COP markets failure may see UN by-passed
Independent efforts may gather their own momentum after deadlock in Madrid
UN-led efforts to craft a new set of rules governing international emissions trading failed for a second time at the COP25 meeting in the Spanish capital in December. But, while countries will again attempt to agree the guidelines at the next summit in Glasgow at the end of this year, there is a growing sense that many signatories may not need to wait for a UN rulebook to get involved in supra-national schemes. Negotiations over international carbon trading after 2020 were meant to have been completed in 2018 as part of a wider agreement on implementing the 2015 Paris Agreement, which will succeed the Kyoto Protocol next year. But the lack of agreed procedures is not proving an insurmountab
Also in this section
28 November 2025
The launch of the bloc’s emissions trading system in 2005 was a pioneering step, but as the scheme hits 21 its impact as a driver of decarbonisation is still open to debate
18 November 2025
Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Dewhurst Award, the highest honour bestowed by WPC Energy. The Dewhurst Award celebrates exceptional leadership, groundbreaking innovation and a lifetime of significant achievements in sup-port of the development and advancement of the energy industry.
11 November 2025
Transition policies must recognise that significant industrial demand for carbon will continue even as economies hit net zero
6 November 2025
After years of pursuing ideologically driven climate leadership, Western powers are now stepping back under mounting political pressure and rising populist opposition—prompting concern essential climate action could be sidelined






