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utsläppsrätter

English translation: emission rights OR emission allowances

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Swedish term or phrase:utsläppsrätter
English translation:emission rights OR emission allowances
Entered by: Richard Green

08:37 Jul 22, 2012
Swedish to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Environment & Ecology
Swedish term or phrase: utsläppsrätter
We're talking of a "portfölj av utsläppsrätter". So far I have been translating this as 'emissions rights', although I am now doubting myself, and wonder if this would be better translated as 'carbon credits'.

I wonder if one of you would be kind enough to point me in the right direction, and let me know if there is a difference between the two terms, and if so, what is the difference? Similarly, what would be the most appropriate translation?

Many thanks in advance,

Richard
Richard Green
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:04
emission rights
Explanation:
Emission rights is a permit from the government to emit a certain amount of whatever. Carbon emission rights can be used as a carbon credit, by buying surplus emission rights from a company or nation that has more permits than they need in an emission trading market. American electricity utilities were trying to game this system when Congress considered emissions trading in the U.S. Many of them bought up old coal burning plants that would soon be obsolete and was lobbying congress to distribute the initial carbon emission rights as a percentage of emission from the current carbon emissions.

A carbon credit is something the company or person can buy to offset carbon emissions, usually offered by a private third party. This may or may not be used in connection with emission rights. The government of Norway has e.g. invested in large tree-planting projects in the tropic to offset national emissions and thus become "carbon neutral".

As you can see, your original instinct is right. One is a government permit, the other is a way of doing accounting with emission rights to get to an imaginary balance of zero.
Selected response from:

Lene Johansen
Local time: 06:04
Grading comment
This solution fits the context of the project and document, although 'emission allowance' is also correct in more official contexts.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3emission rights
Lene Johansen
4 +2emission allowance
JaneD
4certificate of emission/carbon taxes
aventura22
3Carbon Offset Bonds
SafeTex
Summary of reference entries provided
IATE
Diarmuid Kennan
"emission rights" vs. "carbon credits"
Charlesp

Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
certificate of emission/carbon taxes


Explanation:
Mitt bidrag.

aventura22
Sweden
Local time: 12:04
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
emission allowance


Explanation:
This is the EU term, used in IATE and various Eur-Lex documents, for example.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2012-07-22 08:43:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sorry, should be "allowanceS"

JaneD
Sweden
Local time: 12:04
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: 'Emission allowance' is also a correct term and if I could give points to both answers, I would. 'Emission rights' fits the context of the document I am translating, although you couldn't have known this. Thank you nevertheless, Jane.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Christopher Schröder: In an EU context
1 day 1 hr
  -> Thanks Chris
agree  Helen Johnson
1 day 2 hrs
  -> Thanks Helen
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
emission rights


Explanation:
Emission rights is a permit from the government to emit a certain amount of whatever. Carbon emission rights can be used as a carbon credit, by buying surplus emission rights from a company or nation that has more permits than they need in an emission trading market. American electricity utilities were trying to game this system when Congress considered emissions trading in the U.S. Many of them bought up old coal burning plants that would soon be obsolete and was lobbying congress to distribute the initial carbon emission rights as a percentage of emission from the current carbon emissions.

A carbon credit is something the company or person can buy to offset carbon emissions, usually offered by a private third party. This may or may not be used in connection with emission rights. The government of Norway has e.g. invested in large tree-planting projects in the tropic to offset national emissions and thus become "carbon neutral".

As you can see, your original instinct is right. One is a government permit, the other is a way of doing accounting with emission rights to get to an imaginary balance of zero.

Lene Johansen
Local time: 06:04
Native speaker of: Norwegian (Bokmal)
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
This solution fits the context of the project and document, although 'emission allowance' is also correct in more official contexts.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  George Hopkins
47 mins
agree  Thomas Johansson
1 hr
disagree  JaneD: Googling "portfolio of emission allowances" produces more - and more reliable - hits than "portfolio of emission rights". I agree "rights" sounds more correct, but it's simply not the accepted term.
4 hrs
agree  Christopher Schröder: In an EU context I would go with Jane's suggestion but the context given doesn't specify the EU
19 hrs
agree  Charlesp: I agree
2 days 18 hrs
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1 day 20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Carbon Offset Bonds


Explanation:
The carbon offset credits are traded on the stock market as bonds and as you speak of 'a portfolio', I get the impression that this might work


    Reference: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/4884719?bs=1#marker_submit
    Reference: http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.pa...
SafeTex
France
Local time: 12:04
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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Reference comments


4 mins
Reference: IATE

Reference information:
There are a lot of references for utsläppsrätter and utsläppsrätt in IATE. Just thought I would mention it in case you haven't checked it yourself.

Diarmuid Kennan
Ireland
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 15
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thanks, Diarmuid. I did have a look at IATE, but couldn't see anything related specifically to 'portfolios', and so I was doubting myself. Many thanks!

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3 days 10 mins
Reference: "emission rights" vs. "carbon credits"

Reference information:
Discussion here of "emission rights" and "carbon credits"

See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emissions_trading


    Reference: http://www.stenum.at/en/?id=wissenswertes/wissenaktuell/ifem...
    Reference: http://www.fsa.gov.uk/consumerinformation/scamsandswindles/i...
Charlesp
Sweden
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 2
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