http://www.firstclimate.com/ Latest News en http://www.firstclimate.com//fileadmin/images/assets/rss_icon.gif http://www.firstclimate.com/ 34 34 Latest News TYPO3 - get.content.right http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Tue, 25 Nov 2008 09:00:00 +0100 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/10/07/first-climate-in-carbon-finance-deutsche-bank-launches-carbon-fund-kopie-1.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=76e2d46740 The European Parliament's Environment Committee on Tuesday called for tighter post-Kyoto emission caps than previously proposed and the recognition of forestry offsets for the first time under an...
First Climate Group Executive Board Member Urs Brodmann sees plenty of things to like in the 25 compromise amendments (see link, right) that the European Parliament's Environment Committee inserted into a bill that could - if voted into law - govern the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

He likes, for example, the inclusion of afforestation, reforestation and forestry offsets for the first time. The new bill, approved Tuesday, says companies can use such offsets to cover up to 5% of their emission reduction requirements post-2012. He also has no qualms with tighter overall caps than those proposed by the European Commission in January.

But he says the parliamentarians blew it as far as offsets from the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) are concerned – and he's not alone.

"There's a lot of, well, angry discourse in the CDM community," said another project developer, echoing others who didn't want to be on the record until they had time to review the documents.

"They basically moved the goalposts," says Brodmann, who has had time to review the documents and says the angry discourse flows from an amendment that will essentially bar any company that takes full advantage of the program as it exists today from using offsets to meet its EU ETS obligations after 2012.

Don't buy that Offset!

Specifically (and brace yourself, this gets complicated), the amended bill says that any company that uses CDM offsets totaling more than 6.5% of its 2005 emissions to meet its EU ETS obligations this year – or in any year through 2012 – will not be allowed to use offsets purchased after 2012 to meet its EU ETS obligations in the next phase of EU ETS, which runs from the end of 2012 through 2020.

Neither, for that matter, will companies that buy offsets now and bank them for the next phase.

Not that banking is disallowed – indeed, it is explicitly permitted under current rules – but companies that do choose to buy CDM offsets now for use in the next phase will be forced to gobble up as many as they can before the end of 2102 – because they won't be allowed to use any post 2012 offsets for compliance purposes (no word on what happens if companies retire their banked allowances voluntarily).

Companies that neither cross that 6.5% threshold in this phase nor try to cash in banked allowances next phase will, on the other hand, be allowed to buy and use offsets from 2013 through 2020, during which they can annually purchase and use offsets equal to 4% of their 2005 emissions.

Avril Doyle, the Irish Member of European Parliament who is steering EU ETS legislation in Parliament, says the bill simply presents a choice for companies: load up now, or hold your peace through 2020.

"This wording ensures that all operators can use JI/CDM of a high standard where the host countries have ratified the Copenhagen climate agreement, in the period 2013-2020," she wrote in a June draft of the current legislation. "Companies will obviously do whichever gives them the largest entitlement."

Bait and Switch?

Brodmann says that's not the point.

"It calls into question the principle of legal certainty," he says. "In the current phase, member states are allowed to set their limits, and many have limites above 6.5%. This is a violation of good faith and creates a lot of uncertainty in the market, because now installations don't know what the next penalty will be."

What's more, project developers have been using the current rules to promote the idea of buying allowances now and banking them for the future – something they say incentivizes early action and starts funneling money into developing world reductions today, rather than three or four years down the road.

The Reasoning

Advocates of the amendments say the new bill promotes reductions inside Europe, and some even argue that domestic abatement is cheaper in the long term than is promoting clean development in the developing world.

As for the 6.5% figure, it first showed up in its current context in a June draft of the bill, when Doyle argued that the European Union's average annual reduction in the period 2008 through 2012 will be 6.5% of 2005 emissions, and that companies shouldn't be encouraged to use offsets for an amount greater than the pan-European reductions over that period.

That came from a January European Commission proposal encouraging legislators to learn from past mistakes in drafting new legislation.

"Approved NAP (National Allocation Plans) decisions show an absolute emission reduction of 6.5% compared to 2005 verified emissions, thus ensuring that the EU ETS, designed as a cap-and-trade system, will deliver real emission reductions," the report stated. "However, experience of the 1st period and the NAP assessment of the 2nd period gave strong reason to believe that the overall functioning of the EU ETS could be improved in a number of aspects."

