders, and should be addressed.

This session, convened by ERCST on the basis of its extensive work on the EU CBAM, will bring together global thought leaders that have explore these critical aspects of CBAM/BCA, unpacking the proposals and considering the options.

Workshop materials:

Agenda

ERCST Presentation ENVI vote

ERCST Presentation Circumvention

Recording