Emissions trading in Liechtenstein
The Office of Environmental Protection (OEP) is the competent
national authority for implementation of the market-based climate protection instruments of the Kyoto
Protocol in Liechtenstein. First concern of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by national measures.
The specialist department for Energy at the Office of Economic Affairs together
with the OEP estimate the short-term reduction potential being around 22'000 tons of CO2 eq, which meets
a third of the Kyoto requirements.
In addition the compliance of the reduction obligations can be reached also by the
use of flexible mechanisms. These are on the one hand the emissions
trading between two states or two enterprises (in case of the EU emission trading), in order
to reduce CO2-emissions, where it is most economical, and on the other hand project-related mechanisms
as Joint Implementation (JI) and Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM).
Such projects must result in measurable benefits related to the mitigation of climate
change, as well as contribute to the sustainable development of the host countries, e.g. through the
transfer of environmentally-sound technologies. Liechtenstein aims are generating high quality certificates
(Gold Standard) to be used for compliance.
The Office of Environmental Protection also provides and maintains the Liechtenstein
Union Registry. This is an Internet application similar to online banking for carrying out
transactions, checking account balances, and submitting emissions rights to the national account for
meeting an obligation to reduce emissions.
As a modern and success-oriented authority, we comprehensively and competently support
project operators, traders, installation operators, and other participants in emissions trading with
respect to:
- implementation and application of the legal requirements
- assertion
of their rights
- fulfilment of their obligations.
Contact
addresses for these areas can be found on the following pages or in the organizational
chart of the Office of Environmental Protection
Brief information about the history of the Kyoto protocol and actual emissions
of Liechtenstein can be found here.
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