The Words in Question

Interestingly, the contentious amendment comes in a section of the bill designed to promote predictability (amended sections in boldface):

In order to provide predictability, operators should be given certainty about their potential after 2012 to use high quality CERs and high quality ERUs that incentivise the linking of trading systems. Operators should be allowed to use such credits up to an average of 4% of their emissions, during the period from 2013 to 2020, provided they use less than 6,5% of ERUs and CERs compared to their 2005 emissions during each year of the 2008 - 2020 period and they do not carry over entitlements under Article 11a(2) of Directive 2003/87/EC. This system should ensure that over the period 2008 - 2020 up to 40% of the effort can be achieved through the use of CERs and ERUs.

Which was amended from:

In order to provide predictability, operators should be given certainty about their potential after 2012 to use CERs and ERUs up to the remainder of the level which they were allowed to use in the period 2008 to 2012, from project types which were accepted by all Member States in the Community scheme during the period 2008 to 2012.

The Council of Europe, meanwhile, is working on its own amended bill, and key members of the Council and Parliament will then hammer out a compromise bill that will be presented at one of the 12 four-day plenary sessions of European Parliament in Strasbourg.

If a compromise is rejected, or if no compromise is reached, the whole process begins again, says Tuomas Rautanen, First Climate's Senior policy manager in charge of methodology and risk - adding that he's optimistic it won't end that way.

"We still don't have the Council position," he says. "That will come out in a few weeks, but it's most likely not going to be one that will retroactively change the rules."

In theory, the Council and Parliament have equal footing when it comes to hammering out a compromise bill, but in reality the Council usually gets its way, he says.

"In that sense, if the council does its homework, as they traditionally do, there is a slightly higher chance that the Parliament position as adopted today will not pass."


Source: http://ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/article.news.php?component_id=6057&component_version_id=9055&language_id=12]]> Press Clipping Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:55:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/10/07/dangerous-slow-down-in-cdm-investments-possible-until-2013.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=5c732d09c8 First Climate comments today’s decision by the EU Parliament’s Environment Committee and sees a possible danger to the emission trading systems. Bad Vilbel- Frankfurt/ Zurich, October 07, 2008 – The European Parliament’s Environment Committee voted today on the review of the EU-Emissions trading scheme. The outcome of the vote will serve as the Parliament’s position when it starts the compromise negotiation with the Council in the coming months to reach a final legislative text.

The Parliament’s position restricts the use of Kyoto Protocol mechanism credits. If an installation uses more than 6.5% of credits compared to its 2005 emissions in the period from 2008-2012, it foregoes the right to use additional credits in the period 2013-2020.

Parliament also calls for unilateral quality criteria for credits from the Kyoto Protocol mechanisms to be eligible in the EU-ETS. The countries from which these credits can be sourced will need to have ratified the future international climate treaty. Furthermore eligible credits would need to be accepted by other major emissions trading schemes.

“A company, which has already bought credits beyond the proposed limit of 6.5% for 2008-2012 would all of a sudden see itself at a disadvantaged position after 2013, as it would not be allowed the same amount of credits in the period leading up to 2020. Penalizing installations in the future for having played according to the current member states’ rules would be a dangerous message to send, questioning the credibility of Brussel legislators as consistent law-makers,” says Urs Brodmann, member of the executive board of First Climate.

Furthermore investments in CDM projects will face considerable uncertainty until the ratification of the international treaty if the Parliament’s position holds. “The unilateral quality criteria do not add anything to the current UN standards in force to make sure that the projects contribute to global emissions reductions. However, the Parliament is sending the message that no investment in emission-reducing projects should be done in developing countries until we have certainty, which countries have ratified the treaty. This might occur as late as 2013” Mr Brodmann adds. “It takes years to set up these kinds of investments once certainty on eligibility is reached. In the mean time European countries will need to comply to emission limits only through domestic abatement. This is against the spirit of the Kyoto Protocol and undermines the international post-Kyoto negotiations.”

Besides the risk about eligibility of credits from specific countries, the Parliament text links the eligibility of credits to whether or not these credits would be accepted by other major emission trading schemes, especially the US federal system. “Hopes are high of course, but we can’t know if such a system will even exist one day.”

Parliament voted in favour of accepting credits from forestry-projects in the EU-ETS. “This is a welcomed development. The concerns which led to the exclusion of forestry credits in 2008-2012 are no longer founded. They contribute to global emissions reductions in the same way that industry projects do,” Brodmann states with satisfaction.

