Google Translation Version:
July 10, G8 summit ended, an annual trade volume of more than 60,000,000,000 U.S. dollars of the market increasingly clear carbon sink. July 19, "emission reduction projects in Shanxi Luliang energy trading services center" and officially started trial operation, which means that energy-saving emissions trading market in the establishment.
"Kyoto Protocol" stipulates that as of 2012 is the year the first commitment period of 5 years, the first year. China will become a major carbon sink market position. However, the reporter found that due to the related policy is not an exact match, the broker secret operations, information asymmetries and other reasons, to allow Chinese companies to sell carbon sinks the price of low carbon sinks billions of dollars China is the market has shrunk dramatically. China sitting on billions of dollars of China's carbon market transactions and foreign exchange markets have reached first in the world. The latest
United Nations statistics show that in the CDM (CDM) projects, India, China and Brazil-led occupying forces, of which India accounted for the total number of projects registered 32%, 19% China, Brazil accounted for 13%. However, the amount of emission reduction, with China accounting for 53% of the advantages far ahead. United Nations Environment Program resident representative in China, said Zhang Gang, the popular international capital to China's carbon sinks market provided assistance. China's emissions have gone far beyond the effectiveness of India in the International Convention on the mechanism for trading carbon sinks under many of the funds will be step by step into China.
According to the "Kyoto Protocol" provides that in the 2008-2012 period, the major industrialized countries of greenhouse gas emissions in 1990 on the basis of an average reduction of 52%. According to the United Nations and the World Bank predicted that the global carbon trading exchange in 2008 ~ 2012, the annual market size of up to 60,000,000,000 U.S. dollars, in 2012 the global carbon market transactions for 150,000,000,000 U.S. dollars. Rush of funds into the market, even though carbon sinks "Kyoto Protocol" was signed in 2005, but markets carbon sinks has been fiery, such as Chennai. Britain Beijing representative office of New Energy Finance chief should be introduced Chun told reporters that the new British Energy Finance as this not only an important business, and even has set up a special carbon sink trading analyst, analysis of the market price of carbon Change. In addition, a number of environmental organizations, NGO has also started to promote, facilitate trading carbon sinks.
A veteran of the industry such as trading of carbon sink, "carbon sinks market is a market first, further, it is a character in the middle of the market." It is reported that according to existing regulations, developing countries can not be directly Quota to sell to Western markets, these companies sell the amount of emission reduction by a number of international carbon funds and companies, or through intermediaries such as the World Bank in order to participate in the international market. This led to large and small, domestic and international consulting, intermediary companies, mostly directed at the market from trading carbon sinks. Due to the short history of markets carbon sinks, of the country, industry, many companies, many of the industry that this market will always mention one word - "chaos." However, according to seize market opportunities which will be of greater benefit theory, to enter the industry, funds can only be described as falling over one another. Black-box operation in the middle double the price of carbon emissions market is the biggest obstacle to black-box operation, the final price and a far cry from the international market price.
A foreign agency offices in China CDM project leader in private that, in direct foreign exchange trading carbon price higher than the domestic prices of 50% to 100%. In fact, the price of carbon trading is a very complex issue. CDM output of CERs (certified emission can reduce the volume) is not only the outcry trading, selling such a simple process. CDM projects need to complete a complex cycle, including the cycle of the seven basic steps are: the design and description of the project, the state approved the registration review, project financing, monitoring, verification / certification, issued by the CER.
AES China climate strategy director Chen Zhi Yang said that the AES Corporation in China in 2006 to start the establishment of carbon sinks business transactions. Is different from other brokers, AES shares through the main carriers of the way carbon trading exchange. "Such as wind power, often, carbon trading exchange earnings to account for the entire earnings of 10% to 20%." Chen Yang-sik told reporters that carbon sinks will be based on an annual transaction volume of Internet computing power, the local power grid according to the local thermal power per unit of electricity Fuel carbon dioxide emissions would amount to accounting. Chen Zhi Yang said the company currently has two carbon sink prices is not a guarantee of price and the other is guaranteed prices. "At present, the highest price of 13 euros / tonne, while secured to sell the price of 20 euros / tonne." Carbon market transactions more transparent listing? In the face of Chinese enterprises in trading, carbon sinks in a weak position, a lot of people think that the establishment of carbon exchange will help to improve the transparency of the market. "
If you go to the Finance Street, we will notice that there are several exchanges to build the company." Zhang steel in the "Daily News" said, "carbon sinks Beijing's trading center is set up very quickly things have been A lot to do in this area of business exchanges is a positive action. "
Beijing Equity Exchange Xiong Yan, president of a number of occasions that the North will be paid by the relevant departments and the establishment of the Beijing environmental rights and interests of the Stock Exchange and will set up a national environmental rights and interests of the trading platform. Jun should be said that the carbon sink trading center will allow the establishment of carbon sinks transactions transparent and to increase trading liquidity. In his view, China needs a number of such exchanges. Jun should be on the carbon exchange business model is very interested in what will be the same as the stock exchange, as a market-oriented markets, the Exchange will be able to sell, or as a secondary market, has been a certain amount of risk. Jun should be said that the market should be a secondary market have. Many in the industry have such enforcement point of view. Jun should be more worried about carbon exchange set up in 2012 will affect the post-Kyoto agreement signed.
