Greenhouse gas emissions covered by the European Union’s Emissions Trading System decreased last year, according to preliminary data from the European Commission. The exact reduction is uncertain, however, with several analysts reaching different conclusions based on the raw data. Bloomberg New Energy Finance reported that emissions from all regulated sources but airlines fell by 0.8 percent last year. Carbon Pulse reported a decline of .4 percent excluding aviation, and U.K.-based environmental group Sandbag found a decrease of .6 percent, also excluding aviation.
The EU carbon emissions trading system was launched in 2005 and covers more than 11,000 stationary installations and airlines emitting about 2 billion metric tons of CO2 per year.