The legislative process in Brussels continues now with the Parliament and the Council negotiating for a final legislative text based on each institution’s respective position. “We hope that the Council will rectify the text in a manner that there would not be a disruption in investments in CDM and JI projects.”

Meanwhile the CDM Executive Board is working to solve problems linked to the quality of certain projects. “That is the only right place where such rules should be discussed. We are dealing with one climate. Therefore we should have one framework and one uniform market for global project-based credits” says Mr Brodmann.

First Climate is one of Europe’s leading carbon asset management companies. With 13 offices on four continents and more than ten years’ experience in the market, it is one of the few intermediaries to cover the entire carbon credit value chain. First Climate develops, finances, and implements CDM, JI, and VER projects, purchases the resulting carbon credits, and customizes trading solutions for companies subject to the EU ETS. As investment advisor to several institutional investors, First Climate structures and develops carbon funds and related products. In the voluntary market, the company provides VERs verified according to the highest international standards. First Climate is one of the main sponsors of the Gold Standard Version 2.

Contact
First Climate
Fritz Wilhelm
Head Corporate Communications
Tel.: +49 (0)6101 - 5 56 58 - 32
Fax: +49 (0)6101 - 5 56 58 - 77
E-mail: fritz.wilhelm@firstclimate.com]]> Press Release Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:00:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/09/24/first-climate-in-bloomberg-deutsche-bank-starts-public-carbon-fund-for-about-eur-250-million-kopi.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=d41cbc5530 DWS Investments, the mutual fund management business of Germany’s Deutsche Bank, has launched a ‘public’ carbon fund open to European retail and institutional investors. The DWS CO2... Press Clipping Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:55:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/09/23/first-climate-in-dow-jones-first-climate-schliesst-sich-icroa-an-kopie-1-4.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=6b55a84710 By Mathew Carr Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Deutsche Bank AG set up a public fund of as much as 250 million euros ($368 million) to invest in greenhouse-gas credits.

The size of the fund may be smaller and depends on demand, Claus Gruber, a Frankfurt-based spokesman for DWS Investment GmbH, the mutual arm of Deutsche Asset Management, said today by phone.

The DWS CO2 Opportunities Fund will invest in European Union carbon dioxide allowances, United Nations credits and spreads between futures contracts and permit types, Markus Huewener, chief executive officer of First Climate Group, said today by phone.

First Climate, based in Bad Vilbel, Germany, is helping manage the fund with Aquila Capital LP, according to an e-mailed statement.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&refer=conews&tkr=DBK%3AGR&sid=aL3ZsJSqPvp4]]> Press Clipping Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:55:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/09/23/joint-press-release-worlds-first-public-fund-placement-for-co2.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=affbff0374 Joint Press Release As a result of worldwide efforts to combat climate change, CO2 has become a new, highly coveted commodity class. For the first time, DWS is offering the opportunity for a direct participation in this promising market in cooperation with Aquila Capital. Thomas Richter, Managing Director of DWS: "We are thrilled to manage an attractive, sustainable and liquid investment in this new market segment along with Aquila Capital, one of the pioneers of alternative and non-traditional asset classes." Aquila Capital draws on the research know-how and unique market expertise of First Climate, the European leader in Carbon Asset Management and an advisor to international organizations and governments.

The DWS CO2 Opportunities Fund invests exclusively in the new commodity class CO2 and CO2-derived investment products. "The CO2 market is still in its early stages of development. As an investment house and a pioneer of alternative investments, we know that great opportunities exist, as well as a high level of insecurities. The more important it is to be able to rely on a professional management", explains Dr. Dieter Rentsch, Managing Partner of Aquila Capital.

Everything has its price. Yet the environment hasn’t had one for a long time. Climate change and the associated risks have fundamentally changed this. CO2 is the main driver of rising temperatures. The pollution of the environment is no longer free of charge, but carries huge costs. Already in the additional protocol of the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was held in Kyoto in 1997, the industrialized countries agreed to legally binding reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In the socalled Kyoto Protocol it was also planned to implement a CO2 emission rights trading program as a tool for imposing emission limits, also referred to as cap and trade. A new asset class was born, called CO2.

