ELECTRICITY PRICES IN THE EU - The balance between regulation and markets
2021-10-19 09:30 - 12:00 UTC | online
Register Here
This event, which is the first one of a series addressing this topic, will identify:

The issues & reasons behind the increase in electricity prices,
Possible solutions to the current situation and best practices to reinject carbon dividends into the market to protect vulnerable households while still incentivizing the rapid deployment of renewables in the power sector,

Workshop materials:
Agenda
ICIS Presentation

ERCST’s COP26 side event on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement
2021-11-02 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Scottish Event Campus – IETA Business Hub, Business Hub IETA Side Event Room, Hall 5 on Ground Floor , Exhibition Way, Glasgow G3 8YW, United Kingdom, Glasgow, United Kingdom
During this event, the Roundtable on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition (ERCST) invites a group of leading Article 6 negotiators to discuss potential outcomes on Article 6 and how it relates to the wider outcome in Glasgow.
COP26 is considered to be an important opportunity to give new momentum to international climate negotiations. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is the only element that has not been agreed on, and everyone feels that without it the Paris Agreement is incomplete in spirit. It also has implications for the completion of other important files such the Transparency Framework under the Paris Agreement.
In the run op to COP26, a lot of effort has been put into resolving issues under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement including informal technical expert dialogues organised by the SBSTA Chair and ministerial meetings convened by the COP26 Presidency, as well as ERCST’s informal dialogue on Article 6.
This event is an opportunity for taking stock of all these efforts to discuss the general sense of Article 6 negotiators on potential solutions and how a package could look like.
This is an in-person COP26 side event in Glasgow. The address is: Scottish Event Campus (SEC), Business Hub IETA Side Event Room, Hall 5 on Ground Floor
Workshop Materials
Agenda

COP26 Side Event 'Reporting on the Impacts of Response Measures: Case Study in Ghana'
2021-11-03 18:00 - 19:30 UTC | Scottish Event Campus, Business Hub IETA Side Event Room, Hall 5 on Ground Floor , Exhibition Way, Glasgow G3 8YW, United Kingdom, Glasgow, United Kingdom
During this meeting, the European Roundtable on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition (ERCST) will present the final results and main findings of the project “Reporting on the Impacts of Response Measures: Case Study in Ghana”, which was jointly implemented with the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana. The main objective of the project is to identify, measure and analyze the impacts of the implementation of response measures in Ghana. The work has been undertaken as a “live” iterative activity, with work done, followed by webinars with local stakeholders and response measures negotiators, in order to gather feedback, refine the methodology and foster capacity building among relevant stakeholders.
The event will start with the presentation of the methodology, process followed, and data challenges encountered, as well as the details of the modelling exercise which will be presented by University of Hohenheim. Afterwards the main findings of the different steps of the case study and results from the modelling will be presented along with its implications on the Ghanaian economy. Lastly, invited speakers will provide reactions to the case study and stress its relevance for the advancement of the work of KCI and the Forum. This will also be an opportunity to discuss the continuity of the development of country case studies on reporting the impacts and identifying the opportunities of response measures.
This is an in-person COP26 side event in Glasgow. The address is: Scottish Event Campus (SEC), Business Hub IETA Side Event Room, Hall 5 on Ground Floor
Workshop Materials
Agenda
Report
Presentation

The ETS for road transport and buildings: Why yes? Why not?
2021-11-18 13:00 - 15:00 UTC
REGISTER
This event aims to tackle the most important issues associated with the new ETS by answering the following questions:

Is Carbon Pricing the right tools to decarbonize these sectors?
What are the other non-price-based tools to decarbonize these sectors while also ensuring policy consistency across member states?
How can the impact on households be mitigated? What is the potential role of ETS revenues? Is the Climate Action Social Fund enough?
Will these new ETS be combined with the original ETS?

