How Al Gore Became The World's First Carbon Billionaire From Trading Carbon Credits

Al Gore Continues To Get Rich With Global Warming Scheme « Be A Patriot!

Gore has built a Green money-making machine capable of eventually generating billions of dollars for investors, one of which is himself, but he set it up so that the average citizen can’t afford to play on Gore’s terms. Gore helped found Generation Investment Management (GIM), through which he and others pay for carbon offsets. The firm invests the money in solar, wind and other projects that reduce energy consumption around the globe. Gore is chairman of the firm and, presumably, draws an income or will make money as its investments prosper. In other words, he “buys” his “carbon offsets” from himself, through a transaction designed to boost his own investments and return a profit to himself. To be blunt, Gore doesn’t buy “carbon offsets” through GIM – he buys stocks. Well, isn’t that special?

Denmark taking over EU Presidency and pledges to address carbon prices

Denmark pledges to tackle falling carbon prices during EU presidency - 20 Dec 2011 - News from BusinessGreen

Denmark has vowed it will to take steps to bolster the fragile price of carbon during its upcoming European Union (EU) presidency. Prices have been falling all year, prompting businesses to call on the EU to take action after a record low of €6.30 was recorded last week.

UN carbon prices hit by fears of grey market

UN carbon offsets hit record low amidst fears over “grey” credits - 16 Jan 2012 - News from BusinessGreen

The price of UN-backed carbon offsets hit a record low of €3.32 a tonne this morning, as fears over the eurozone crisis and on-going concerns about the long-term validity of some certified emission reduction (CER) credits prompted a sell off. Prices fell by over six per cent before rallying slightly to over €3.60 Speaking to BusinessGreen, Tom Greenwood, senior analyst at IDEAcarbon, said that the fall in prices had been driven by concerns over the health of the eurozone following a series of downgrades by credit agencies late on Friday.

Gloomy forecast for EUA prices

Point Carbon issues 'very gloomy' forecast for EU carbon prices - 05 Dec 2011 - News from BusinessGreen

Reuters Point Carbon has slashed its forecast for the price of carbon to just €12 per tonne during phase three of the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) as a result of the sovereign debt crisis. The carbon market analyst issued a statement late last week predicting the average EU Allowance (EUA) price will be €12/t from 2013 to 2020, €10/t less than its July 2011 forecast.

EU called on to "protect" carbon price; Isn't that called "protectionism"?

Business leaders call on EU to protect the carbon price - 15 Dec 2011 - News from BusinessGreen

Some of Europe's largest businesses have demanded that the EU take urgent action to shore up its emissions trading scheme (EU ETS) as carbon prices dropped to another record low. In a letter to European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso, companies including Shell, Alstom, SSE and Dong Energy said the EU ETS must be strengthened to boost carbon prices and spur investment in green technologies.

Despite falling prices carbon trading grows 19 per cent; or is it because of plunging prices?

Carbon trading grows 19 per cent despite plunging prices - 11 Jan 2012 - News from BusinessGreen

The volume of carbon allowances traded globally grew by almost 20 per cent last year, according to new figures that also show that falling prices meant the value of the market grew by just four per cent. Researchers Thomson Reuters Point Carbon reported yesterday that allowances covering eight gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent (Gt CO2e) were traded on the global carbon markets in 2011, compared with 7Gt in 2010, an increase of 19 per cent.

Will a high carbon price floor reduce emissions?

"Exorbitant" carbon floor price will not reduce emissions - 26 Jan 2012 - News from BusinessGreen

The government's carbon floor price is placing an "exorbitant" cost on businesses for little to no emissions reduction, a committee of MPs will say today.A report by the influential Energy and Climate Change Committee finds the policy will have a "devastating" effect on UK plc and rather than "pushing the UK ahead of the EU", the government should work with Brussels to beef up the Emissions Trading Scheme.

The Most Sustainable Company In The World

The World's Most Sustainable Company: Hot off the Griddle - Bloomberg

Good afternoon, and welcome back to the Griddle, a menu of fortified items for the busy person's media diet. Novo Nordisk, the world's biggest maker of insulin, is also the most sustainable corporation in the world. That's the conclusion of Corporate Knights magazine, which ranks companies annually based on 11 metrics, including carbon productivity (sales per greenhouse gas pollution) and taxes paid. A new category appeared this year: Employee Turnover. Sustainability is many things, and a pathway to a healthy organization is one if them. Companies often wave the green flag less to save the planet than to save themselves.

Warning about carbon penalties

The Press Association: MPs issue carbon penalties warning

Households face artificially inflated electricity bills under a Government move to make businesses greener, an influential committee has warned.Setting tougher carbon penalties than the rest of the Europe will also have a "devastating effect" on heavy industry while failing to have any overall impact on emissions, according to MPs.

