The EU might weaken its landmark climate law — the ‘most impactful’ in the world

The European Union's Emissions Trading System is widely considered the world's most impactful climate policy. Since 2005, it's slashed industrial carbon emissions by roughly half across the bloc. But, per Grist, the European Commission proposed significant changes earlier this month that could undermine that achievement. Instead of cutting covered-company emissions by four point four percent annually, the new proposal would slow reductions to three point seven percent between twenty thirty-one and twenty thirty-five, then just one point seven percent afterward. According to one estimate, this would allow approximately two billion metric tons of additional carbon pollution over the next fourteen years. Climate experts worry the slowdown doesn't just weaken Europe's climate goals—it gives industrial lobbyists ammunition to push for similar concessions in California, South Korea, and beyond. The final rules are expected early next year, though some EU environment ministers have pledged to fight the weakening.

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