Original Content:
7月10日，G8峰会落幕，一个每年交易额超过600亿美元的碳汇市场日渐清晰。 7月19日，“山西吕梁节能减排项目交易服务中心”正式启动并试运行，这意味着节能减排市场化交易方式在国内建立。
《京都议定书》规定，今年是截至2012年第一个5年承诺期的开局之年。中国将成为碳汇市场的主要阵地。然而，记者调查发现，由于相关配套政策还不完全匹配、中间商的暗箱操作、信息的不对称等原因，让中国企业出售碳汇的价格偏低，中国百亿美元碳汇市场正大幅缩水。中国坐拥百亿美元市场 中国的碳汇市场交易额已经达到了世界第一位。联合国最新统计数据表明，在CDM（清洁发展机制）项目中，印度、中国和巴西占据了主导力量，其中印度占注册项目总数的32%，中国占19%，巴西占13%。然而就减排额而言，中国以占53%的优势遥遥领先。
联合国环境规划署驻华代表张世钢表示，国际资金的青睐对中国的碳汇市场交易提供了助力。中国产生的减排效益远远超出了印度，在国际公约的机制下许多碳汇交易资金将会逐步涌向中国。
据《京都议定书》规定，在2008年至2012年期间，主要工业发达国家的温室气体排放量要在1990年的基础上平均减少52%。据联合国和世界银行预测，全球碳汇交易于2008～2012年间，市场规模每年可达600亿美元，2012年全球碳汇交易市场容量为1500亿美元。资金蜂拥进入碳汇市场 尽管《京都议定书》的签订是2005年的事，但碳汇市场的交易却已经如火如奈。英国新能源财经北京代表处首席代表应俊介绍告诉记者，英国新能源财经不仅将这作为一项重要业务，甚至于还设立了专门的碳汇交易分析员，分析碳汇市场的价格涨跌。此外，不少环保组织、NGO也开始推动、促成碳汇交易。
一位业内资深人士这样对碳汇交易定性，“碳汇交易市场首先是一个市场，更进一步来说，它是一个具有中间性质的市场。”据介绍，按现行规定，发展中国家不能直接将配额出售到西方市场，这些企业卖出的减排额主要由一些国际碳基金和公司，或通过世界银行等中间机构参与后才能进入国际市场。由此衍生出大大小小的国内外咨询、中介公司，大多冲着碳汇交易市场而来。 由于碳汇市场历史短，涉及的国家、行业、公司众多，因此，不少业内人士说到这块市场总会提到一个字――“乱”。但根据哪个抢占市场先机将会获得更大收益的理论，进入这个行业的公司、资金只能用蜂拥来形容。暗箱操作 中间差价翻倍 碳排放市场最大障碍是暗箱操作，最终的成交价格与国际市场价格相去甚远。
一国外机构驻华办事处CDM项目负责人私下透露，在国外碳交易所直接交易的价格比国内价格高出50%～100%。 事实上，碳市交易价格是一个非常复杂的问题。CDM产出的CERs（可核证的排放削减量）买卖并非仅仅是喊价、叫卖这样一个简单的过程。CDM项目的完成需要一个复杂的周期，这个周期包括七个基本步骤，分别是：项目设计和描述，国家批准，审查登记，项目融资，监测，核实／认证，签发CER。
爱依斯中国气候策略总监陈植扬表示，爱依斯中国公司于2006年开始建立碳汇交易业务。与其他中间商有所不同的是，爱依斯主要通过参股运营的方式进行碳汇交易。 “如风电，通常，碳汇交易的收益能占到整个收益的10%~20%。”陈植扬告诉记者，碳汇交易额将根据每年上网的电量计算，当地电网根据当地火力发电每度电所用燃料会排放的二氧化碳量来核算。陈植扬称，目前公司有两个碳汇价格，一个是没有担保的价格，另一个是有担保的价格。“目前国内最高价格为13欧元/吨，而有担保的价格能卖到20欧元/吨。”碳汇交易市场挂牌交易趋透明？ 面对中国企业在碳汇交易方面处于弱势地位，不少人认为国内建立碳交易所有助于提高这个市场的透明度。
“如果到金融街去走一下，就会发现有几家筹建交易所的公司。”张世钢在接受《每日经济新闻》采访时表示，“北京碳汇交易中心的成立是很快的事情，已经有很多做这方面交易所业务的公司正在积极行动。”
北京产权交易所总裁熊焰在多个场合表示，北交所将与相关部门合作成立北京环境权益交易所，并将以此搭建全国性的环境权益交易平台。 应俊表示，碳汇交易中心的建立将会让碳汇交易透明化，并增加交易的流动性。他认为，中国需要多家这类交易所。应俊对碳交易所的运营模式非常感兴趣，究竟会不会像证券交易所一样，是作为一级市场化的市场，到交易所就能卖，还是作为二级市场，已有一定的风险了。应俊表示，应该一级市场二级市场都有。不少业内人士也执此类观点。 应俊也比较担心碳交易所的成立会影响2012年后京都协议的签定。
Friday, December 26, 2008
California adopts tough greenhouse gas rules
California air regulators adopted a sweeping new climate plan Thursday that would require the state's utilities, refineries and large factories to transform their operations to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The California Air Resources Board voted unanimously to adopt the United States' most comprehensive global warming plan, outlining for the first time how individuals and businesses would meet a landmark 2006 law that made the state a leader on global climate change.
The plan would hold California's worst polluters accountable for the heat-trapping emissions they produce — transforming how people travel, how utilities generate power and how businesses use electricity.
