Even if every country has a cap-and-trade system and all aim at the same relative reduction in national CO2 emissions, the resulting permit prices will differ because of national differences in initial CO2 levels and in domestic production characteristics. Because the price of the CO2 permits in a country is reflected in the prices of its products, the cap-and-trade system affects its international competitiveness.
“总量管制和排放交易”系统对国际贸易中有着非常严重的危害。即使为了减少本国的碳排放量，世界上每个国家都有采取“总量管制和排放交易”系统。但由于各个国家的不同的二氧化碳水平排放水平以及国内产品上的差异性，每个国家的碳排放的执照价格就会不同， 由此影响到相对应产品的价格，从而影响到该产品在国际上的竞争力。