Workshop materials:
Agenda

Post-COP26 Briefing in Brussels
2021-11-18 15:00 - 16:30 UTC | online
Watch video
This event will be an opportunity to take stock of what happened at COP 26 in Glasgow with Elina Bardram, Acting Director, International, Mainstreaming and Policy Coordination at DG Clima, EC. As different discussions are being concluded this week, we can already say that this was an important COP, bringing together a new set of ideas to the Paris Agreement implementation and the international climate cooperation.
Workshop Materials:
Draft Agenda Post COP26 briefing

How to make the EU Taxonomy an international tool?
2021-11-23 13:30 - 15:45 (Europe/Paris) | online
Registration link
ERCST workstream on sustainable finance (SF) aims at bringing together relevant stakeholders on a regular basis to discuss substantive issues, informed by original intellectual input from ERCST.
This webinar will gather a diverse panel to discuss the challenge of making the EU Taxonomy an international tool, as well as launching ERCST report: “The EU economic transition challenge. EU Sustainable finance and Taxonomy developments: implications for the economic transition and impact on other policies”

Agenda
Webinar note
PPT presentation
Report

13:30 Welcome and introduction

A. Marcu, Director of ERCST

13:40 Opening remarks & discussion

S. Kidney, CBI

Discussion with A. Marcu and M. Mehling

14:10 Outline of the state of play of SF agenda and presentation of ERCST report

O. Imbault, ERCST
P. Cesaro, ERCST

14:30 Roundtable discussion on EU Taxonomy international uptake

Chair

O. Imbault, ERCST

Panelists

S. Fatica, European Commission
V. van Hoorn, Eurosif
R. Youngman, OECD
C. Neo, Monetary Authority of Singapore
J. Sulaeman, National University of Singapore

15:30 Concluding remarks

Article 6 Community Center: post-COP26 reflections on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement
2021-11-24 13:00 - 14:30 UTC
REGISTER
This meeting is part of a series of webinars which are part of ERCST’s work stream on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Our aim is to bring together a broader community, beyond the UNFCCC negotiators, which is interested in Article 6. We hope to catalyse an exchange of information and experiences by organising webinars and hosting an Article 6 Library on our website.
This webinar is an opportunity for the wider Article 6 community to hear leading Article 6 negotiators reflect on COP26 and the outcome on Article 6.
There will be plenty of opportunity for Q & A during the session
Workshop Material
Draft Agenda

Addressing Competitiveness in Industrial Decarbonization
2021-11-29 10:00 - 12:00 UTC
REGISTER
This event aims at discussing the future of the free allocation regime in the EU and the role of the ETS in encouraging abatement in the EU industrial sectors. Particularly, speakers will be encouraged to share their views on the following topics:

The impact of the Fit for 55 package on the EU industry competitiveness
The future of the free allocation regime and the consequences for EU businesses
The role of Carbon contract for differences and ETS funds in promoting industrial decarbonization
The Commission proposal to limit the size of the MSR to 400 million allowances
The desirability of flexibility mechanisms for installations when complying with ETS obligations

Workshop materials:
Agenda

Hydrogen and decarbonised gas market package
2021-12-03 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | online
This is a hybrid meeting by invitation only, if you wish to participate please contact: Antonio Fernandez
This new workstream aims to bring together stakeholders, including policymakers and industry on a regular basis to discuss substantive issues around the topic of hydrogen, informed by original intellectual input from ERCST.
This meeting will take stock of the main gaps in the current EU regulatory framework after the Fit for 55 Package first round of publications and how the revision of the hydrogen and decarbonized gas market package and other relevant legislative acts, such as the Delegated Act on Renewable Fuels of non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) will address them.
Natural gas, i.e. fossil methane constitutes around 95% of today’s gaseous fuels consumed in the EU. While the EC has already expressed that energy efficiency related measures and electrification will play a fundamental role to reduce emissions, in certain areas, gaseous fuels will remain present in the EU energy system. According to the Climate Target Plan Impact Assessment, the share of gaseous fuels to total EU energy consumption in 2050 would be about 20%. The EC is therefore looking at policies that facilitate a progressive phase out of unabated use of fossil gasses via gradual replacement of natural gas and the uptake of renewable and low-carbon gases.
Proposals unveiled by the Commission on July 14th have laid the foundations of a specific regulatory framework, albeit still incomplete, to promote investments in renewable hydrogen. Conversely, and pending the revision of the hydrogen and decarbonized gas market package, it seems that the Commission intends to leverage carbon pricing and the EU Taxonomy to boost demand and supply of other types of hydrogen.
Looking at the relationship between regulation and the hydrogen value chain, the Fit for 55 package first round of publications addressed fundamental questions, mainly covering demand and supply of hydrogen while key regulatory issues for hydrogen transportation and transportation infrastructure have not been fully covered so far. The hydrogen and decarbonized gas package will shed more light on important regulatory missing pieces of the hydrogen puzzle such as for example, the repurposing of current gas networks to transport hydrogen, the blending of hydrogen with natural gas, the planning of networks and retail markets or the protection of consumers and the security of the energy market.
This meeting will focus on:

