This summer the European Commission finally unveiled their “Fit for 55” policy package. Aimed at ensuring the European Union reduces emissions and reaches climate neutrality by 2050, a key part of their plan is phasing in a “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism” or CBAM. Framed as a pollution solution, it’s been met with howls of protest, threats of trade wars and frustration from many corners.

To unpack CBAM’s complications, in this episode of the Global Energy Transition Podcast series, host Michael Buchsbaum, lead blogger of EnergyTransition.org interviews Silvia Weko, research associate with the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) at the University of Potsdam and Domien Vangenechten, policy advisor at climate change thinktank Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G) in their Brussels office. Authors of separate pieces on CBAM, they share insights into this controversial tool’s potential impacts and what to watch for as it gets hammered into shape going forward.

You can play the episode below, and it’s also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Shownotes:

You can read several of Siliva Weko’s recent publications including her recent CBAM piece here and follow her other research here and here on Twitter @SilviaWeko

To read Domien Vangenechten’s recent piece in China Dialogue, click here. Or click here to read more about him. Follow Domien on Twitter @DVangenechten1

Read more of host Michael Buchsbaum’s blogs for the Global Energy Transition here or visit his website here or follow him on Twitter @LMicalBuchsbaum

Audio from the podcast was mixed and edited by audio expert Christian Kreymborg.