News and resources

Committee on Climate Change appoints Carbon Retirement as offsetting partner

Posted August 13, 2010

As an independent body set up to advise the UK government on carbon budgets, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is responsible for advising Government on setting climate change targets and reducing emissions to meet these. The CCC takes this responsibility just as seriously when looking at its own practices.  

Will China lead the world towards a global carbon market?

Posted August 13, 2010

Emission trading is taking a funny turn.  Having long been the policy mechanism of choice for the governments of developed countries, plans for emission trading schemes are falling by the wayside due to powerful industry lobbies and vocal climate sceptics fuelling public opposition.  

Dodgy dealings #2

Posted August 13, 2010

This month’s offset related outrage is brought to you from Liberia, where a British company stands accused of scamming Liberian ministers in a ploy that would have left the government liable to pay $2.2bn of costs.

Is cap and trade working as a weapon against climate change?

Posted August 13, 2010

This was the topic of the Reuters/Point Carbon inaugural debate last week. The hosts took an audience poll before and after the debate, and there was a slight swing in favour of the 'against cap and trade' camp.  So what made their arguments so compelling?

Three core points. 

World cup celebrations

Posted July 7, 2010

Despite England's early departure from the World Cup, environmentalists have cause for celebration - for this was the first time the environment was on the agenda for an international football competition.

Cap and trade debate

Posted July 7, 2010

On Monday 12th, Thomson Reuters and Point Carbon will be asking whether cap and trade is working as a weapon against climate change. Their debate, which runs from 8.15-10.30, includes discussion between Professors Michael Grubb, Cambridge, and Gwyn Prins, LSE, campaigners from Friends of the Earth and FERN, and Abyd Karmali, Global Head of Carbon Markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

The event is free, to book a place click here.

Dodgy dealings

Posted July 7, 2010

We founded Carbon Retirement because we figured there was a better way to do offsetting than the standard project-based approach, but even we didn't realise back then quite how flawed the project system was.  Since then, we've found people selling condom-based offsets, come across governments reusing credits and discovered

Copenhagen roadblocks unresolved at Bonn climate talks

Posted July 7, 2010

The disappointing outcome in Copenhagen last year left many people wondering what progress, if any, would be made in global climate change negotiations in 2010. The first concrete indication came at the Bonn climate talks from 31 May to 11 June. The talks revealed that wide differences remain in the search for a comprehensive UN climate deal.

New Zealand expands emissions trading scheme

Posted July 7, 2010

Outside the EU, the only country with a mandatory national emissions trading scheme is New Zealand. While similar schemes have stalled in Australia and the US, New Zealand recently expanded its scheme to cover the energy, industrial and liquid fossil fuel sectors. This means that from 1 July this year, a price has been placed on greenhouse gas emissions from, for example, electricity production, steel, aluminium and cement manufacturing and petrol and diesel consumption.

Free environmental support for London SMEs

Posted June 2, 2010

Creative Environmental Networks (CEN) is providing free environmental and sustainability support to SME’s in London.

As part of the ERDF funded URBAN project, CEN would conduct energy, water and waste audits and identify key cost and carbon savings. Participants will receive:
•    Energy, water and waste audits
•    Renewables options appraisal and grant funding support
•    An environmental policy review

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