Re/Action on Climate Protection

Community Carbon Exchange?

The Chicago Climate Exchange is a non-Kyoto trading platform for carbon credits generated in the United States. It is a voluntary exchange, but once signed on the participation and carbon reduction committment is legally binding.

My question is, can this same model be applied on a small geographic basis? How well does this exchange concept scale down? Can it be used to create a business case for carbon reduction at a local level? Could a local exchange be set up that would allow carbon credits to be traded by local businesses and individuals?

Carbon trading and the US

The United States has famously withdrawn from further consideration of ratifying the Kyoto Protocol. Therefore, the US is a "non-Party", and can't participate in the Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation or Emissions Trading using CERs, ERUs, RMUs and AAUs. None of the fungible emissions credits can be originated from US investments, or emissions reduction activities occurring in the US. So can US firms or individuals still participate in the carbon markets? Or are we SOL?

Kyoto - What is it? Part II

The Kyoto Protocol set up three separate categories for emissions reduction mechanisms. These mechanisms involve interactions between "Annex I & II Parties" and "non-Annex I Parties". For this discussion, "Annex I" and "Annex II" countries are the "developed nations" or nations with economies in transition (EIT) and the "non-Annex I Parties" are the so-called LDC's or Less Developed Countries. There are criteria for defining which group a country falls into that won't be discussed here. The United States is an Annex I and Annex II country, and has ratified the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is a Kyoto Protocol Annex B country, but has not ratified Kyoto. Therefore, the US is not a "party" (to the Kyoto Protocol). The US does have committments under the UNFCCC which will be discussed in another post.

The three mechanisms for reducing GHG emissions defined in the Kyoto Protocol, and refined in the Marrakesh Accords are: 1) the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM); 2) Joint Implementation (JI); 3) Emissions trading. All of these mechanisms involve the creation and transfer of certified emissions reduction (CER) which is an actual, measured reduction of one tonne of CO2.

Carbon Trading - What is it? Part 1

What is the Kyoto Protocol? What is the Chicago Climate Exchange? What is carbon trading?

Any organization that is involved in energy efficiency, renewable energy or fuels or GHG reduction efforts should understand carbon trading and carbon markets such as those created by Kyoto and the Chicago Climate Exchange. All businesses involved in activities that can potentially generate carbon credits should have the knowledge to be able to turn this activity into a revenue stream.

This is the first in a series of posts about the Kyoto Protocol, the Chicago Climate Exchange and carbon trading vehicles such as the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC or Green Tag).

Agriculture and Carbon Sequestration

Here is an article that details the methods that can be used in agriculture to increase carbon sequestration (long term storage of carbon) in the soil.

Energy Efficiency is Key to Reducing Emissions

Reducing energy use by improving energy efficiency is the most cost effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In California, the state Public Utilities Commission has recognized this and has mandated the collection of a charge on every utility bill of every ratepayer in the state. This charge, known as the Public Goods Charge (PGC), that is intended to fund "public goods research, development and demonstration, and energy efficiency activities, and possibly to support low income assistance programs." This year, the state is funding energy efficiency programs that are developed and administered by the Investor Owned Utilities in the state.

Climate Protection Campaign has partnered with Quantum Consulting, an energy efficiency consulting firm based in Berkeley, CA to develop a PGC funded energy efficiency program. Beginning in 2006, this program will deliver a menu of energy efficiency services to residences, large and small business and governments in Sonoma County. These services include building tuneups, lighting retrofits, efficiency improvements to water and wastewater systems. These are direct install programs, that result in immediate energy savings. This results in greenhouse gas emissions reductions for the communities.

The Sonoma Partnership for Energy Efficiency is groundbreaking because of the focus on greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Sonoma County has set six national precedents for setting greenhouse gas reduction targets in the operations of all municipalities in the county, as well as county government and the community. This achievement was recognized as opening the door for energy efficiency improvements in both government operations and the community.

Here is a description of some of the other partnerships: http://www.pge.com/rebates/alliances/

Action on Climate Protection

Hello, Climate Protection Campaign is launching our blog. This blog is intended to stimulate discussion about what can be done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We are currently working on projects at the local level, but we advocate action at all levels: local, state, federal and international.

What we want to do in this blog is to discuss solutions. We want to know what is working elsewhere in the world...and we want to share our experiences with what is working here in Sonoma County.

Although we will post articles on science and links to basic climate science, our aim is not primarily to discuss the science of global warming and climate change. We are not climate scientists, but we view the science of global warming as basically settled. We have adopted and endorse the findings of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), which are that:

• The planet is warming
• Most of the warming in the past 100 years is caused by humans (anthropogenic)
• The human activities most responsible for warming are emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and deforestation.
• Emissions of GHGs that are causing global warming are primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels.
• Significant reduction in GHG emissions is necessary to prevent dangerous changes to the global climate.

In addition to the findings of the IPCC, our view is that meaningful reductions must be accomplished as quickly as possible in order to stabilize the level of atmospheric CO2 as low as possible.

We are looking forward to engaging in discussion with you about how to solve the climate crisis.