In addition to emissions trading as a means of tackling climate change, numerous initiatives and programmes have been developed to facilitate CO2e emission reduction by corporates. To support corporates in this endeavour, there are various guides, tools and advice offered by a variety of organizations. The following pages provide some insights into these areas for the corporate community.
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
http://www.adb.org/REACH/default.asp
ADB's Technical Assistance program on climate change includes capacity building activities on generic climate change issues and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) with emphasis on renewable energy and energy efficiency, carbon sequestration, and adaptation. ADB is currently engaged in two programs, the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Climate Change (REACH) Program, and the Energy Efficiency Initiative.
The REACH program, established in 2002, supports the application of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas abatement technologies in ADB's developing member countries and is funded by the governments of Canada, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands. REACH has already successfully carried out work in capacity building, project identification, and project due-diligence across 18 countries.
The Energy Efficiency Initiative, meanwhile, will boost investments and activities in energy efficiency - both from the supply and energy use sides - and also renewable energy.
ADB recently announced its Carbon Market Initiative that is looking into the merits of establishing a dedicated carbon co-financing facility. This facility, unlike other emission credit procurement vehicles currently available, would provide up-front funds to project sponsors.
California Climate Action Registry
http://www.climateregistry.org/Default.aspx?refreshed=true
The California Climate Action Registry (the Registry) was established by California statute as a non-profit voluntary registry for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The purpose of the Registry is to help companies and organizations with operations in the state to establish GHG emissions baselines against which any future GHG emission reduction requirements may be applied. The Registry has developed a General Protocol and additional industry-specific protocols which give guidance on how to inventory GHG emissions for participation in the Registry.
Carbon Positive
http://www.carbonpositive.net
Carbonpositive arranges
and manages sustainable-development projects that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions
in developing countries. These projects are designed to generate Certified Emissions
Reductions (CERs) under the Kyoto Protocol Clean Development Mechanism. Its
website provides useful information ranging from generic information on climate
change to the details of the Kyoto Protocol, carbon markets and company news.
Climate
Business Network
http://www.climatebusiness.net/index.php
The Climate Business Network has been established to provide
a forum through which the 'community' surrounding the Climate Convention can
examine and take advantage of the emerging business opportunities primarily
provided by the 'project based mechanisms' (the Clean Development Mechanism
[CDM] & Joint Implementation [JI]) of the Kyoto Protocol). It provides following
facilities:
| 1. |
A product development
and matchmaking service as a first step towards developing 'climate
project' partnerships, including through the CDM Project Bazaar &
the CDM Investment Newsletter; |
| 2. |
A large international network of experts
and institutions that have the various skills that will be needed at
all stages of the business/project cycle as well as host country-based
partners required for local assistance; |
| 3. |
A state-of-the-art knowledge management
system that will provide access to the data and information that both
hosts and investors need for conducting their 'climate business'; and |
| 4. |
High-speed, high-bandwidth, and secure
Web-conferencing facilities that are available for use by project, business
and policy negotiating groups. |
Climate
RESOLVE (Responsible Environmental Steps, Opportunities to Lead by Voluntary
Efforts)
http://www.businessroundtable.org/taskForces/taskforce/issue.aspx?
qs=6EC5BF159FF49514481138A6DF61851159169FEB56A3FB0AE
The US Business Roundtable’s Climate RESOLVE initiative seeks
to have every company in every sector of the economy undertake voluntary actions
to control greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve the GHG intensity of the
U.S. economy.
Climate North East / WRI
http://www.climatenortheast.org
The Climate Northeast partnership builds strategies for companies
to thrive in a carbon-constrained economy. Partners develop greenhouse gas (GHG)
inventories, share energy management practices and invest in clean energy technologies.
These corporate actions shape multi-sectoral policy approaches for a safe climate
and sound business future in the Northeast.
CVAT v1.1 is a screening tool to help companies integrate the
value of carbon dioxide emissions reductions into energy-related investment
decisions. It is a product of the Climate Northeast partnership, a collaboration
between WRI and 13 Fortune 500 companies based in the Northeastern United States.
