Now that the Cap & Trade bill is starting to move through the Washington maze the anti- Cap & Trade propaganda machine is kicking into high gear to sow confusion in the public’s mind. Everyone who’s been watching the entire climate change debate is very familiar with the idea that these “anti everything that the conservatives didn’t introduce to the public” proponents are very skilled at instilling doubt by confusing the public with misinformation.
The Cap & Trade system for reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a particularly easy concept to distort because most Americans have never heard of it.
During the last few weeks of debate I’ve noticed three concepts that they keep bringing up. Read the rest of this entry »
Regulators Readying for Climate Change Agency Anticipating Largest Commodity Markets
The US Federal Government isn’t known for getting ahead of the curve–for being
nimble or quick, but in Washington, before a single vote has been cast on Capitol
Hill, government regulators are readying themselves for what could be the largest
commodity markets in the world ($2 trillion within five years) if legislation becomes law
later this year. “Climate change legislation and the ability of government regulators to
ensure that these markets operate free from fraud, abuse and manipulation will be keys
to our success in alleviating the ill effects of global warming,” said CFTC Commissioner
Bart Chilton. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC, has regulated
environmental futures markets since the mid-1990s, including the successful oversight
of Acid Rain Markets. Carbon trading will be the next big challenge. Read the rest of this entry »
Though a lot of work remains to be done, odds are good that Congress will pass a climate change bill rather than leave it up to the administration. Climate change rules are coming — not this year, but soon after that. If Congress doesn’t pass legislation in 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency will act, and that would cost businesses and consumers a lot more. A cap and trade system to limit overall emissions of greenhouse gases is almost a certainty. But there’s still a heap of disagreement about how and when to cut down on emissions and who should foot what’s sure to be a huge bill. A potent coalition is pushing for legislation. It includes the Obama administration, many Democratic lawmakers, a few key Republicans, environmentalists, U.S. allies abroad, labor unions and a surprising number of companies, including Alcoa and Duke Energy. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is even taking flak from some of its members who are angry with the group’s lobbying against a climate change bill. They want to get the matter settled so they know what’s expected of them. Read the rest of this entry »
In 1992 very few people had heard the term “Global Warming,” and fewer still could ever expect how big a part of our everyday lives the theory of Climate Change would play in a few short years. Business in the US was humming along blissfully. As always different industries were having their ups and downs but for the most part things seemed to be going pretty well.
On June 3 – 14, 1992 a group of international scientists and diplomats gathered in Rio de Janeiro Brazil to discuss the state of the world’s environment. That meeting produced a treaty that would eventually become known as the Kyoto Protocol. The intent of the treaty was to achieve “stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.” The Kyoto Protocol establishes legally binding commitments for the reduction of four specific gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and sulphur hexaflouride) and other groups of gasses produced by its member nations. By Dec. 11, 1997 the details of the treaty had been established and agreed to by its member nations. The treaty was signed and and entered into force on Feb 16, 2005. Read the rest of this entry »
After the increase in global awareness about the dwindling Brazilian rainforest in recent years, it seems worrying that there is once again concern over its destruction after official government data emerged recently stating that deforestation has risen by 64 percent in the last twelve months. This sudden increase in deforestation can be attributed to loggers and soy farmers pushing ever further into the Amazon jungle and the recent high commodity prices.
This week, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research said that around 3,145 square miles – an area about half the size of Wales – of forest were destroyed between August 2007 and August 2008. The satellite images were captured by a real-time monitoring system, known in Brazil as Deter. It comes as a shock – and a terrible step backwards – that deforestation has picked up again after it seemed to be diminishing over the last three years. Read the rest of this entry »
What do Carbon Credits have to do with the New Economy?
As the US Congress continues to debate the merits of what is likely to become our first comprehensive national policy designed to reduce greenhouse gases, people are starting to ask…
What are these Carbon Credits they keep talking about?
According to Wikipedia: Carbon credits are a key component of national and international attempts to mitigate the growth in concentrations of greenhouse gases.
The concept of carbon credits came into existence as a result of increasing awareness of the need for controlling emissions. Essentially a new commodity that was created strictly for the purpose of forcing industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
The use of credits creates a tradable permit system that is one of the policy instruments that has been shown to be environmentally effective in the industrial sector, as long as there are reasonable levels of predictability over the initial allocation mechanism and long-term price. Read the rest of this entry »
As we move closer to Earth Day I’ve had quite a few requests for information about how we work with non-profits to create ‘Sustainably Managed Permanent Rainforest Habitats’
Our model really is quite simple; It’s just a matter of working with nature and the simple economic principle of ‘Supply & Demand.’ The big key here though is that instead of pocketing the profits, our partners use the proceeds from our work to do more and more good in the world.
The paradigm is shifting… We’re proud to be a part of it.
EPA Launches New Campaign to Educate Kids on Fighting Climate Change
(Washington, D.C. – April 16, 2009) With Earth Day only a few days away, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is kicking off the 2009 “Change the World, Start with Energy Star” campaign to educate kids and their families about how to save money and fight climate change through energy efficiency.
“People of every age have a part to play in confronting climate change,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Using Energy Star to cut electricity usage and costs, and educating young people and their families to make a difference — big or small — is how we make real progress.” Read the rest of this entry »
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases are a danger to public health and welfare, taking the first step to regulating pollution linked to climate change, The Associated Press has learned.
Such regulation would have widespread economic and social impact, from requiring more fuel efficient automobiles to limiting carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and industrial sources, changing the way the nation produces energy. Read the rest of this entry »
Yesterday I expressed my frustration with the investment community because of their delay in funding Climate Change Mitigation projects. They seem to be waiting for the perfect opportunity. Not content to earn ridiculous returns… they seem to be waiting for insanely ridiculous returns on their investments. A study published today by Environmental Leader.Com emphasizes my point.
Study: Global Carbon Market May Approach $700B by 2013
While the total value of the global market is expected to drop in 2009 due to lower carbon prices because of decreased manufacturing and general economic prospects, the increasing adoption of cap-and-trade programs by the United States and other nations is expected to push the market to $669 billion in 2013.
According to “Carbon Emissions Trading Markets Worldwide,” a report by SBI Reports, the global market is expected to be $84 billion in 2009, down from SBI’s 2008 calculation of $118 billion. A study from Point Carbon put the 2008 global market at $125 billion.
SBI states that the global carbon market ballooned at a 256 percent compounded annual growth rate since 2004.
A compliance-based system in the United States alone could create a carbon market worth $117 billion by 2013.
After 2009, the global market is expected to grow an average 68 percent annually, according to the report.
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Obviously this report is a source of great optimism for the clean-tech industry, and the entire business climate change mitigation.
My only concern is will we implement these technologies quickly enough to avoid the tipping point.
#rtr09
While the total value of the global market is expected to drop in 2009 due to lower carbon prices because of decreased manufacturing and general economic prospects, the increasing adoption of cap-and-trade programs by the United States and other nations is expected to push the market to $669 billion in 2013.