The OCS’ 6th week event highlighted a topical issue brought up during the Paris Agreement- should various economic actors such as member states and companies be responsible for their past emissions, and therefore be forced to compensate for such emissions? Emissions trading is a government-mandated market approach that would provide incentives for achieving such reductions in emissions, through the purchase or allocation of a finite number of permits and has its largest implementation within the EU covering 45% of emissions and 12k installations. Offsets are a similar concept, whereby companies earn emission rights not through purchasing but rather the implementation of a clean energy scheme elsewhere when they exceed their current permitted emissions. These economic policies were analysed in detail by our two expert speakers, Ben Caldecott and Pedro Moura Costa.

How do we best stand up for what we believe in, and how do we make a change? Last week’s event saw three experts discuss the ways in which individuals and communities can make a real difference by embracing the power of community.