Here is a list of subtopics on carbon trading:
- Carbon credit
- Carbon offset
- Carbon market
- Clean Development Mechanism
- Emission trading system
- Kyoto Protocol
- Voluntary carbon market
- Cap and trade
- Offset project
- Project-based mechanism
- Renewable energy credits
- Social cost of carbon
- Sustainable development
- Voluntary emissions reductions
- World Bank’s Prototype Carbon Fund
Carbon trading is a market-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It allows companies to buy and sell carbon credits, which represent the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide. The idea is that companies that can reduce their emissions at a lower cost than others can sell their excess credits to companies that find it more expensive to reduce their emissions. This creates a financial incentive for companies to reduce their emissions, and helps to lower the overall level of emissions in the economy.
There are two main types of carbon markets: compliance markets and voluntary markets. Compliance markets are regulated by governments, and companies are required to participate in them if they exceed certain emission limits. Voluntary markets are not regulated, and companies can participate in them if they want to reduce their emissions even further than they are required to.
The first compliance market was the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), which was launched in 2005. The EU ETS is the world’s largest carbon market, and it covers around 45% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions. Other major compliance markets include the California Cap-and-Trade Program and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
The voluntary carbon market is much smaller than the compliance market, but it is growing rapidly. In 2017, the voluntary carbon market was worth around $1 billion. The voluntary market is made up of a variety of different types of projects, including renewable energy projects, energy efficiency projects, and forest conservation projects.
Carbon trading has been criticized for a number of reasons. One criticism is that it is not effective in reducing emissions. Another criticism is that it is unfair to developing countries, which are often the ones that are most affected by climate change. However, carbon trading is also seen as a valuable tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and it is likely to play an important role in the fight against climate change.
Here are some of the key terms related to carbon trading:
- Carbon credit: A unit that represents the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide.
- Carbon offset: A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that is used to compensate for emissions that occur elsewhere.
- Carbon market: A market in which carbon credits are bought and sold.
- Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): A mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol that allows developed countries to earn credits by investing in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries.
- Emission trading system (ETS): A market-based system that caps the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted by a group of companies.
- Kyoto Protocol: An international agreement that sets binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Voluntary carbon market: A market in which companies and individuals can buy and sell carbon offsets.
- Cap and trade: A type of emission trading system in which the government sets a cap on the total amount of emissions that can be emitted, and companies are then allowed to trade permits that allow them to emit a certain amount of pollution.
- Offset project: A project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and which can be used to generate carbon offsets.
- Project-based mechanism: A mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol that allows developed countries to earn credits by investing in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries.
- Renewable energy credit: A credit that represents the generation of one megawatt-hour of electricity from a renewable energy source.
- Social cost of carbon: The economic cost of the damage caused by climate change.
- Sustainable development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
- Voluntary emissions reductions: Emissions reductions that are made voluntarily by companies or individuals.
- World Bank’s Prototype Carbon Fund: A fund that was established by the World Bank to support the development of the carbon market.
Carbon credit
A carbon credit is a tradable permit or certificate representing the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide or the equivalent amount of other greenhouse gases.
Carbon offset
A carbon offset is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that is used to compensate for emissions that occur elsewhere.
Carbon market
A carbon market is a market in which carbon credits are bought and sold.
Clean Development Mechanism
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a project-based mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol that allows industrialized countries to earn credits by investing in emission-reduction projects in developing countries.
Emission trading system
An emission trading system (ETS) is a market-based mechanism for controlling greenhouse gas emissions. Under an ETS, companies are allocated a certain number of emissions allowances, which they can trade with each other.
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty that sets binding targets for industrialized countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Voluntary carbon market
The voluntary carbon market is a market in which carbon credits are bought and sold by companies and individuals who want to reduce their environmental impact.
Cap and trade
Cap and trade is a market-based approach to environmental regulation. Under cap and trade, a government sets a limit on the total amount of pollution that can be emitted. Companies are then allowed to trade emissions allowances, which give them the right to emit a certain amount of pollution.
Offset project
An offset project is a project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Offset projects can be used to generate carbon credits, which can be traded on the carbon market.
Project-based mechanism
A project-based mechanism is a mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol that allows industrialized countries to earn credits by investing in emission-reduction projects in developing countries.
Renewable energy credit
A renewable energy credit (REC) is a tradable certificate that represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity generated from a renewable energy source.
Social cost of carbon
The social cost of carbon is the economic cost of the damages caused by climate change. The social cost of carbon is used to calculate the value of carbon offsets.
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Voluntary emissions reductions
Voluntary emissions reductions (VERs) are reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that are not required by law. VERs can be used to generate carbon credits, which can be traded on the voluntary carbon market.
World Bank’s Prototype Carbon Fund
The World Bank’s Prototype Carbon Fund (PCF) was the first international carbon fund. The PCF was established in 1999 to help developing countries finance emission-reduction projects.
1. A carbon credit is a:
(a) Unit of measurement for the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that have been reduced or avoided.
(b) Financial instrument that represents the right to emit a certain amount of greenhouse gases.
(c) Project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
(d) Market for buying and selling carbon credits.
-
The Clean Development Mechanism is a:
(a) Financial instrument that represents the right to emit a certain amount of greenhouse gases.
(b) Project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
(c) Market for buying and selling carbon credits.
(d) Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol that allows developed countries to earn credits for emissions reductions in developing countries. -
An emission trading system is a:
(a) Market for buying and selling carbon credits.
(b) Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol that allows developed countries to earn credits for emissions reductions in developing countries.
(c) System that caps the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted by a group of entities.
(d) Project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. -
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement that:
(a) Sets binding targets for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
(b) Establishes a market for trading carbon credits.
(c) Creates a mechanism for developing countries to earn credits for emissions reductions.
(d) All of the above. -
The voluntary carbon market is a market for:
(a) Carbon credits that are not required by law.
(b) Carbon credits that are generated by projects that meet certain environmental and social standards.
(c) Carbon credits that are generated by projects that are not eligible for credits under the Kyoto Protocol.
(d) All of the above. -
Cap and trade is a system that:
(a) Caps the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted by a group of entities.
(b) Creates a market for trading carbon credits.
(c) Both (a) and (b).
(d) None of the above. -
An offset project is a project that:
(a) Reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
(b) Offsets greenhouse gas emissions from another source.
(c) Both (a) and (b).
(d) None of the above. -
A project-based mechanism is a mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol that allows developed countries to earn credits for emissions reductions from projects in developing countries.
(a) True
(b) False -
Renewable energy credits are credits that represent the production of a certain amount of renewable energy.
(a) True
(b) False -
The social cost of carbon is the economic cost of the damage caused by climate change.
(a) True
(b) False -
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
(a) True
(b) False -
Voluntary emissions reductions are emissions reductions that are not required by law.
(a) True
(b) False -
The World Bank’s Prototype Carbon Fund is a fund that provides financial support for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(a) True
(b) False