Through the project, participants work to devise winning strategies to allow
companies to thrive in a carbon-constrained future. Corporate partners in the
project include: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Con Edison, Citigroup, Eastman Kodak,
General Electric, JPMorgan Chase, Johnson & Johnson, Northeast Utilities,
Pfizer, Staples, Time Inc. and United Technologies Corporation. The tool has
two main purposes:
1. Test the sensitivity of a project's internal rate of return
(IRR) to "carbon value" (the value of GHG emissions reductions). CVAT integrates
this value into traditional financial analysis by ascribing a market price,
either actual or projected, to carbon emissions reductions.
2. Facilitate the development of emissions reduction strategies
by developing a Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) across a portfolio of projects.
CVAT ranks projects so managers can prioritize them according to their implicit
cost per tonne of carbon emission reduction.
CO2e.com
http://www.co2e.com/news/default.asp
CO2e is a multinational company created to serve as a business-to-business resource
for companies to understand, mitigate and manage the transition to a greenhouse
gas constrained future. It delivers market-based solutions to help companies
address climate change issues and provides:
- brokerage services related to greenhouse gases, renewable energy and other
environmental products
- the sourcing and delivery of emission offsets with strong sustainability
attributes for retirement against today's emissions
- financial structuring of wholesale and retail instruments for tax effectiveness
and improved risk management
- marketplace development, trading and risk management software, delivered
together with eSpeed, Inc.
- helping clients to deal with carbon commerce through appropriate strategy
development, analysis, verification, legal, accounting, insurance and other
professional services delivered by CO2eSM Associate partners which include
some of the world's leading corporate advisers
The Carbon Disclosure
Project
http://www.cdproject.net
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) provides a secretariat for the world's largest
institutional investor collaboration on the business implications of climate
change. CDP represents an efficient process whereby many institutional investors
collectively sign a single global request for disclosure of information on Greenhouse
Gas Emissions. CDP has historically sent this request to the FT500 largest companies
in the world. In 2006 this was expanded to include additional selection criteria,
expanding the universe to 1900 companies.
The Carbon Trust
http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/carbontrust
The Carbon Trust is an independent company funded by the UK government. Its role is to help the UK move to a low carbon economy by helping business and the public sector reduce carbon emissions now and capture the commercial opportunities of low carbon technologies. The Carbon Trust is focused on reducing carbon emissions in the short and medium term through energy efficiency and carbon management and in the medium and long-term through investment in low carbon technologies.
The Carbon Trust is developing and implementing programmes that will accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy. These includes:
-
Delivering independent information and impartial advice on energy saving and carbon management to the business and public sector
-
Promoting the UK government's energy efficiency Enhanced Capital Allowances Scheme to encourage investment by business in qualifying energy saving technologies and products and managing the Energy Technology List of qualifying energy saving equipment
-
Investing in the development of low carbon technologies in the UK
-
Research and development funding to encourage innovation in the low carbon sector through Carbon Vision and R&D
-
Technology Acceleration Projects for specific technologies and markets with significant carbon reduction potential and where the Carbon Trust can be material; and
-
Direct help for pre-commercial and commercial organisations with low carbon technologies through the Carbon Trust's Incubator Programme and Venture Capital
Publications include:
- A Climate for Change - A trustee’s guide to understanding and addressing climate risk (August 2005)
- Investment Trends in UK Clean Technology 2000 - 2004 (May 2005)
- Brand Value at Risk from Climate Change (March 2005)
- Investor Guide to Climate Change (January 2005)
- Implications for Industrial Competitiveness - the EU ETS (May 2004)
- Core Ratings Investor Engagement Scoping Study (March 2004)
- Climate Change & Institutional Investors - IIGCC/Carbon Trust Conference Report (November 2003)
The Climate Group
http://www.theclimategroup.org
The Climate Group is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing
business and government leadership on climate change. The Group is based in
the UK, the US and Australia. The organization was founded in 2004 by a diverse
group of companies, governments and supporters who saw the opportunity to create
new momentum in the international effort to stop global warming.
