Firms that emit greenhouse gases but also want to help revitalize business in the Tohoku region following the Great East Japan Earthquake are being drawn to participate in a carbon dioxide offset trading scheme.
Named J-VER (Japan Verified Emission Reduction), the scheme is a type of carbon-offset program.
Under the scheme, entities practicing silviculture through thinning, planting and other means can enter a certification process to claim credits, depending on how much carbon dioxide their forests absorb.
(Reuters) - EU carbon prices fell to their lowest ever level on Wednesday as the euro currency and equities slid on renewed fears over the bloc's debt crisis and oil prices tanked after producers promised to maintain high output.
The ICE ECX December 2011 EUA contract fell 73 cents to an all-time low of 6.30 euros, down 10.4 percent on Tuesday's 7.03-euro settlement.
UN-backed carbon offsets plunged to an all-time low Tuesday on the back of continued fears of over-supply in the market, albeit in thin trade. By 11:00 GMT, the December 2011 CER contract on
As already discussed on Climatico, using REDD+ as a private sector offsetting mechanism runs the risk of creating perverse incentives, exposing land to market price volatility and causing supply-induced price suppression. However, for the purposes of a deeper exploration into the market-related issues of REDD+, let’s assume these problems are solved and that forest carbon can, in theory, be commoditised and traded.
LABOR'S carbon farming initiative (CFI) has passed in the Senate but agricultural groups remain sceptical of its worth until details are made available.
Under the scheme, graziers could sell carbon credits on to businesses to offset emissions.
The scheme is designed to both reduce carbon emissions and provide graziers with an alternative stream of income.
Richmond Mayor John Wharton said he supported the scheme in principal but had reservations.
"I don't think there will be millions of dollars in it for graziers," he said.
Back in March 2011 a Carbon Monitor reader wrote to us with the quandary of what to do with his post 1989 NZU units (those with a surrender liability for loss or harvest) suggesting if he took the funds, invested in real estate then he would be ahead even with a future liability. Here is the latest update on his story.
As the number of public sector financial mechanisms targeting REDD+ has increased, and consequently the volume of money flowing in to REDD+, observers are increasingly pointing out that the public sector alone cannot supply the huge sums of money needed to combat deforestation. The private sector is thus needed to share the cost and supply some of the money.
