In my humble opinion, the ets is - or better can become - the magic bullet, at least for Europe.
The US, India and China will certainly look very attentively to how it works, or not. And for us to make our homework will make feel developing nations better in doing something themselves. As long as we stay on the high emission levels, there is not a big chance, the developing nations will refrain from pulling up their emissions without restrain.
I don't know much about other countries, but in Germany, the topic is hardly covered in the mass media at all, and if, with a "look it doesn't work!" attitude. I can understand Neven completely, because there is hardly any analysis explaining the matter to the broader public out there.
It just isn't sexy. It's from the European Union. It's a complicated, messed up set of regulations set up by a complicated, messed up body of legislation with very contradictive attitudes and interests. It's just a matter not made for mass media, which want catchy action, sensation, simplicity, a compelling story.
And most people feel contradictory within themselves, I suppose. E.g., if they really insulate the tenement I live in, our rent will rise considerably and the respective drop in heating cost will compensate only half of the rise, appoximately. (At current energy price. With an elevated energy price, comparison is another matter, but the absolute cost will be the same.) That means a palpable drop in present standard of living, if I don't count saving the earth.
But there is a group of inspired people out there, who set out to make the thing better. It will take time, it will mean struggle against coal and Poland.
And if successful, it will really work. And we can scap every other subsidy, tax, regulation and so forth about GHGs.