Proactive companies, states and cities around the world are demonstrating that cuts in greenhouse gases required to stop climate change can be achieved whilst growing the bottom line. Using the work of these leaders as a catalyst, The Climate Group works to accelerate international action on global warming with a new, strong focus on practical solutions. It promotes the development and sharing of expertise on how business and government can lead the way towards a low carbon economy whilst boosting profitability and competitiveness.
International Finance Corporation
(IFC)
http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/enviro.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/p_2005Sust
Report_15/$FILE/ClimateChange.pdf
IFC is taking a leading role in developing new business models that stimulate
private sector investment in sustainable energy and at the same time support
sustainable economic development in emerging markets. The IFC helps finance
clean energy projects that contribute to reducing rising greenhouse gas emissions
in developing countries. This is done primarily with concessional resources
from the Global Environment Facility
(GEF), the financial mechanism for the climate convention. In recent years,
IFC has been actively seeking to finance a greater number of energy efficiency
(EE) projects and to develop special initiatives to accelerate the market penetration
of these technologies.
IFC is also actively seeking to participate in the financing of energy projects based on the use of renewable energy resources. Efforts focus on renewable energy technologies such as: run-of-the-river and conventional hydro, geothermal, biomass, wind, and solar (photovoltaic and solar thermal).
IFC has established Carbon Finance Facilities. The Facilities are arrangements under which IFC will purchase carbon credits for the benefit of the Government of the Netherlands under the international emission reduction transfer rules of the Kyoto Protocol. IFC presently has about $100 million under management in two facilities to purchase credits: (i) the IFC-Netherlands Carbon Facility (INCaF) operating under the rules of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM); and (ii) the Netherlands European Carbon Facility (NECaF) operating under the rules of the Joint Implementation (JI) mechanism and managed jointly with IBRD. Payments for carbon credits purchased will be made to eligible projects in emerging markets and will provide them with additional revenue. The Government of the Netherlands will use the purchased credits to meet its GHG reduction obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. The credits will be purchased and paid for regardless of whether or not the Kyoto Protocol is in force.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
http://www.wbcsd.org
WBCSD brings together some 180 international companies in a shared commitment to sustainable development through economic growth, ecological balance and social progress. Its members are drawn from more than 30 countries and 20 major industrial sectors. It also benefits from a global network of 50+ national and regional business councils and partner organizations.
WBCSD’S mission is to provide business leadership as a catalyst for change toward sustainable development, and to support the business license to operate, innovate and grow in a world increasingly shaped by sustainable development issues. Under the umbrella of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the World Resources Institute (WRI), leading experts on greenhouse gas emissions have developed internationally accepted accounting and reporting standards including the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. http://www.ghgprotocol.org
US EPA Climate Leaders Program
http://www.epa.gov/climateleaders
Climate Leaders is an EPA industry-government partnership that works with companies to develop long-term comprehensive climate change strategies. Partners set a corporate-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal and inventory their emissions to measure progress. By reporting inventory data to EPA, Partners create a lasting record of their accomplishments.
Partnership for Climate Action
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/subissue.cfm?subissue=3
Forward-thinking companies have joined with Environmental Defense to form the Partnership for Climate Action (PCA). PCA is dedicated to climate protection, and its members are committed to sharing their knowledge, tools and experience with other companies seeking the same goals. Specifically, each member company of the PCA has made the following promises:
- To publicly declare a global GHG emissions limit and the management actions, policies and incentives necessary to achieve that goal;
- To measure, track, and publicly report net GHG emissions;
- To employ innovative strategies to work with each other, customers, and suppliers to maximize opportunities through demonstrations, products and services to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and
- To lead through example, positive engagement, collaboration, public communication and sharing of experience-based knowledge and effective technology.
World Economic Forum (WEF)
http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Global+Greenhouse
+Gas+Register
The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Incorporated as a foundation in 1971 and based in Geneva, Switzerland, it is impartial and not-for-profit; it is not tied to political, partisan or national interests. The Forum is under the supervision of the Swiss Federal Government. WEF has established a Global GHG Register which enables multinational companies to disclose, monitor and compare their GHG emissions across the world.
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