What is in the revision of the package for hydrogen?
Will there be a comprehensive regulatory framework for hydrogen in the EU after the package? What are the missing pieces?
Has the right balance between regulation and market-based instruments been achieved?
What are the key KPIs to assess if the regulation is delivering the desired outcome?
Within this framework, how should additionality be designed and defined?

10:00 Welcome and introduction

A. Marcu, Director of ERCST

10:05 Background to the discussions, what to expect from the package and missing pieces

A. Fernandez, ERCST

10:20 Chair

O. Imbault, ERCST

Key regulatory developments and missing pieces

M. Moraschi, Enel
C. Jones, FSR
A. Laszlo-Orth, E.ON
V. Palmisano, SNAM
A. Scheuer, IOGP

11:20 First round of discussions and Q&A
12:00 End of the meeting
Workshop Materials:
20211125 Agenda v7
20210913 ERCST_Background Presentation Fit for 55 and Hydrogen v5
IOGP presentation – ERCST 04-12[1] copy
20211203 ERCST_Presentation_Meeting v4
Implications of the fit for 55 package on the EU hydrogen economy paper v14

The State of the European Green Deal: end of year summary
2021-12-14 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Paris)
REGISTER
This meeting is part of a continuous series organized by ERCST on the European Green Deal, which started on 8 January 2020 right after the European Commission’s EGD was announced. This work stream aims to bring together policymakers and stakeholders on a regular basis to take stock on recent developments in the EGD framework.
This meeting aims to encourage a discussion on how climate policies impact the transition and its sustainability and how they influence energy policy offering an end of year summary. Initially the meeting was planned for November 29th.
Workshop materials:
DRAFT agenda
Paper State-of-the-EGD-Making-Europe-Fit-for-55
ERCST presentation – EGD

Paper launch: framework for the CBAM policy tools
2021-12-15 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | online
Registration
The European Green Deal has strengthened the level of climate ambition, increasing the asymmetry of climate efforts by aiming to achieve climate neutrality in the European Union by 2050. This raises the question of how to deal with competitive pressure and carbon leakage, also considering the COP26 outcomes and pushing Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs) to the front as a possible unilateral solution.
Since the beginning of the CBAM Project, ERCST presented the Sectoral CBAM Report with a deep dive into the specificities of individual sectors as well as issues and options of the general CBAM Design. It was followed by the Proposal and discussed with multiple stakeholders in the EU and internationally. The reactions to the EU Proposal were presented in September together with the Brief for Policy Makers.
Now the ERCST Team wants to present the Framework for the Policy Tools and examine the Border Adjustment Mechanism in the plethora of Fit for 55 legislative measures.
ERCST’s project on border carbon adjustment is supported by BDI, CEFIC, EBRD, Enel, Eurofer, Eurometaux, Fertilizers Europe, FuelsEurope, HeidelbergCement, the Government of France, the Government of Germany, the Government of Spain, Metinvest, Solvay and SITRA.
Workshop materials:
Draft Agenda
ERCST CBAM Report P2R4
ERCST Presentation
Presentation CBAM Neuhoff