December 2011 GreenX Monthly Report---GreenX to clear spread trades

GreenX-Monthly-Report---December-2011[1].pdf

GreenX traded just over 24 million tonnes in December with roughly 15,000 EUA Futures contracts and 9,000 CER Futures. Total trading volumes on GreenX for 2011 closed the year at 451,765 contracts, an increase of 322% over 2010. Open Interest reached a record high in December at 140,188 contracts, and finished the year at 88,509 after December expirations. The Dec11 EUA and CER futures expiry was the largest settlement on GreenX to date with 33,467 contracts taken to physical delivery. GreenX intends to list five additional contract months for the In Delivery Month European Union Allowance (EUA) Futures contract through December 2020, effective Sunday, January 22nd for trade date Monday, January 23rd. The added contracts will be listed for trading on CME Globex® and for submission for clearing through CME ClearPort®.

China still plodding towards lower emissions

China moves to lower carbon emissions | Eco-Business.com

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will help the People’s Republic of China (PRC) set up a pilot provincial emissions trading system that could pave the way for a national scheme and lower greenhouse gas emissions in the country. “Emissions trading encourages companies to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy supply, which would ultimately result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions. This pilot will provide valuable lessons for the design of a nationwide system to reduce the carbon intensity of the Chinese economy,” said Pradeep Perera, Senior Energy Specialist in ADB’s East Asia Department.

Carbon Market North America January 20, 2012

CMNA20120120.indd

Legal ruling could force California to rethink CO2 plan; Canada faces legal challenge over Kyoto withdrawal; California and RGGI market comment; Barclays shutters U.S. emissions trading desk; Airline alliances take cartel approach to CO2 trading; RGGI to sell only 2012 permits, retire unsold permits; Recent global carbon market news; Guest commentary Manish Bapna, World Resources Institute

More up to date Carbon news

Home - Point Carbon - Providing critical insights into energy and environmental markets

LATEST NEWS

• 25 Jan 12 22:42French bank to close voluntary CO2 credit registry
• 25 Jan 12 17:44EUAs rise 1 pct, shrug off fresh supply
• 25 Jan 12 17:21Alpiq’s CO2 trading desk under threat as jobs cut
• 25 Jan 12 17:15Ukraine reveals Japanese buyers of its AAUs
• 25 Jan 12 17:10Obama makes new push for clean energy standard
• 25 Jan 12 15:03Greece auctions 1 mln EUAs at 7.27 euros each
• 25 Jan 12 13:13Croatia's biggest emitters to join EU ETS in Jan 2013
• 25 Jan 12 11:08ADB grants $750,000 to China to build ETS

Landscape now certifiable (pun intended). Uh huh.

National Sustainability Rating System Certifies First Landscape Projects | News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) has announced the first three projects to be certified by the nation’s most comprehensive system for rating the sustainable design, construction and maintenance of built landscapes. The St. Charles, Missouri, campus of Novus International Inc., the Green at College Park of the University of Texas at Arlington, and the Woodland Discovery Playground at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, Tennessee, are the first to be recognized for their sustainable land practices from among 150-plus pilot projects seeking certification since summer 2010.

Political gridlock is good for letting market forces reduce emissions

Emissions: U.S. carbon emissions on decline despite political gridlock -- 01/25/2012 -- www.eenews.net

President Obama mentioned climate change almost in passing during last night's State of the Union address, noting: "The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change."

More Vehicle Charging Stations For California

EV Connect Expands Electric Vehicle Charging in Santa Monica

CULVER CITY, CA--January 25, 2012: In its effort to help municipalities get EV ready, EV Connect, a leading provider of electric vehicle infrastructure solutions, announced it has expanded modern electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities in Santa Monica, California with its installation of new, publicly-accessible EV charging stations at seven sites and numerous residences throughout the city. The new publicly-accessible stations are in high traffic locations, including Santa Monica Place Mall, Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Civic Center, and Santa Monica Airport. The stations are a result of EV Connect's effort to improve California's transportation infrastructure and support EV ownership as a viable transportation option.

Only in California could you have a sustainability Bill of Rights

Santa Monica Adopts Sustainability Bill of Rights, Rejects Motion for Constitutional Amendment

Santa Monica's City Council voted on Tuesday to recognize the rights of natural communities to exist. The resolution, drafted by the Task Force on the Environment, calls for Santa Monica to “recognize the rights of people, natural communities, and ecosystems to exist, regenerate and flourish,” according to City Staff.

Is there a dark side to solar power?

The Damage Done, Part 8 — Does Solar Power Have Its Environmental Dark Side?

There is more than enough solar radiation available around to satisfy the world’s energy demand. The energy in the Sun’s rays that reach the Earth’s surface could meet global energy consumption 10,000 times over. On average, each square metre of land is exposed to enough sunlight to generate 1,700 kWh of energy every year using currently available technology… if only 4% of the world’s very dry desert areas were used for PV installations, this would meet the whole world’s total primary energy demand.