Transcript Document
The US Carbon Market
A Brief Look at the Chicago Climate Exchange and the Role of Carbon Offsets
May 23, 2007 West Michigan Chapter US Green Building Council Grand Rapids
600 W. St. Joseph St Suite 10 Lansing, MI 49833 www.delta-institute.org
about us
Mission: Improve Environmental Quality and Promote Community Economic Development in the Great Lakes Region Programs: •Pollution Prevention & Energy Efficiency •Policy development, technical assistance, green design, implementation financing •Brownfield Redevelopment •Financing, land assembly, site control, remediation •Sustainability & Community Development •Sustainable purchasing, organic food systems, environmental training •Emissions Trading Markets •Creating community benefits through aggregation and trading of carbon offset credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange 2
what is global warming
•Gases form a blanket around the earth, trapping heat from the sun within the earth’s atmosphere •Six primary greenhouse gases •Carbon dioxide •Methane •Nitrous Oxide •Sulfur Hexafluoride •Perfluorocarbons •Hydroflurocarbons 3
global carbon dioxide cycle
Illustration courtesy of NASA Earth Science Enterprise 4
emissions trading markets
Origin – 1990 Amendments to Clear Air Act Environmental Problem - Acid Rain Solution – Cap-and-Trade mechanism to regular sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants Cap-and-Trade Basics: •Government caps the level of SO 2 emissions and distributes permits in one-ton increments for its release •Each power plant must have enough permits to cover annual emissions •Power plants that cannot cover annual emissions must either reduce emissions or buy surplus permits from other sources •The government reduces the cap frequently, increasing the value of a permit •Over time, becomes more economical to reduce emissions than to continue buying permits Results: •1980 – emissions at 17.5 million tons •2010 – cap set at 8.95 millions tons •Market price for permit - $616 Data Courtesy of EvolutionMarkets.com
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Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX®)
•Voluntary, private, member-based, cap-and-trade market for the reduction of greenhouse gases •Self-regulated market with legally binding emission reduction targets •Cap is the member’s average annual emissions from 1998-2001 •Phase 1 Members – 4% reduction by 2006; 6% by 2010 •Phase 2 Members – 6% by 2010 The Delta Institute is an Associate Member and Registered Aggregator on the Chicago Climate Exchange •Over 200 Members •Ford, Dow, DuPont, AEP, Eastman Kodak, Motorola, Sony, Waste Management, Cargill, International Paper, IBM, Bayer, Baxter Healthcare, Michigan State University, City of Chicago, State of New Mexico •Emission Reduction Results •2003 – 19,369,100 mT (7.8%) •2004 – 31,823,800 mT (13.5%) •2005 – 23,575,900 mT (10.7%) 6
Chicago Climate Exchange
Member Requirements: •Full members, i.e. entities with direct emissions •Pay initial enrollment fee, plus annual membership fee. Fees based on member’s baseline emissions •Calculate the carbon baseline from direct emissions •Make permanent reductions or purchase offset credits to meet annual reduction targets •Annual ‘true-up’ period to show progress toward target •Bank or sell surplus reductions •Associate members, i.e. entities with little to no direct emissions •Pay initial enrollment fee, plus annual membership fee •Calculate the annual carbon emissions (usually indirect) •Commit to offset those emissions by purchasing credits off the Exchange 7
Chicago Climate Exchange
Reasons for joining: Future developments: Positive public relations Learn to operate business in a carbon constrained economy Gain a competitive advantage Earn ‘early action credits’ for previous reductions Develop small revenue streams through surplus credit sales Reflection of corporate culture Market scheduled to end in 2010, although may be extended to 2015 Exchange is positioning itself to be the trading platform in a mandatory system Possible future scenario: Government administers the carbon market CCX serves as trading platforms 8
the role of carbon offsets
Carbon offsets are a new commodity that has developed as a result of the carbon market Basic concept – past emissions can be reduced or future emissions prevented through various activities Prevention of future emissions Conservation tillage – limits the release of carbon through low impact agricultural practices Anaerobic manure digesters – capture methane (a powerful greenhouse gas), allowing it to be used for energy or flared into CO2, a less potent greenhouse gas Grass planting – prevents soil disturbance, while storing some CO2 Reduction of past emissions Tree planting – CO2 removed from atmosphere via photosynthesis and sequestered within the tree Members can “offset” a ton of emissions by purchasing a ton of credits •Members can use offset credits to meet 3% of their 6% target •CCX allows members to earn credits from renewable energy projects, CDM, certain projects in Brazil 9
accessing the emerging carbon market
Michigan Conservation & Climate Initiative Joint program between the Delta Institute, Michigan Association of Conservation Districts and Michigan Department of Agriculture Landowners enroll lands with eligible conservation practices, earn offset credits Delta Institute aggregates credits from multiple landowners and sells the credits on behalf of the landowner www.michiganclimate.org
Michigan Forest Carbon Program Joint, pilot project between the Delta Institute and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Landowners earn offset credits by sustainably managing existing forestlands Benefits of Emerging Carbon Markets Additional revenue streams for farmers & landowners Financial incentive that could preserve small family farms, develop rural economies, limit urban sprawl Environmental co-benefits Creation of wildlife habitat, improved drought resistance of soils 10
MCCI program eligibility
1. Conservation Tillage (no-till) Credited at 0.6 tons per acre per year 2. Permanent Grass Plantings Credited at 0.75 tons per acre per year, if established after 1/1/99 3. Tree Plantings Credited between 2 – 5 tons per acre per year, depending on species, if established after 1/1/90 4. Methane Collection (manure digesters, landfill gas) Credited at 18.25 tons per every ton of methane destroyed Contractual commitment through 2010 Only Southern Lower Peninsula eligible for tillage and grass credits – Entire state eligible for tree and methane credits No enrollment costs; enrollment assistance available through local conservation district offices Annual payments to landowners 11
carbon trading potential
Michigan Conservation & Climate Initiative 1.3 million acres in conservation tillage 263,000 acres in grasslands 13,000 acres of trees planted annually Potential gross revenue returned to landowners Annually - $2.9 million Over contract period - $11.6 million Michigan Forest Carbon Program 10.6 million acres of non-industrial, private lands Potential gross revenue returned to landowners Annually - $31.5 million Over contract period - $126 million Illinois Conservation & Climate Initiative 1 st enrollment pool – 48,736 acres, returned $119,838 2 nd enrollment pool – 61,692 acres – to be sold soon!
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delta institute & west michigan chapter
Project Objectives: Develop & implement a methodology for measuring the chapter’s carbon footprint Offset the chapter’s footprint by buying and permanently retiring an offset credit generated through MCCI Developing long term strategies for reducing the chapter’s carbon footprint Project Benefits: Supports Michigan farms and farmland preservation efforts Raises awareness of the carbon impact of chapter events Further demonstrates the chapter’s commitment to developing sustainable communities Elevates chapter to a leadership role on carbon emissions Positive public relations 13
contact us
Todd Parker
600 W. St. Joseph Ste. 10 Lansing, MI 48933 517.482.8810
Win a 2007 Toyota Prius
Tickets $100 – no more than 1000 to be sold Partners in Change 2007 June 13, 2007 4-7 pm NeoCon - Chicago delta-institute.org
michiganclimate.org
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