At the heart of the plan is the creation of a carbon-credit market designed to give the state's major polluters cheaper ways to cut the amount of their emissions. That market and the many other strategies referenced in the plan will be flushed out and adopted over the next few years.
California's plan comes at a time when governments around the world are struggling with a financial crisis that threatens to undermine efforts to fight climate change. California itself is facing a forecast budget gap of $41.8 billion through June 2010.
Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has said the state's climate law will stimulate the economy, said Thursday that California was providing a roadmap for the rest of the country.
"Today is the day we help unleash the full force of California's innovation and technology for a healthier planet, a stronger and more robust economy and a safer and more secure energy future," Schwarzenegger said in a statement released after the board's vote.
His sentiments echo those of President-elect Barack Obama, who also has promoted investments in energy efficiency and green technology to help spur the country out of recession. Last month, Obama said he hoped Congress would adopt California's targets for the entire country, essentially reversing eight years of U.S. policy against mandated emission cuts.
California's 2006 law, called the Global Warming Solutions Act but commonly referred to as AB32, mandates the state cut emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
The strategy chosen by air regulators relies on 31 new rules affecting all facets of life, from the fuels Californians put in their vehicles to the air conditioners businesses install in their buildings.
The average Californian, for example, could see more fuel-efficient cars at dealerships, better public transportation, housing near schools and businesses and utility rebates to equip their homes to be more energy efficient.
But there will also be costs.
California drivers will see more expensive cars on showroom floors and should expect to pay higher power bills as utilities increase their use of renewable energy.
Republicans, small businesses and major industries that will be forced to transform operations beginning in 2012 say jobs will be lost, companies might leave the state and energy prices will skyrocket. Many demanded the board perform more economic analysis before committing to policies they warned could worsen the economy.
"The deepening recession has affected businesses throughout the state," Amisha Patel, a policy advocate at the California Chamber of Commerce, told the board. "The reality of climate regulation is there will be costs."
Most of the reductions in California's emissions will come from more detailed regulations that will be written over the next few years, including rules governing a cap-and-trade program that launches in 2012 to help the largest polluters achieve emission cuts.
But allowing businesses to buy their way out of the problem is another contentious part of the plan. Representatives of California's poor communities say the polluting power plants, refineries and factories in their neighborhoods could write a check rather than cut emissions
The California Air Resources Board voted unanimously to adopt the United States' most comprehensive global warming plan, outlining for the first time how individuals and businesses would meet a landmark 2006 law that made the state a leader on global climate change.
The plan would hold California's worst polluters accountable for the heat-trapping emissions they produce — transforming how people travel, how utilities generate power and how businesses use electricity.
At the heart of the plan is the creation of a carbon-credit market designed to give the state's major polluters cheaper ways to cut the amount of their emissions. That market and the many other strategies referenced in the plan will be flushed out and adopted over the next few years.
California's plan comes at a time when governments around the world are struggling with a financial crisis that threatens to undermine efforts to fight climate change. California itself is facing a forecast budget gap of $41.8 billion through June 2010.
Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has said the state's climate law will stimulate the economy, said Thursday that California was providing a roadmap for the rest of the country.
"Today is the day we help unleash the full force of California's innovation and technology for a healthier planet, a stronger and more robust economy and a safer and more secure energy future," Schwarzenegger said in a statement released after the board's vote.
His sentiments echo those of President-elect Barack Obama, who also has promoted investments in energy efficiency and green technology to help spur the country out of recession. Last month, Obama said he hoped Congress would adopt California's targets for the entire country, essentially reversing eight years of U.S. policy against mandated emission cuts.
California's 2006 law, called the Global Warming Solutions Act but commonly referred to as AB32, mandates the state cut emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
The strategy chosen by air regulators relies on 31 new rules affecting all facets of life, from the fuels Californians put in their vehicles to the air conditioners businesses install in their buildings.
The average Californian, for example, could see more fuel-efficient cars at dealerships, better public transportation, housing near schools and businesses and utility rebates to equip their homes to be more energy efficient.
But there will also be costs.
California drivers will see more expensive cars on showroom floors and should expect to pay higher power bills as utilities increase their use of renewable energy.
Republicans, small businesses and major industries that will be forced to transform operations beginning in 2012 say jobs will be lost, companies might leave the state and energy prices will skyrocket. Many demanded the board perform more economic analysis before committing to policies they warned could worsen the economy.
"The deepening recession has affected businesses throughout the state," Amisha Patel, a policy advocate at the California Chamber of Commerce, told the board. "The reality of climate regulation is there will be costs."
Most of the reductions in California's emissions will come from more detailed regulations that will be written over the next few years, including rules governing a cap-and-trade program that launches in 2012 to help the largest polluters achieve emission cuts.
But allowing businesses to buy their way out of the problem is another contentious part of the plan. Representatives of California's poor communities say the polluting power plants, refineries and factories in their neighborhoods could write a check rather than cut emissions
UN suspends carbon-trading auditor
THE validity of the Kyoto Protocol’s $100 billion (£67 billion) carbon-trading scheme has been called into question after the United Nations suspended the world’s largest auditor of clean-energy projects.
Norway’s DNV, which claims to have approved half of the world’s carbon-credit ventures, had its accreditation suspended last month after it was unable to prove that its agents had properly vetted projects that it then approved for the carbon-trading scheme.
The episode will provide fresh ammunition to those who have long criticised the EU’s so-called Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which allows investors in developed countries to fund green projects in the developing world. Once approved, they are then granted carbon credits that can be sold on the open market for profit.