The environment of the DWS CO2 Opportunities Fund is the carbon market, mainly controlled via climate targets. In Europe, a CO2 trading scheme is already stipulated until 2020. One key objective is to preserve only low-CO2 power plants in the future. However, they will only operate competitively at a high price for CO2, but since it is foreseeable that the price for CO2 will rise due to climate change objectives, market prospects are very bright. Besides, the flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol enable major CO2 emission contributors to carry out cost analysis and reduce their emissions in a costeffective way. Consequently they can reduce emissions in emerging economies on the basis of market economic principles and hence generate returns. Apart from the high base potential of the CO2 market, this represents a further return source for the fund.

The fund is a UCITS III and offers investors daily liquidity. The DWS CO2 Opportunities Fund (ISIN: LU0382185493) charges an initial load of 5 %. The fund fees total up to 2.25 % per year and include custodian fees and other administrative and sales costs.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Aquila Capital is a company specializing in alternative and non-traditional investment. As an independent investment house Aquila identifies and manages investments - as a structurer the company develops tailor made investment solutions. Against the backdrop of a continuously changing world 60+ investment professionals are fully committed to capitalize on the opportunities deriving from constant change. Since the beginning of the millennium, Aquila Capital converts global trends into innovative investment solutions and manages over 1.6 billion Euros in assets in five different locations. The tight cooperation between fund management, trading and structuring teams, short communication channels and the entrepreneurial culture allow for a high pace of innovation to push forward new attractive investments.

First Climate is one of the leading companies in European emissions trading. With 13 offices on four continents and more than ten years of market experience, it is one of the few providers to cover the entire emission certificates value chain. First Climate develops, finances, and realizes CDM, JI and VER projects, acquires the generated emission credits and provides individual trade solutions to climate neutral clients and to companies that are subject to the EU emissions trading scheme. First Climate develops and structures climate protection funds and related products for a number of institutional investors. With currently around €250 m in assets under management, First Climate is also advisor to the Climate Change Investment I and II funds, registered in Luxemburg. First Climate is advisor to the Post 2012 Carbon Credit Fund launched by the European Investment Bank and four other public financing institutions.

DWS Investments is the mutual fund arm of Deutsche Asset Management, being with EUR 152 bn. AuM (1) the largest mutual fund company in its home country, Germany, with EUR 175 bn. AuM number two of the leading retail mutual fund companies across Europe (2) and with EUR 257 bn. within the top 10 globally (3). Founded in 1956, DWS’s activities span not only the European markets. Over the last few years, the DWS Investments brand has been rolled out to cover countries and products across theAmericas, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Leading positions in rankings of independent fund rating agencies and consistently awarded prizes confirm the sustainable success and the outstanding performance of DWS.

Sources:
1) BVI, July 31, 2008; incl. DB products
2) Lipper FERI, June 30, 2008; incl. DB products
3) AAM, Strategic Insight, Lipper FERI, ITA, DWS (June 30, 2008); European figures incl. DB products

For more images, information or interview appointments, please contact:

gemeinsam werben
Eric Metz
Tel. +49 40. 59 46 13 98
Fax +49 40. 44 40 58 95
E-Mail: e.metz@gemeinsam-werben.de

Aquila Capital
Martina Rühmann
Tel. +49 40. 41 16 19-162
Fax +49 40. 41 16 19-129
E-Mail: mar@aquila-capital.de

First Climate
Fritz Wilhelm
Tel. +49 6101. 556 58-34
Fax +49 6101. 556 58-77
E-Mail: fritz.wilhelm@firstclimate.com]]> Press Release Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:00:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/09/09/first-climate-in-point-carbon-considering-the-seriousness-of-cdm-consideration-too-seriously-kopi.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=1fb3fe5cc8 Aufnahme. First Climate aus Bad Vilbel hat sich der International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA) angeschlossen. Die Organisation setzt sich für hohe Standards für den freiwilligen... Press Clipping Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:55:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/09/09/first-climate-in-dow-jones-first-climate-schliesst-sich-icroa-an-kopie-1-2.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=1af00eb1d4 Mit der Einführung des Emissionshandels und damit handelbarer Emissionszertifikate sind gleichzeitig neuartige Finanzprodukte und -märkte entstanden, die Investoren Chancen bieten, ihre Rendite zu... Press Clipping Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:55:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/09/03/first-climate-llc-is-founding-reporter-of-the-climate-registry-kopie-1.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=b48154ff54 First Climate joins ICROA
Based in Holland, Climate Neutral Group works with high profile customers including the Dutch Government and Parliament, PricewaterhouseCoopers and ING Group to reduce their emissions. First Climate, headquartered in Germany, was formed from a merger in 2008 between 3C – The Carbon Credit Company and Factor Consulting & Management AG; global clients include Nike, Allianz and Credit Suisse.

ICROA co-chair Tom Stoddard said, “Our mission to advocate for rigorous industry standards is continuing to gain momentum as we grow in strength through the addition of two more high quality carbon reduction and offset providers - Climate Neutral Group and First Climate.” 

Commenting on its decision to join ICROA, Denis Slieker, Managing Director of Climate Neutral Group said, “ICROA is the organisation that is leading the way in promoting responsible carbon management practices and setting high quality standards for the voluntary market. We’re pleased to join and support ICROA’s mission.”

Jochen Gassner, Director of First Climate added, “The code of best practice which ICROA provides is an industry benchmark. It guarantees reliable standards and thus credibility and integrity of voluntary carbon offsets, for both the clients’ and the environment’s ends. We fully support ICROA’s goals and encourage others to do so.”

A key aim of ICROA is to promote best practice and high standards in the voluntary carbon market. ICROA members adhere to the ICROA Code of Best Practice. This requires ICROA members to measure footprints according to accepted international standards and to implement a responsible “reduce and offset” approach to internal and external greenhouse gas reductions.

ICROA members support the use of credible offsets verified under leading compliance and voluntary standards; CDM/JI, Voluntary Carbon Standard and Gold Standard.ICROA members submit annual reports to demonstrate compliance with the ICROA Code of Best Practice. ICROA also plays an active role in engaging with Governments and NGOS on voluntary carbon market issues.

ICROA co-chair Jonathan Shopley said “ICROA looks forward to building a larger presence in expanding carbon markets. ICROA now represents a significant number of leading carbon reduction and offset providers in the voluntary market and the organisation’s membership covers Europe, North America and Australia.”

ICROA aims to expand its membership to include other high quality carbon reduction and offset providers in the voluntary market.

Contacts:

Europe: Edward Hanrahan, ClimateCare
Phone: +44 (0) 1865 207 012
edward.hanrahan@jpmorganclimatecare.com

Australia: Freddie Sharpe, Climate Friendly
Phone: +61 2 9356 3600 Mobile + 61 402 968 813
freddy.sharpe@climatefriendly.com

US: Adam Stern, TerraPass
Phone: +1 (415) 692 3412
astern@terrapass.com

Notes to Editors:

About ICROA: www.icroa.org

The International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), is a not for profit alliance of leading carbon reduction and offset providers. It provides leadership and a unified voice advocating for rigorous industry standards. ICROA members support a “reduce and offset” approach to carbon management, and they all comply with the ICROA Code of Best Practice.

As described by ICROA’s Code of Best Practice, carbon management is a comprehensive approach to assessing and reducing an organisation’s carbon footprint. Comprehensive carbon management requires:

• Measuring carbon footprints according to accepted international standards
• Setting emissions reduction targets based on scientific assessments
• Reducing net CO2 emissions by:
  - Achieving reductions within the organisation
  - Using real, permanent, and additional offsets

ICROA members currently serve thousands of businesses and hundreds of thousands of individuals. The member companies are:

• Carbon Clear http://www.carbon-clear.com • The CarbonNeutral Company http://www.carbonneutral.com

• ClimateCare http://www.climatecare.org

• Climate Friendly https://climatefriendly.com

• Climate Neutral Group http://www.climateneutralgroup.com

• co2balance http://www.co2balance.com

• First Climate http://www.firstclimate.com

• Native Energy http://www.nativeenergy.com

• targetneutral http://www.targetneutral.com

• TerraPass, http://www.terrapass.com

About Climate Neutral Group:

Climate Neutral Group is a leading, Dutch based carbon reduction and offset provider, which started in 2002 as one of the first offset providers in the world and now serves over 400 business customers. By providing carbon management services, which includes carbon foot printing, reduction measures and offsetting, Climate Neutral Group inspires organisations and individuals to become climate neutral. As one of the pioneering organisations in the voluntary carbon market Climate Neutral Group puts great effort in establishing fully transparent and highly quality services and projects. The carbon offset projects which the Climate Neutral Group develops not only benefit climate change but are also beneficial to local communities, ecology and sustainable development.

