Approximately 210 million tonnes of greenhouse gases are emitted in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia each year. State environmental registry data show that 84 million tonnes, or 40% of these total emissions, originate from just 82 major industrial facilities. These facilities include 18 large lignite-burning power stations. Despite nearly 15 years of federal Energiewende (energy transition) initiatives designed to accelerate the switch to renewable energy, coal-fired generation still accounts for a substantial share of the region's electricity production.
With reference to the data above and your knowledge of economics, assess the effectiveness of tradable pollution permits in reducing carbon emissions for a country such as Germany.