Simon Shaw, chairman of EEA Fund Management, an investor in CDM projects and backer of the carbon-trading market Climate Exchange, said: “This is embarrassing for everybody and clearly bad news for the industry because DNV is the largest validator.” He said his firm had begun using other firms to verify proposed projects after it became apparent that DNV was overloaded.
“It became clear to us last year that they had a lot of work and were unable to resource the work properly.”
UN inspectors found five “non-conformities” when they visited DNV last month, including not being able to get evidence that technical experts had examined the projects they had approved.
Carbon credits derived from CDM schemes comprise roughly 20% of the credits in the $100 billion carbon-trading market. A DNV spokeswoman said the company was confident of being reinstated in January when UN inspectors make their next visit.
Norway’s DNV, which claims to have approved half of the world’s carbon-credit ventures, had its accreditation suspended last month after it was unable to prove that its agents had properly vetted projects that it then approved for the carbon-trading scheme.
The episode will provide fresh ammunition to those who have long criticised the EU’s so-called Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which allows investors in developed countries to fund green projects in the developing world. Once approved, they are then granted carbon credits that can be sold on the open market for profit.
Simon Shaw, chairman of EEA Fund Management, an investor in CDM projects and backer of the carbon-trading market Climate Exchange, said: “This is embarrassing for everybody and clearly bad news for the industry because DNV is the largest validator.” He said his firm had begun using other firms to verify proposed projects after it became apparent that DNV was overloaded.
“It became clear to us last year that they had a lot of work and were unable to resource the work properly.”
UN inspectors found five “non-conformities” when they visited DNV last month, including not being able to get evidence that technical experts had examined the projects they had approved.
Carbon credits derived from CDM schemes comprise roughly 20% of the credits in the $100 billion carbon-trading market. A DNV spokeswoman said the company was confident of being reinstated in January when UN inspectors make their next visit.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Obama's Science Team: A Change Of Climate?
President-elect Barack Obama filled two top science jobs Saturday. In the process, he signaled a new White House emphasis on climate change.
Harvard professor John Holdren will be the chief White House science adviser and marine biologist Jane Lubchenco will run the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Obama said his White House is determined to turn back toward science.
"The truth is that promoting science isn't just about providing resources," he said. "It's about protecting free and open inquiry. It's about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It's about listening to what our scientists have to say. Even when it's inconvenient."
It's likely to be a big change from Bush administration policy, according to NPR's Elizabeth Shogren.
Speaking with Democracy Now this summer, Holdren had this to say:
"I think that most people — even most scientists — continue to underestimate how far down the path to climate catastrophe we've already traveled."
Holdren won't be alone in his views among influential White House voices. Nobel Prize winning physicist Steven Chu, Obama's choice for energy secretary, said something similar to NPR reporters earlier this year:
"I don't think the American public understands [there's] a reasonably high probability some very bad things will happen," Chu said. "They fundamentally don't understand that, because if they really felt that then they would do something about it."
Both of these men stress the importance of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions soon.
So if Obama pushes climate change policy to the backburner because of the other urgent challenges the nation faces, Shogren tells Andrea Seabrook, he's likely to have people very close to him warning in loud voices that he has to act fast and boldly to ward off the worst consequences of climate change — such as rising sea levels, floods, hurricanes and disease.
It's hard to now how quickly Obama will push for legislation to limit greenhouse-gas emissions. Getting the right bill through Congress could be difficult with so many other priorities, including the looming financial crisis.
But there are executive options available that would bypass Congress, including asking the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions, Shogren says. That could prompt Congress to move on the issue.
Harvard professor John Holdren will be the chief White House science adviser and marine biologist Jane Lubchenco will run the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Obama said his White House is determined to turn back toward science.
"The truth is that promoting science isn't just about providing resources," he said. "It's about protecting free and open inquiry. It's about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It's about listening to what our scientists have to say. Even when it's inconvenient."
It's likely to be a big change from Bush administration policy, according to NPR's Elizabeth Shogren.
Speaking with Democracy Now this summer, Holdren had this to say:
"I think that most people — even most scientists — continue to underestimate how far down the path to climate catastrophe we've already traveled."
Holdren won't be alone in his views among influential White House voices. Nobel Prize winning physicist Steven Chu, Obama's choice for energy secretary, said something similar to NPR reporters earlier this year:
"I don't think the American public understands [there's] a reasonably high probability some very bad things will happen," Chu said. "They fundamentally don't understand that, because if they really felt that then they would do something about it."
Both of these men stress the importance of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions soon.
So if Obama pushes climate change policy to the backburner because of the other urgent challenges the nation faces, Shogren tells Andrea Seabrook, he's likely to have people very close to him warning in loud voices that he has to act fast and boldly to ward off the worst consequences of climate change — such as rising sea levels, floods, hurricanes and disease.
It's hard to now how quickly Obama will push for legislation to limit greenhouse-gas emissions. Getting the right bill through Congress could be difficult with so many other priorities, including the looming financial crisis.
But there are executive options available that would bypass Congress, including asking the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions, Shogren says. That could prompt Congress to move on the issue.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Carbon market growing while Korea makes plans
LONDON - To describe the London-based European Climate Exchange, a couple of descriptive phrases are needed. For starters, it’s the planet’s leading carbon exchange where 60 percent of global carbon credits are traded.
