Posted on August, 03 2015

This paper is produced by ClientEarth, in conjunction with WWF European Policy Office, in order to consider the appropriate legal framework for the introduction of an Emissions Performance Standard (EPS) into EU law.

An EPS sets a maximum of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, or CO2 equivalent, per unit of output from energy generating power plants. The paper considers what components are essential to an EPS and how those components would interact with existing EU law, especially the potential inclusion of an EPS into the following three existing legislative instruments:

• the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Allowance Trading Scheme (ETS) Directive
• the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Directive and
• the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED)