Addressing the challenges of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

This thesis aims to provide an in-depth examination of the foundation and evolution of the international and EU climate policy framework. Following the increase of the threats posed by climate change to ecosystems and living beings' welfare, the global community and the present-day European Union have introduced over time a series of measures intended to overcome such challenges and pursue ambitious climate goals within the foreseeable future. In this regard, this thesis initially navigates into the complexities of the most relevant policy tools that have shaped the international and EU climate policy framework, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement, the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) and the European Green Deal. Subsequently, it focuses upon two significant schemes developed at the EU level, namely the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), thereby providing for a detailed understanding of their main features, scope of coverage and problems arising from their implementation, as well as a series of potential solutions that may enhance their functioning.