MEPs back limited EU carbon trade reform

MEPs have backed limited reforms of the EU's carbon trading scheme, but stopped short of cancelling a number of benefits available to heavy polluting industries.

The European Parliament's plenary rejected a plan on Wednesday (15 February) to scrap free carbon credits to the cement industry, a heavy polluter responsible for 5 percent of global CO2 emissions.

Negotiators of the agreement in the parliament's environment committee had seen the abolishment of the industry's benefits as...