European Union Emissions Trading System

The European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is a carbon emission trading scheme (or cap and trade scheme) that began in 2005 and is intended to lower greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. Cap and trade schemes limit emissions of specified pollutants over an area and make polluters pay for their pollution, requiring them to buy allowances to emit enough to cover their emissions, from the EU or from other companies. The money is channeled to environmental and social goals.

Source: Wikipedia — European Union Emissions Trading System (CC BY-SA 4.0)