Neil Walker on How should the European Commission 'fix' the ETS
Channel: IIEA
Date: 17/10/2012

About the Speech:

This seminar focused on the future of the ailing EU Emissions Trading Scheme and proposals for reform. A draft proposal to revive the EU-ETS was announced by EU Climate Action Commissioner, Connie Hedegaard, in July and is currently the subject of intense debate. The proposal aims to address the major oversupply of emissions allowances in the ETS system in the short-term, which has led to weak carbon prices. The bigger question of how credibility will be restored in the market over the longer-term remains unanswered, however, with a report on structural reform due in the coming months. 

In this context, Dr. Barbara Buchner, Director of Climate Policy Initiative Europe, and Prof. Frank Convery, Professor Emeritus at UCD, considered the future of the EU-ETS. Sanjeev Kumar of E3G -- Third Generation Environmentalism -- and Dr. Neil Walker of IBEC, then discussed the political and industry responses.

This event is kindly sponsored by Shell.

About the Speaker:

Neil Walker is the Head of Energy and Environmental Policy at IBEC since 2010. Originally from the UK, Neil studied natural sciences and chemical engineering at Cambridge University. He subsequently obtained an MBA Degree from the London Business School and (more recently) a doctorate in environmental economics from University College Dublin. Over the past 25 years Neil has held a variety of senior management roles within European manufacturing industries. He has also undertaken extensive consultancy work and post-doctoral research in the Irish energy sector.