But the exterior of the ECX headquarters in London is better described as, well, nondescript. The headquarters does not have a big sign, and only five employees including the president work there. But ECX earned 3.1 billion won ($2.1 million) in operating profits based on sales of 9.4 billion won in the first half of this year, meaning each employee earned an average of 628 million won.
ECX’s future also seems rosy because of the global carbon market’s high potential.
The World Bank said the market is expected to grow to around $150 billion in 2010 from $10 billion in 2005. New Carbon Finance, a global research group, said the market will exceed $1 trillion by 2020.
In order to capitalize on this growth, BlueNext, the France-based carbon exchange, is expanding. It has hired 15 employees since it was acquired by the New York Stock Exchange in December 2007. A total of 24 people currently work for BlueNext, the No. 2 exchange.
While carbon trading is booming internationally, Korea has still not come up with specific plans to set up its own carbon exchange. To make matters worse, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy are arguing over guidelines for such an exchange. Fortunately, 19 local companies have applied for the United Nations’ clean development mechanism, or CDM, programs.
Certified emission reductions, or CERs, are traded after being earned through programs like CDM. Korea is expected to have about 146,000 tons of CERs in 2008, making it the world’s fourth-largest market after China, India and Brazil.
In a carbon exchange, countries and companies can trade certified emission reductions, or CERs, they earn from voluntary carbon dioxide emission reduction projects.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, industrialized countries are required to cut their emissions. So if one country fails to do so, it must purchase CERs, which are carbon credits authorized under the Kyoto Protocol, from other countries.
But the exterior of the ECX headquarters in London is better described as, well, nondescript. The headquarters does not have a big sign, and only five employees including the president work there. But ECX earned 3.1 billion won ($2.1 million) in operating profits based on sales of 9.4 billion won in the first half of this year, meaning each employee earned an average of 628 million won.
ECX’s future also seems rosy because of the global carbon market’s high potential.
The World Bank said the market is expected to grow to around $150 billion in 2010 from $10 billion in 2005. New Carbon Finance, a global research group, said the market will exceed $1 trillion by 2020.
In order to capitalize on this growth, BlueNext, the France-based carbon exchange, is expanding. It has hired 15 employees since it was acquired by the New York Stock Exchange in December 2007. A total of 24 people currently work for BlueNext, the No. 2 exchange.
While carbon trading is booming internationally, Korea has still not come up with specific plans to set up its own carbon exchange. To make matters worse, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy are arguing over guidelines for such an exchange. Fortunately, 19 local companies have applied for the United Nations’ clean development mechanism, or CDM, programs.
Certified emission reductions, or CERs, are traded after being earned through programs like CDM. Korea is expected to have about 146,000 tons of CERs in 2008, making it the world’s fourth-largest market after China, India and Brazil.
In a carbon exchange, countries and companies can trade certified emission reductions, or CERs, they earn from voluntary carbon dioxide emission reduction projects.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, industrialized countries are required to cut their emissions. So if one country fails to do so, it must purchase CERs, which are carbon credits authorized under the Kyoto Protocol, from other countries.
Greening Australia a natural fit for carbon trading
Carbon trading promises grief of some kind for most businesses, but for Greening Australia it is a natural fit with the organisation's brief of revegetating degraded landscapes.
GA's new national president, Rob Gell, said carbon trading offers the organisation a revenue stream to fund revegetation activities "on a large scale".
When it thinks on a large scale, GA thinks big.
The GA project Gondwana Link, in south-west Western Australia, will string vegetation corridors across 146,000 square kilometres of farmland and national park.
Another project on GA's books is to link Broken Hill, NSW, and the coastal town of Portland, Victoria, with vegetation corridors—another enterprise rich with carbon offset potential.
To businesses that purchase its premium carbon credits, GA will offer not only the practical return of secure long-term carbon offsets, but the less tangible value of having contributed to the restoration of damaged ecosystems.
The organisation is offering two classes of carbon credit.
"Breathe Easy" is its voluntary market offering, which is available online for individuals or small businesses wanting a "feel good" offset to counter a particular carbon-emitting activity.
GA's premium product has already been classed "Kyoto-compliant", and is selling at the currently premium price of about $27 per tonne.
Purchasers buy a guarantee that the vegetation planted as an offset will be around for the next century.
The Federal Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme kicks off in 2010, and by 2011-2012, if carbon prices travel as some are projecting, Mr Gell hopes that GA’s carbon offsets will be trading at around $45 per tonne—a rate that he says will make GA’s revegetation self-sustaining.
For landholders worried about farm forestry monocultures and the carbon liabilities incurred if trees are logged for wood or chips, GA offers an alternative.
"We don't want bluegum forests for woodchips to become the default option for plantation forestry," Mr Gell said.
"We see this as a real opportunity to work with rural landholders to do the revegetation they want to do because of their understanding of the value of carbon in the landscape, the management of water systems, and all those benefits that come with biodiverse vegetation.
"There's the potential, depending on the landscape and rainfall, for properties to plant up to 30pc of their area with native vegetation with very little or no loss of production—and to build on the capacity of the property to adapt to climate change through water management, cooling of the land surface, restoring the water cycle."
Mr Gell pointed out that a percentage of the warming pattern recorded in south-eastern Australia can be attributed to the removal of tree cover.
"It's hard to measure, but we believe that by putting green corridors across less productive land we can cool landscapes," he said.
Mr Gell, best known in his home State of Victoria as a television weather presenter, is an environmental campaigner and head of his own environmental consultancy, Access Environmental.
He replaces Jim McKnoulty as national chairman of Greening Australia.
