Europe Is Poised to Set Climate Standards for the World
A An emerging flashpoint in America’s relationship with the European Union is the question of who gets to set climate-related standards — on energy efficiency, emissions disclosure and other issues. An early indicator of the brewing conflict came last week, when US climate envoy John Kerry cautioned Europeans against adopting a carbon border-adjustment mechanism. Given its recent leadership in global standard-setting and its desire to show independence from the US, Europe may well go ahead either with or without the United States. A carbon border-adjustment mechanism is effectively a...