About First Climate:

First Climate is one of Europe’s leading carbon asset management companies. With 13 offices on four continents and more than ten years’ experience in the market, it is one of the few intermediaries to cover the entire carbon credit value chain. First Climate develops, finances, and implements CDM, JI, and VER projects, purchases the resulting carbon credits, and customises trading solutions for companies subject to the EU ETS. As investment advisors to various institutional investors, the company’s financial experts structure and develop carbon funds and related products. In the voluntary market, the group’s climate neutral unit provides VERs verified according to the highest international standards. First Climate is one of the main sponsors of the Gold Standard Version 2.]]> Press Release Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:00:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/09/01/first-climate-in-dow-jones-first-climate-schliesst-sich-icroa-an-kopie-1-3.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=9dc74362f4 Seit 2008 können auch Zertifikate aus den projektbasierten Mechanismen Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) und Joint Implementation (JI) im EU-Emissionshandel verwendet werden. Dies eröffnet... Press Clipping Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:55:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/08/20/first-climate-in-dow-jones-first-climate-schliesst-sich-icroa-an-kopie-1-1.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=658a57677c Das Kreditkartenunternehmen Barclaycard hat mit der Barclaycard Green eine nach eigenen Angaben "umweltfreundliche" Kreditkarte vorgestellt. Wie das Kreditinstitut in Hamburg mitteilt,...
Auch spendet der Hamburger Kreditkartenemittent neben den Umsätzen die vom Kunden gezahlte Jahresgebühr von 19 Euro ab einem Vorjahresumsatz von 1.200 Euro an ausgewählte Umweltprojekte. Gegenwärtig werden damit ein Projekt des Klima-Bündnis e.V. in Deutschland sowie je ein Projekt in Indien und Brasilien unterstützt. Letztere wurden vom europäischen Emissionshandelsunternehmen "First Climate" ausgewählt und ersetzen veralte Methoden der Energiegewinnung mit regenerativen Energiemaßnahmen.

Bereits bei der Produktion der Kreditkarte sowie im Kundenservice wird nach eigenen Angaben auf die Umwelt geachtet: So wird die Barclaycard Green Kreditkarte aus recyclingfähigem PETG-Plastik hergestellt und Kunden können Papier sparen, indem sie Kontoauszüge auf Wunsch statt per Post online erhalten.

Zudem erhalten Besitzer einer Barclaycard Green Vergünstigungen, wenn sie sich für die umweltfreundlichen Produkte und Services beteiligter Partnerunternehmen entscheiden. Zum Beispiel kostet ein Jahresabonnement der GEO mit der Barclaycard Green statt 72 Euro nur noch 63,60 Euro. Auch beim Ökostromanbieter LichtBlick erhalten Kreditkarteninhaber bei einem Wechsel 25 Euro Startguthaben.

Source: http://www.banktip.de/info/7348/Impressum.html]]> Press Clipping Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:55:00 +0200 http://fileadmin/downloads/press/pc/2008/PC_080812_Trading_Carbon.pdf Mischa Classen, Senior Project Manager, First Climate Group, Assesses the Current Status of the UN Climate Change Negotiations. Press Clipping Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:56:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/08/06/first-climate-in-point-carbon-considering-the-seriousness-of-cdm-consideration-too-seriously.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=af079d584b By Martin Kruska and Mischa Classen, First Climate. --- Although expected long beforehand, the press release by four DOEs in July announcing their intention to reject projects if set on track longer... Press Clipping Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:21:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/07/30/business-news-americas-first-climate-managers-carbon-market-to-continue-rapid-growth.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=a9bc60b609 The global carbon credit market, which has doubled in value on an annual basis in recent years, is on track to continue expanding at a rapid rate, Santiago, Chile-based senior project managers with...
Specifically, the global value of carbon credits reached 64bn euros (US$99.6bn) last year, more than double the 31.2bn euros in 2006. Volumes also increased, albeit not as quickly: 2.98Bt of CO2 equivalent was traded last year compared to 1.75Bt in 2006, according to a World Bank report, State and Trends of the Carbon Market 2008.

Some estimates show that if the US enters the market, carbon trading could go as high as US$1tn, Brandt said, adding the North American country accounts for 25% of global CO2 emissions.

"It's a snowball effect," CDM senior project manager Francisco Avendaño said of the growth in the carbon market's value.