Save the Planet and Win Injects Some Fun Into the Battle Against Global Warming
BERKELEY, CA, Dec 05, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Save the Planet and Win launched its new environmental website and social network that lets everyone lower their carbon footprint, help reduce global warming, and participate in a worldwide collective -- while having some fun and winning prizes and cash along the way.
At Save the Planet and Win, people can calculate, monitor, and reduce their own carbon footprint by participating in free green and social marketing promotions, in addition to the option of purchasing verified carbon offsets at the site's Carbon Offset Store. Save the Planet and Win represents the first Voluntary Personal Carbon Registry (VPCR) in the United States.
Save the Planet and Win also features a Carbon Collective -- where members can join friends, family, and co-workers to track the total carbon reductions achieved by the collective. Other social aspects of the site include the ability to share sustainable solutions, post every day tips (and videos) for reducing carbon emissions, and talk about the issues with a community of green-minded folks.
The new website rewards both the planet and its members. There are multiple chances to win, including a weekly sweepstakes and Click Green and Win promotions. Members watch a green-focused message from one of Save the Planet's sponsors and in return the sponsor makes a points donation to the member's account. Points can be used to purchase carbon offsets to achieve carbon neutrality, donated toward a social cause (ranging from reforestation projects in Mexico or the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative), or members can choose to cash in their points for actual dollars.
"We know that global climate change is having and will have an enormous impact on the earth -- from rising sea levels, flooding, and increased storm activity to a rise in diseases like malaria and major changes in ecosystems and habitats. However, at an individual level, the concept of combating this trend can seem quite overwhelming," said Luis Daniel Prestamo, COO at Save the Planet and Win.
"Save the Planet and Win makes the important work of fighting global warming, such as reducing greenhouse emissions and investing green projects, more understandable and personal for each of us. The website uses the power of community to help encourage everyone to make seemingly small changes in their daily lives that can have a big impact on the earth. By sharing our green accomplishments, we can increase environmental awareness, inspire others to make a difference, and become inspired ourselves," Prestamo continued.
In 2007, the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that the evidence of a warming trend is "unequivocal" and that human activity is "very likely" the key contributor for the warming that's already been observed. The report found that we have to cut our greenhouse emissions by 85% by the year 2050 in order to stabilize the earth's atmosphere and avoid the worst impacts of global warming.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Alternative energy
Alternative energy is derived from sources other than traditional fossil fuels, though these sources need not be renewable or green to be alternative. Some alternative fuels recognized by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 are biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, hydrogen, methanol, natural gas and propane. The problem with several of these alternative fuels is that they still use materials that create harmful emissions and are environmentally costly to produce and transport. This makes it very important to support alternative energy sources and technologies that are also renewable and green.
Renewable energy sources effectively utilize natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished. Renewable energy technologies range from solar power, wind power, and hydroelectricity to biomass and bio-fuels for transportation.
While renewable energy sources like wind and solar power are becoming more familiar as the discussion around alternative energy steadily increases, the facts about sources like biomass have remained somewhat mysterious. Biomass refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production. Most commonly, biomass refers to plant matter grown for use as bio-fuel, but it also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibers, chemicals or heat. Biomass may also include biodegradable wastes that can be burnt as fuel. It excludes organic material which has been transformed by geological processes into substances such as coal or petroleum. Biomass can be produced by low-tech processes like composting, or very high-tech processes like Pyrolysis (the heating of organic wastes in the absence of air to produce gas and char.
Upon death or combustion, a plant's carbon- atmospheric carbon initially converted into biological matter by photosynthesis- is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). When biomass is used as a direct replacement for fossil fuels, it still puts the same amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. However, when biomass is used for energy production it is widely considered carbon neutral, or a net reducer of greenhouse gasses because of the offset of methane that would have otherwise entered the atmosphere.
About 13% of primary energy comes from renewable sources, with most of this coming from traditional biomass like wood burning. Hydropower is the next largest source, providing 2-3%, and modern technologies like geothermal, wind, solar and marine energies together produce less than 1% of total world energy demand. The technical potential for their use is large, exceeding all other readily available sources.
Active Solar - Active solar is an application, that uses electrical or mechanical equipment (typically pumps and/or fans) to assist in the collection and storage of solar energy for the purpose of heating, cooling (buildings, liquids, or gases), or making electricity.
Alternative energy - Alternative energy substitutes for traditional, often non-renewable sources of energy such as oil and coal. Alternative energy includes, but is not limited to solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power, as well as mixtures of alcohol-based fuels with methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas and others.
Cogeneration - Cogeneration is a process in which power is produced by a gas-fired engine and generator set. Heat produced as part of this process is used as heating and/or cooling media. A cogeneration plant is often referred to as a combined heat and power plant.
Daylighting - Daylighting is the use of natural light to supplement or replace artificial lighting.
Fuel Cell - A fuel cell is an electrochemical device in which hydrogen is combined with oxygen to produce electricity with heat and water vapor as by products. Natural gas is often used as the source of hydrogen with air as the source of oxygen. Since electricity is produced by a chemical reaction and not by combustion, fuel cells are considered to be green power producers. Fuel cell technology is quite old, dating back to the early days of the space program. Commercial use of fuel cells has been sporadic, however, the use of fuel cells in automobiles and buildings is expected to increase in the next decade.
Geothermal Energy - Geothermal energy is a form of energy produced through drilling and harvesting heat trapped deep within the earth. Extraction methods include bringing water that has been superheated below ground to the surface, or pumping water deep into the earth to become heated and then pumped out again.
