February seen as crunch time for the EU ETS

Carbon price could soar by 2020, but traders bearish short-term as EU votes on final package

The fate of the ailing European Union emissions trading scheme (EU ETS) could be decided this month as the European Parliament votes on a series of ambitious proposals designed to shore up the world’s largest carbon market.

The wide-ranging reforms, put forward by Parliament’s Environment Committee (Envi) on December 15, are part of a review of the fourth phase (2021–30) of the EU ETS. More strident than the European Commission’s earlier proposals, they aim to strengthen the carbon market in a