Border Carbon Adjustment in the EU: EP draft position
2022-01-12 14:00 - 16:00 UTC
The European Green Deal has strengthened the level of climate ambition, increasing the asymmetry of climate efforts by aiming to achieve climate neutrality in the European Union by 2050. This raises the question of how to deal with competitive pressure and carbon leakage, also considering the COP26 outcomes and pushing Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs) to the front as a possible unilateral solution.
Since the beginning of the CBAM Project, ERCST presented the Sectoral CBAM Report with a deep dive into the specificities of individual sectors as well as issues and options of the general CBAM Design. It was followed by the Proposal and discussed with multiple stakeholders in the EU and internationally. The reactions to the EU Proposal were presented in September together with the Brief for Policy Makers.
Now the EU institutions are presenting their positions. European Parliament after the Own Initiative exercise is starting the discussion on the Report which will lead to formulation of the negotiating position and ultimately to the shape of the EU CBAM in the trilogues later in the year.
ERCST’s project on border carbon adjustment is supported by BDI, CEFIC, EBRD,
Électricité de France, Enel, Eurofer, Eurometaux, ExxonMobil, Fertilizers Europe, FuelsEurope, Grupa Azoty, HeidelbergCement, the Government of France, the Government of Germany, the Government of Spain, Metinvest and Solvay.

Workshop materials
Draft Agenda
ERCST Presentation
Eurometaux Presentation

ETS Revision for Phase IV: Draft Report by the rapporteur in the ENVI Committee
2022-01-21 10:00 - 11:30 UTC
As the responsible committee for the Revision of the EU ETS, the ENVI Committee and more specifically, the rapporteur of the file Peter Liese, has published its draft report on 14 January.
The roundtable discussed key takeaways from the draft report by the rapporteur from the responsible committee in the European Parliament and provide an opportunity to exchange views on how the draft report addresses concerns from different stakeholders.
This event featured officials from the European Parliament, more specific the ENVI Committee which was appointed as the responsible committee for the Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System. The webinar included a presentation by the rapporteur of the main elements of their draft report followed by a discussion with relevant stakeholders.
Workshop Materials:
Agenda
Recording

Presentations:
Comments on Liese’s report by L. Rathe – Hydro.

EU Taxonomy: extension framework and interplay with transition pathways
2022-01-26 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | online
This meeting will take the form of a working group. A diverse group of stakeholders will discuss specific elements of the EU sustainable finance agenda. This meeting is dedicated to the topic of EU Taxonomy and industrial transition.
The 2 working groups will discuss:

The EU Taxonomy extension framework: nuclear, gas, significantly harmful (SH) and no significant impact (NSI) activities
EU Taxonomy interplay with transition pathways

Agenda

This event is by invitation only and for more information you can contact pcesaro@ercst.org.

Just Transition Governance and Financing across EU Member States
2022-01-27 14:30 - 16:30 UTC
Sustainable development considers economic, social, and environmental matters holistically. Just Transition intends to counter the idea that valuing social aspects of sustainable development and caring for the environment are mutually exclusive goals.
In this context, ERCST decided to further analyse the social implications of the environmental transition, both at a global and an EU level. At EU level, the climate ambition under the EGD (-55% in 2030 and climate neutrality in 2050) will have social impacts spread unevenly. The EU is thus trying to make this transition fair, leaving no one behind.
This meeting will be an opportunity to take stock and unpack the governance of Just Transition initiatives across EU Member States by answering the following questions:

What is the EU already doing on Just Transition? Taking stock of the measures in place: mechanisms, funds, fiscal reforms.
What is the Just Transition governance and financing structure at Member State level?
Who is in charge of the preparation of the national and territorial just transition plans (TJTP) and what is their state?
What is working and what is not in the EU Just Transition governance?

Workshop Materials:
Agenda
ERCST Presentation
Bankwatch Presentation
Slovak Republic Presentation
University of Economics in Katowice (Poland) Presentation
Spain Presentation
Results of the slido poll

Hydrogen: completing the regulatory puzzle
2022-01-28 10:00 - 12:30 UTC
Drawing on the lessons of a previous stock-take on the topic discussed in December 2021, this meeting intended to identify main gaps in the current EU regulatory framework for hydrogen following the publication of the hydrogen and decarbonized gas market package and other relevant legislative acts, such as the Delegated Act on Renewable Fuels of non-Biological Origin (RFNBO).
This meeting reflected upon the following questions:

Has the Commission proposed a comprehensive regulatory framework that supports the creation of a hydrogen economy in the EU? If not, what are the missing pieces?
What are those elements of the regulation that despite being included may act as a bottle neck or slow the pace of deployment of a hydrogen economy?
Are we making an excessive use of regulation vis a vis market-based instruments such as carbon pricing?
Is there a comprehensive definition for low carbon hydrogen that supports investments in this technological landscape?
Does the delegated act on RFBOs act as a bottleneck for the deployment of a hydrogen economy?