Light Shelf - A light shelf is a horizontal device positioned (usually above eye level) to conserve energy by reflecting daylight onto the ceiling and beyond. The light shelf may project into the room, beyond the exterior wall plane, or both. The upper surface of the shelf is highly reflective, i.e. having 80 percent or greater reflectance. Light shelves are also effective shading devices for windows located below them.
Passive solar - Passive solar is the use of sunlight for energy without the need for mechanical devices. Capturing sunlight in this way can be used to create heat for stored or immediate use, and to create air movement for ventilation.
Photovoltaic Cell - A photovoltaic cell device that converts sunlight directly into electricity. Photovoltaic (PV) cells are silicon-based semiconductors and are often referred to as solar cells. PV cells were developed in the mid-1950's and have become cost effective where it is difficult to extend conventional power lines. PV cells are often used for remote motorist call aid boxes, irrigation systems and navigational lights.
Solar Energy - Solar energy is obtained by capturing the suns rays and is utilized for heating and powering. The three most common methods of using solar energy are: Passive Solar, Active Solar, Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems.
Solar Insolation - Solar insolation is the amount of direct, diffuse and reflected sunlight reaching an area exposed to the sky. Solar insolation maps of your area can be used to help you size a solar electric (PV) system to meet your energy needs during the periods of the year with the shortest amount of sunshine for your location.
Wind Energy - The Sun heats the earth unevenly, creating thermal air pockets. In order to achieve equal temperatures around the earth these air pockets move about the earth as wind. The energy that travels in the wind can be captured through the use of wind turbines and converted to provide electricity.
Wind Turbine - A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy that can be used to drive equipment such as pumps. The addition of a generator allows the wind's kinetic energy to be converted into electricity.
Renewable energy sources effectively utilize natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished. Renewable energy technologies range from solar power, wind power, and hydroelectricity to biomass and bio-fuels for transportation.
While renewable energy sources like wind and solar power are becoming more familiar as the discussion around alternative energy steadily increases, the facts about sources like biomass have remained somewhat mysterious. Biomass refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production. Most commonly, biomass refers to plant matter grown for use as bio-fuel, but it also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibers, chemicals or heat. Biomass may also include biodegradable wastes that can be burnt as fuel. It excludes organic material which has been transformed by geological processes into substances such as coal or petroleum. Biomass can be produced by low-tech processes like composting, or very high-tech processes like Pyrolysis (the heating of organic wastes in the absence of air to produce gas and char.
Upon death or combustion, a plant's carbon- atmospheric carbon initially converted into biological matter by photosynthesis- is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). When biomass is used as a direct replacement for fossil fuels, it still puts the same amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. However, when biomass is used for energy production it is widely considered carbon neutral, or a net reducer of greenhouse gasses because of the offset of methane that would have otherwise entered the atmosphere.
About 13% of primary energy comes from renewable sources, with most of this coming from traditional biomass like wood burning. Hydropower is the next largest source, providing 2-3%, and modern technologies like geothermal, wind, solar and marine energies together produce less than 1% of total world energy demand. The technical potential for their use is large, exceeding all other readily available sources.
Active Solar - Active solar is an application, that uses electrical or mechanical equipment (typically pumps and/or fans) to assist in the collection and storage of solar energy for the purpose of heating, cooling (buildings, liquids, or gases), or making electricity.
Alternative energy - Alternative energy substitutes for traditional, often non-renewable sources of energy such as oil and coal. Alternative energy includes, but is not limited to solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power, as well as mixtures of alcohol-based fuels with methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas and others.
Cogeneration - Cogeneration is a process in which power is produced by a gas-fired engine and generator set. Heat produced as part of this process is used as heating and/or cooling media. A cogeneration plant is often referred to as a combined heat and power plant.
Daylighting - Daylighting is the use of natural light to supplement or replace artificial lighting.
Fuel Cell - A fuel cell is an electrochemical device in which hydrogen is combined with oxygen to produce electricity with heat and water vapor as by products. Natural gas is often used as the source of hydrogen with air as the source of oxygen. Since electricity is produced by a chemical reaction and not by combustion, fuel cells are considered to be green power producers. Fuel cell technology is quite old, dating back to the early days of the space program. Commercial use of fuel cells has been sporadic, however, the use of fuel cells in automobiles and buildings is expected to increase in the next decade.
Geothermal Energy - Geothermal energy is a form of energy produced through drilling and harvesting heat trapped deep within the earth. Extraction methods include bringing water that has been superheated below ground to the surface, or pumping water deep into the earth to become heated and then pumped out again.
Light Shelf - A light shelf is a horizontal device positioned (usually above eye level) to conserve energy by reflecting daylight onto the ceiling and beyond. The light shelf may project into the room, beyond the exterior wall plane, or both. The upper surface of the shelf is highly reflective, i.e. having 80 percent or greater reflectance. Light shelves are also effective shading devices for windows located below them.
Passive solar - Passive solar is the use of sunlight for energy without the need for mechanical devices. Capturing sunlight in this way can be used to create heat for stored or immediate use, and to create air movement for ventilation.
Photovoltaic Cell - A photovoltaic cell device that converts sunlight directly into electricity. Photovoltaic (PV) cells are silicon-based semiconductors and are often referred to as solar cells. PV cells were developed in the mid-1950's and have become cost effective where it is difficult to extend conventional power lines. PV cells are often used for remote motorist call aid boxes, irrigation systems and navigational lights.
