Tradable Carbon Permits in Europe: Feasibility and Comparison with Taxes

In the European Union (EU) the discussions on climate policy have focused on the instrument of taxation. However, there has been considerable opposition from both Member States and industry against the combined carbon/energy tax proposals. In this article, an alternative market-oriented instrument for controlling CO2 emissions is discussed which overcomes some of the disadvantages of the tax: tradable emission permits. Special regard is given to the functional design and practical implementation of a system of tradable carbon permits for the European Union. Furthermore, tradable carbon permits are compared with a carbon tax.