(December 13, 2011) The Durban climate conference set out to save the planet, but in the end may only save China’s green energy industry and the EU’s carbon markets, both of which are in danger of freefall. The $100-billion a year Green Climate Fund, agreed to by the conference, will finance the global spread of Chinese technologies. And the EU’s unilateral decision to extend Kyoto will help prop up its faltering carbon markets. But beyond December 2012, when the current Kyoto Protocol ends, the EU will be on its own as Canada, Japan, and Russia have declared their intention to withdraw.
Carbon Credit Watch: Carbon market freeze continues as European Commission attempts to stamp out fraud
(February 3, 2011) Ongoing concerns about fraud and corruption in carbon trading has lead the European Commission to indefinitely extend the freeze on trading in carbon allowances. Read about this and other stories in our carbon market media roundup.
Carbon Credit Watch: Fraud in carbon markets continues
(January 21, 2011) Cases of fraud and corruption have plagued carbon markets since their inception more than five years ago. As recent media reports suggest, officials in charge of regulating these markets have failed to keep them clean.
Murder on the Carbon Express: Interpol Takes On Emissions Fraud
(October 8, 2010) Mark Schapiro, from the Center for Investigative Reporting, writes about the increasing complexity of policing the emerging carbon market.
ArcelorMittal Corus Salzgitter US Steel and SSAB top firms in EU profiting most from carbon credit
(September 22, 2010) A host of energy and industrial companies in Europe are enjoying massive windfall profits after receiving excess carbon credits, writes Steel Guru.
Subsidizing monoculture plantations: Indonesia officials want palm oil farms to receive carbon credits
(August 20, 2010) Brady Yauch writes that Indonesian officials hope to use the country’s rich rainforests to cash in on the global carbon market.
How carbon trading tax fraud works
(April 28, 2010) An overview of carbon fraud.
Who to blame? UN wants to make auditors of carbon credit projects liable for their work
(September 21, 2009) The UN’s new plan to help regulate the carbon market will make auditors liable for their work, writes Brady Yauch.
China Cashes In on Global Warming–Critics Fret Lucrative Carbon Credits Hurt Clean-Energy Efforts
(January 8, 2007) China is turning its environmental problems into a shrewdly managed financial asset, capitalizing on corporate and governmental efforts to curb global warming. How much China’s actions will do for the atmosphere remains an open question.
China Cashes In on Global Warming: Critics Fret Lucrative Carbon Credits Hurt Clean-Energy Efforts
(January 8, 2007) Chinese officials are quickly learning how to play the carbon credit game, writes the Wall Street Journal.