‘Fit-for-Purpose’ Energy and Climate Change Mitigation Policies for the European Union

The Statkraft Policy Research Programme ran from January 2016 to December 2017. It has generated high-quality independent analysis to support and inform policymaking in the European Union by exploring key issues relating to member states’ transition to a low-carbon economy.

The programme’s final report presents analysis, conclusions and recommendations from three key strands of the programme’s work: the issue of the ‘distributional impacts’ associated with policies for emissions reductions in the power sector, the ‘credibility’ of member states’ efforts to decarbonise the power sector, and the public acceptability of carbon taxes applied to sectors outside the EU emissions trading system.

The programme was generously funded by Statkraft as part of the hydropower company’s initiatives to celebrate its 120th anniversary. The funder respects the academic freedom of the Grantham Research institute on Climate Change and the Environment, which has ultimate editorial control of the programme outputs.

Publications produced as part of this programme:

• Credible, effective and publicly acceptable policies to decarbonise the European Union: Final report
  This is the programme’s main report, summarising key analysis, conclusions and recommendations for decision-makers.
• Decarbonising the European Union credibly, effectively and acceptably
  This brief is an 8-page condensed version of the above report.
• The credibility of the European Union’s efforts to decarbonise the power sector
  This report assesses the degree of likelihood that EU member states will keep their promises to implement their announced pledges or policies for decarbonising the power sector.
• How to make carbon taxes more acceptable
  This report looks at the public acceptability of carbon taxes on sectors outside the EU ETS, identifying challenges and practical ways to increase acceptability
• Energy policy and the power sector in the long run
  This working paper simulates the distributional impacts of alternative carbon emission reduction policies on power producers.

Presentations produced as part of this programme:

• Statkraft-LSE Program: Credible, effective and publicly acceptable policies to decarbonise the European Union (Presentation for Brussels launch event, 05 December 2017)

Articles produced as part of this programme:

• Should the UK stay or should it go? The consequences of a divorce with the EU ETS (14 February 2017)
• UK needs free trade with the European Union in low-carbon technologies (8 February 2017)
• With or without you? Why the European Union’s climate targets will be harder to meet post-Brexit (16 January 2017)