0000000000294411
AUTHOR
Maria Mansanet-bataller
Speculative and hedging activities in the European Carbon Market
Abstract We explore the dynamics of the speculative and hedging activities in European futures carbon markets by using volume and open interest data. A comparison of the three phases in the European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) reveals that (i) Phase II of the EU ETS seems to be the most speculative phase to date and (ii) the highest degree of speculative activity for every single phase occurs at the moment of listing the contracts for the first time. A seasonality analysis identifies a higher level of speculation in the first quarter of each year, related to the schedule of deadlines of the EU ETS. In addition, a time series analysis confirms that most of the speculative activity…
Regulation as determinant of EUA prices
In this paper we analyse the impact of supply and demand factors on EUA Phase II future prices, with a particular emphasis on the European Commission announcements regarding the organisation of Phase II and Phase III of the European Union Emission Trading Scheme. Using two different methodologies we find strong significance of EC announcements in particular regarding the National Allocation Plans and the cap for Phase III. Our results are particularly relevant to the light of the decisions that the EC must take to achieve the 20-20-20 objectives.
What You Should Know About Carbon Markets
Since the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol, carbon trading has been in continuous expansion. In this paper, we review the origins of carbon trading in order to understand how carbon trading works in Europe and, specifically, the functioning of the European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) and the workings of several spot, futures and options markets where European Union Allowances are traded. As well, the linking of the EU ETS with the other United Nations carbon markets is also studied.
Causalities between CO2, electricity, and other energy variables during phase I and phase II of the EU ETS
The topic of this article is the analysis of the interplay between daily carbon, electricity and gas price data with the European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS) for CO2 emissions. In a first step we have performed Granger causality tests for Phase I of the EU ETS (January 2005 until December 2007) and the first year of Phase II of the EU ETS (2008). The analysis includes both spot and forward markets—given the close interactions between the two sets of markets. The results show that during Phase I coal and gas prices, through the clean dark and spark spread, impacted CO2 futures prices, which in return Granger caused electricity prices. During the first year of the Phase II, the sho…
EUA and sCER Phase II Price Drivers: Unveiling the reasons for the existence of the EUA-sCER spread
International audience; This article studies the price relationships between EU emissions allowances (EUAs) - valid under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) - and secondary Certified Emissions Reductions (sCERs)--established from primary CERs generated through the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Given the price differences between EUAs and sCERs, financial and industrial operators may benefit from arbitrage strategies by buying sCERs and selling EUAs (i.e. selling the EUA-sCER spread) to cover their compliance position as industrial operators are allowed to use sCERs towards compliance with their emissions cap within the European system up to 13.4%. Our central res…
CO2 Prices, Energy and Weather
One of the main objectives of the European Union Emission Trading Scheme is the establishment of a market price level for allowances that show to European CO 2 emitting installations the environmental impact of their polluting activities. The aim of this paper is to focus on the daily price changes during 2005 in an attempt to examine the underlying rationality of pricing behaviour. Specifically, we study the effect of those weather and non-weather variables that academic and market agents consider as the major determinants of the of CO 2 price levels. The results show that the energy sources are the principal factors in the determination of CO 2 price levels, and that only extreme temperat…
CO<SUB align="right">2 prices and portfolio management
Since the launch of the European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS), the interest in the trade of EUAs is constantly increasing among academics and market participants. The objective of this paper is twofold: (a) a detailed description of this new market is provided for portfolio managers and (b) a comprehensive study of the implications of including Phase II EUAs in diversified portfolios is undertaken using as expected returns both historical and risk-adjusted returns. The results show that the opportunity set for investors increases when short positions in Phase II EUAs are taken.