Jan. 30, 2013 Schemes that aim to regulate greenhouse gas
emissions can limit consumers' attempts to reduce their carbon
footprints, according to an economist at the University of East
Anglia (UEA). Dr Grischa Perino suggests that some
recommendations made by government agencies and environmental
NGOs about how individuals can reduce GHG emissions are
inappropriate in the European Union because of its Emissions
Trading System (EU ETS), which caps emissions from certain
industries, such as electricity production and aviation, and
allows regulated sources to trade emission allowances. Advice
commonly given to consumers includes reducing the number of
flights taken, replacing energy-hungry appliances and lightbulbs
with energy efficient ones and eating less red meat. But in a
new discussion paper by UEA's Centre for Behavioural and
Experimental Social Science, Dr Perino says that once the EU ETS
cap is in place, installing energy efficient lightbulbs, flying
less and some other recommended actions have no impact