Draft Agenda ERCST Slides ERCST Publication

Informal Forum on Implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement – February 2022
2022-02-08 13:00 - 15:30 (Europe/Paris)
This meeting was part of the ERCST initiative, which aims to create an informal atmosphere, where the main objective is to explore, discover, explain and understand different points of view related to the issues in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. That is, to understand the options available to define rules, modalities and procedures on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, as well as the consequences of adopting each option.
Since 2014, ERCST has been hosting an ‘informal dialogue’ between negotiations as part of the “Implementation of market and non-market provisions in the Paris Agreement” project , informed by a few selected experts.

Price signal for carbon and impact on decarbonisation
2022-02-09 10:00 - 11:30 UTC
The discussion focused on the current EUA price level and their impact on decarbonisation efforts, both in industrial sectors, as well as other sectors of the economy. The reaction in the EU seems to vary depending on sectors and EU Member States. Some sectors see the very rapid price increase as beneficial and supportive of decarbonisation effort, while other sectors make the case that this pace drains resource from decarbonisation efforts while the pace of set turnover cannot be sped up. This is an important topic that will help inform the discussion especially on EU ETS review, as well as other parts of the Fit for 55 package.
Agenda ERCST Slides Eurometaux Slides

State of the EGD: two years after
2022-02-16 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | online
This session intended to look at State of the EGD after two years, after some of the Draft Parliament opinions had been issued, and in light of the international situation after COP 26, but ahead of the global stocktake in 2023.
During this session, we reflected upon the following questions:
– Do you think it is possible to conciliate the growing tensions among different policies (simultaneously reducing emissions, keeping prices low and guaranteeing security of supply) in the framework of an ambitious fit for 55 package? Is the proposed Fit for 55 realistically implementable?
– What are the alternatives to achieve this conciliation without incurring in an excesive use of regulation?
– Do you think the political willignes to broaden the technological arsenal to achieve the EU 2030 and 2050 targets is different today when compered to the general sentiment at the time the EGD communication was first launched two years ago?
Agenda

CBAM Global Townhall 2022
2022-02-22 14:00 - 16:30 UTC
The European Commission put forward a proposal for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) – an enabler of ambitious climate policy in a world of unequal ambition. As other countries respond to the climate crisis, we can expect to see them follow suit.
Ideally there would be international coordination of these emerging policies; they have high-stakes implications for international trade, international equity, 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.
This session, convened by ERCST on the basis of its extensive work on the EU CBAM, brought together global thought leaders that have explored this critical aspect of CBAM/BCA, unpacking the proposals and considering the options.
ERCST’s project on border carbon adjustment is supported by BDI, CEFIC, EBRD, Électricité de France, Enel, Eurofer, Eurometaux, ExxonMobil, Fertilizers Europe, FuelsEurope, Grupa Azoty, HeidelbergCement, the Government of France, the Government of Germany, the Government of Spain, Metinvest and Solvay.
Agenda ERCST Slides DG TAXUD Slides CSPA Slides Hydro Slides

EU-Turkey Climate Policy Dialogue: Role of Civil Society in developing climate policies
2022-02-23 10:00 - 12:30 UTC
This workshop was part of the project EU – Turkey Climate Policy Dialogue for civil societies. The overall objective of the project was to establish a sustained dialogue between Turkish and EU CSOs, private actors and public institutions on the articulation of Climate Change policy between the EU and Turkey and climate policy development in general.
This workshop focused on the key role Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) play in the EU in developing climate policies, both through informal and formal participation processes and identify best and concrete practices that Turkish CSOs could implement. A number of CSOs were invited to engage in a panel discussion in order to get a better understanding of what this means for EU and Turkish stakeholders.
Lastly, it was an opportunity for Turkish and European CSOs to establish a dialogue and to highlight additional elements they would like to see as part of this project, and what kind of format and topics they would like to touch upon in the next workshops.
Agenda ERCST Slides Europe Beyond Coal Slides

