26Furthermore, it should be borne in mind that while the ultimate objective of the allowance trading scheme is the protection of the environment by means of a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the scheme does not of itself reduce those emissions but encourages and promotes the pursuit of the lowest cost of achieving a given amount of emissions reductions. The benefit for the environment depends on the stringency of the total quantity of allowances allocated, which represents the overall limit on emissions allowed by the scheme (Case C-127/07 Arcelor Atlantique and Lorraine and Others [2008] ECR I-9895, paragraph 31).
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