Solar Energy - Solar energy is obtained by capturing the suns rays and is utilized for heating and powering. The three most common methods of using solar energy are: Passive Solar, Active Solar, Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems.
Solar Insolation - Solar insolation is the amount of direct, diffuse and reflected sunlight reaching an area exposed to the sky. Solar insolation maps of your area can be used to help you size a solar electric (PV) system to meet your energy needs during the periods of the year with the shortest amount of sunshine for your location.
Wind Energy - The Sun heats the earth unevenly, creating thermal air pockets. In order to achieve equal temperatures around the earth these air pockets move about the earth as wind. The energy that travels in the wind can be captured through the use of wind turbines and converted to provide electricity.
Wind Turbine - A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy that can be used to drive equipment such as pumps. The addition of a generator allows the wind's kinetic energy to be converted into electricity.
Carbon Offsetting
Carbon offsetting is the act of mitigating (canceling out) greenhouse gas emissions. Individuals and businesses can purchase offsets to compensate for the greenhouse gas emissions from personal travel or production processes. Carbon offsets can be more efficient and immediate than other measures an individual can take to fight global warming, while reducing the same or more carbon dioxide emissions.
The first step towards carbon neutrality is reducing the carbon emissions produced, by using alternative energy, alternative transportation, reusing, recycling, and supporting local farms and businesses. After reducing what you can, use a carbon calculator to determine the amount of carbon emissions you produce (often referred to as the size of your "carbon footprint"). Most carbon calculators provide an estimate of household greenhouse gas emissions (in pounds) resulting from household energy use and waste disposal, and give you information you can use to identify ways to reduce your personal greenhouse gases. Once you know the amount of carbon that needs to be offset, do a little homework, and purchase credits covering that amount from a recognized and respected carbon offset provider. The credits you purchase will be used to support carbon-reducing projects such as renewable energy facilities, energy efficiency research and reforestation projects.
For companies and other greenhouse gas producing entities, emissions trading, also called "cap and trade," is sometimes an economically desirable way to control pollution. Through this method, companies are issued emissions credits by governments or international bodies (like the United Nations) which represent the right to produce a certain amount of emissions (the "cap"). Companies that need to increase their emissions must buy credits from those who pollute less. The transfer of allowances is referred to as a "trade." In effect, the buyer is paying a charge for polluting, while the seller is being rewarded for having reduced emissions by more than was needed.
Information used in this section was found at EPA.gov and Carbonfund.org
Carbon credits - A carbon credit is a system of exchange between businesses or individuals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capping total annual emissions and letting the market assign a monetary value to any shortfall through trading.
Carbon Footprint - A carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted through the combustion of fossil fuels. A carbon footprint is often expressed as tons of carbon dioxide or tons of carbon emitted, usually on an annual basis.
Carbon neutral - Carbon neutral indicates that a person or business has achieved a zero carbon release either by balancing total carbon emission with the use of renewable energy that produces similar useful energy, or through only using alternative energy, whereby no carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere.
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) - Nitrogen oxides are gases consisting of one molecule of nitrogen and varying numbers of oxygen molecules. Nitrogen oxides are by-products of combustion processes and are commonly found in the automobile exhaust and emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants. NOx is a greenhouse gas and is an ingredient of acid rain and smog.
The first step towards carbon neutrality is reducing the carbon emissions produced, by using alternative energy, alternative transportation, reusing, recycling, and supporting local farms and businesses. After reducing what you can, use a carbon calculator to determine the amount of carbon emissions you produce (often referred to as the size of your "carbon footprint"). Most carbon calculators provide an estimate of household greenhouse gas emissions (in pounds) resulting from household energy use and waste disposal, and give you information you can use to identify ways to reduce your personal greenhouse gases. Once you know the amount of carbon that needs to be offset, do a little homework, and purchase credits covering that amount from a recognized and respected carbon offset provider. The credits you purchase will be used to support carbon-reducing projects such as renewable energy facilities, energy efficiency research and reforestation projects.
For companies and other greenhouse gas producing entities, emissions trading, also called "cap and trade," is sometimes an economically desirable way to control pollution. Through this method, companies are issued emissions credits by governments or international bodies (like the United Nations) which represent the right to produce a certain amount of emissions (the "cap"). Companies that need to increase their emissions must buy credits from those who pollute less. The transfer of allowances is referred to as a "trade." In effect, the buyer is paying a charge for polluting, while the seller is being rewarded for having reduced emissions by more than was needed.
Information used in this section was found at EPA.gov and Carbonfund.org
Carbon credits - A carbon credit is a system of exchange between businesses or individuals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capping total annual emissions and letting the market assign a monetary value to any shortfall through trading.
Carbon Footprint - A carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted through the combustion of fossil fuels. A carbon footprint is often expressed as tons of carbon dioxide or tons of carbon emitted, usually on an annual basis.
Carbon neutral - Carbon neutral indicates that a person or business has achieved a zero carbon release either by balancing total carbon emission with the use of renewable energy that produces similar useful energy, or through only using alternative energy, whereby no carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere.
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) - Nitrogen oxides are gases consisting of one molecule of nitrogen and varying numbers of oxygen molecules. Nitrogen oxides are by-products of combustion processes and are commonly found in the automobile exhaust and emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants. NOx is a greenhouse gas and is an ingredient of acid rain and smog.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
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