Article 29a EU ETS Directive - EU Measures in the event of excessive price fluctuations
2022-02-25 10:00 - 11:30 UTC
In January 2021, the EC carbon price raised to 89.42 euros/tons of CO2. One year before, the EU carbon price was 33 euros/tons of CO2. This rapid price increase in addition to the recent energy crisis, has triggered discussions about the possibility of EU authorities to trigger the Article 29 of the EU ETS Directive or at least to revise it. Under Article 29, if for more than six consecutive months, the allowance price is more than three times the average price of allowances during the two preceding years, the Commission shall convene a meeting of the Climate Change Committee. Since the creation of the EU ETS in 2005, the mechanism has not been triggered so far.
This event introduced the current legislative framework. The presentation was followed by an interactive roundtable of key stakeholders and policy makers that argued if the current EU mechanisms are fit for purpose to protect against formation of price bubble in the EU ETS Market, the role of speculation and its impact on compliance entities.
Final Agenda ERCST Slides BEIS UK Slides KOBiZE Slides PIK Postdam Slides
BloomBerg NEF Slides EuroAlliagues Slides Sandbag Slides EFET Slides
California ARB Video.

Border Carbon Adjustment in the EU - CBAM Scope 2 emissions
2022-03-02 15:00 - 17:00 UTC
The European Commission has proposed a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, aiming to have the regime functional by 2023, and negotiations are ongoing on the shape of the final instrument. One of the most critically important issues, yet to be resolved, is the question of whether Scope 2 emissions should be included under the mechanism.
This session brought together global experts in the areas of economics, law, and policy to explore the critical underlying questions and assess proposals to address them.
Agenda Eurometaux Slides

Joint roundtable ‘The IMF proposal for an international carbon price floor: a quantitative analysis’
2022-03-09 14:00 - 15:30 UTC
PwC has recently published in the context of COP26 a study together with the World Economic Forum (WEF) on the international carbon price, which finds that an international carbon price floor would pay for itself and reduce global carbon emissions by 12.5%.
The international carbon price floor would also further support the EU CBAM’s objective of preventing carbon leakage by incentivising engagement with lower income countries and incentivising and supporting a fair global transition.
This roundtable discussion revolved around:
● How could an international carbon price agreement be designed and implemented and what economic and environmental impacts would it have.
● How can the proposals in the Fit for 55 package promote an international carbon price floor.
● How CBAM can incentivise more countries to adopt market-based ETS systems for carbon pricing that are consistent with the international carbon price floor.
● The need for an accompanying financial mechanism to direct the revenue generated towards supporting lower income countries to gradually increase the carbon price and reach net zero by 2050 as necessary to achieve the global climate targets.
Agenda PwC Report Slides

EU Taxonomy: impacts on other policies
2022-03-11 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | online
This meeting took the form of a working group where stakeholders discussed specific elements of the EU sustainable finance agenda. This meeting was dedicated to the topic of EU Taxonomy impacts on other policies. Indeed, ERCST considers the analysis of the interactions of the EU Taxonomy with other policies an important element because, among other things, these interactions will also have an impact on the overall functioning of the EU industry and financial market. ERCST considers that the EU Taxonomy Regulation will have two main types of impacts and interplays:

First, impacts on other sustainable finance (SF) policies. Notably, ERCST intends to analyze the EU Green Bond Standard (EU GBS), the proposed Corporate Sustainability Reporting (CSRD) Directive and the Corporate Governance Initiative.
Second, interplays with other environmental and climate policies. Notably, ERCST intends to analyze those related to carbon pricing (i.e., the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and the Energy Taxation Directive), and those shaping public (and private) finance and aid schemes such as the Recovery and Resilience Facility and Invest EU

The 2 working groups discussed these impacts.
Agenda ERCST Slides

Shaping ERCST's feedback on the hydrogen and decarbonised gas package
2022-03-16 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | ERCST, Rue Archimède 61, Bruxelles, 1000, Belgium
After the publication of the European Commission Hydrogen Strategy in July 2020 and after the publication of the Fit for 55 first set of publications in July 2021, the Commission proposed on December 15th 2021 a set of legislative proposals including the revision of the Gas Regulation 715/2009 and the Gas Directive 2009/73 (the package). Following the proposals, the Commission has opened a feedback period that will be opened for several weeks to assess stakeholder’s reactions to the package.
Drawing on the lessons of previous stock-takes on the topic discussed in December 2021 and January 2022, this meeting intends to shape ERCST feedback to the European Commission proposals.
This meeting intends to contribute shaping ERCST response to the European Commission Public Consultation on the hydrogen and decarbonized gas market package on three main issues:

Is the proposed definition for low-carbon hydrogen aligned with the ambitions of the European Commission hydrogen strategy?
Are we making an excessive use of regulation for hydrogen transportation infrastructure before making sure the demand side is mature and incentivized enough as to justify this level of regulatory intervention?
Based on the proposed regulatory framework is the EU encouraging hydrogen imports? Should the EU take this stance?

AGENDA ERCST Slides Bellona Slides Enagas Slides ERCST Publication

Development impact of EU’s CBAM
2022-03-16 15:30 - 17:00 UTC
Co-convened by ERCST and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
The European Green Deal has strengthened the level of climate ambition by aiming to achieve climate neutrality in the European Union by 2050. The European Commission has proposed a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as the preferred option to address the risk of carbon leakage.
This session explored the development dimension of the proposed CBAM along the following guiding questions:

What are the expected impacts of the CBAM for developing country exporters?
What design element choices are most important in determining those impacts?
What parallel measures (outside the CBAM legislation) might the EU adopt to best position the CBAM from a development perspective?
What kinds of policies might exporting developing countries adopt to support their exporters as the CBAM comes into effect?

Agenda Recording

Border Carbon Adjustment in the EU – Launch of Report on Exports in CBAM
2022-03-18 14:00 - 15:30 UTC
Since 2019, ERCST has built up solid experience on BCAs and carbon leakage issues in the EU context. The ERCST Team has accompanied the CBAM file from its earliest stages in the legislative process, providing analytical input to the discussion on BCAs and fostering an informed debate with domestic and international stakeholders.
At this event, the ERCST presented its report on one of the “crunch issues” in the EU’s CBAM: Exports. Exports are currently not included in the Commission’s CBAM proposal due to significant legal uncertainty regarding the alignment with WTO rules. However, there are concerns that the exclusion of exports will open up an export-related carbon leakage channel, thereby harming EU competitiveness and climate ambition.
The ERCST presented its analysis and discussed the findings with those present, thereby contributing to the understanding of what it means to address exports in the CBAM.
Agenda ERCST Slides ERCST Report ERCST Policymaker Summary Recording

EXTERNAL EVENT: CEPR Research and Policy Network on Climate Change
2022-03-21 17:00 - 19:00 UTC
On the 21st of March, Andrei Marcu, Executive Director of ERCST, spoke at the CEPR Research and Policy Network on Climate Change, Hybrid Webinar ‘Economics of Border Adjustments’.
Agenda Recording

The impact of commodity prices on energy transition and regulatory framework
2022-04-06 10:45 - 12:45 (Europe/Paris) | online
This event is part of a ERCST series which tales the state of play of the debate in energy prices after the release of the EC toolbox and REPowerEU Communication as well as looking forward to the direct EC framework. Stocktaking on Council discussions and following the previous event on “Electricity prices in the EU” hosted by the ERCST in October 2021, this time ERCST aimed to encourage a discussion on the following questions:
Session 1

In a rapidly evolving context what are the main drivers of high gas and electricity prices and what is the outlook?

Session 2

How to make sure REPowerEU is able to conciliate the growing tension of keeping energy prices low, accelerating decarbonisation and guarantying need investments and security of supply?
What short term and long-term solutions could be effectively implemented to tackle the current energy crisis.

Final Agenda Cerame-Unie Slides Recording