ENERGY PROJECTS, LATAM IMPACT

The carbon market is boosting renewable and efficient energy projects, which account for nearly two-thirds of trading in the project-based markets.

"In 2007 alone, CDM leveraged US$33bn in additional investment for clean energy, which exceeded what had been leveraged cumulatively for the previous five years since 2002," according to the report.

Brazil, meanwhile, has led Latin America in the market, accounting for 6% of the world's CDM projects, according to the report. The "rest of" Latin America accounts for a combined 5% of the global total.

Prices in Brazil span the entire range from 8-15 euros, while other countries in Latin America have not seen such high prices," according to the report.

GREEN BARRIERS

Meanwhile, some fear the carbon market could threaten Latin America's export economy as developed countries increasingly want imports with low carbon footprints.

Chile's former president Ricardo Lagos, who now serves as a special UN envoy on climate change, has warned about the possibility of "green" commercial barriers.

Chile's energy minister Marcelo Tokman also has cautioned that with the growing number of coal-fired plants in the country Chile could face increasing pressure to reduce its CO2 emissions.

First Climate's Brandt and Avendaño acknowledged the threat, saying consumers in developed countries could prefer environmentally friendly imports for premium products like wine, cheese and olive oil.

But the two view the trend as an opportunity as companies create niches by marketing environmentally friendly products that offset emissions by buying up carbon credits. Vineyards, for example, have expressed interest in purchasing credits to offset emissions produced during international transport.

"Opportunities always present themselves in times of critical change," Avendaño said.

Source: Business News Americas, Wednesday, July 30, 2008.]]> Press Clipping Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:56:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/07/06/first-climate-in-reuters-carbon-market-looks-past-g8-to-us-election.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=c676cfa41f Carbon market traders and backers of clean-energy projects aren't holding their breath for a strong statement on fighting change during this week's G8 summit and are more focused on who wins...  
But some are hoping for the leaders to strongly support renewable energy as a way to fight rising greenhouse gas emissions that are blamed for global warming.
 
"In general, nobody's expecting a lot from this G8. They'd like to see something positive on carbon and greenhouse gas emissions come out of it but I don't there's too much expectation right now," said Anthony Sneed, director of operations for Asia Carbon Exchange, a trading platform for emissions trading.
 
The G8 leaders agreed last year in Germany to "seriously consider" halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 but there are doubts U.S. President George W. Bush will agree to a mid-century target unless developing nations back emissions curbs as well.
 
Leaders from several of the world's biggest emerging markets, including China and India, will meet G8 members in Japan on Wednesday to discuss climate change.
 
"I am not expecting a lot this early in the process ahead of the December 2009 Copenhagen meeting where they are supposed to have a final agreement for post-2012," Sneed told Reuters.
 
World nations are trying to agree on a replacement for the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol that will bind all nations to emissions curbs. Kyoto's current phase, which ends in 2012, binds only 37 rich countries to curbs and excludes big developing states.
 
"The U.S. will play a big part in this and right now it appears the U.S. will have to wait till after the elections to make some kind of meaningful input to these negotiations because we have a lame-duck presidency," Sneed said.
 
"BUSINESS AS USUAL"
 
The head of the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat, Yvo de Boer, said fixation on a far-away, vague 2050 target was unhelpful.
 
"It doesn't make explicit who will be doing what to achieve that minus 50 and ... it doesn't tell you what the baseline for that minus 50 is," he told Reuters on Friday.
 
"What the carbon market needs is where are we going to be in 2020, what is going to be next round of commitments, because that specifies supply and demand."
 
Prices for carbon emissions issued under the Kyoto Protocol's rules are rising, in part reflecting soaring oil and gas costs.
 
"I think it's business as usual," said Sudhir Bhat, director of project finance at Swiss firm First Climate, which trades emissions and develops clean energy projects.
 
"People are trying hard to make projects work. I think the industry recognises there is a market and there is a need for this and they are pushing on."
 
He added that he hoped the G8 would commit to promoting renewable energy around the world.
 
The Kyoto Protocol allows rich countries to meet their limits by buying emission rights from developing nations.
 
The rights come from clean-energy projects developed in poor states. Tradeable certified emissions reductions (CERs) are issued for the projects per tonne of emissions reduced.
 
But the rights system runs out in 2012 unless the world agrees on a broad replacement for the Kyoto Protocol.
 
"The CER market is quite robust now. It's been in a nice trend for the past couple of months. People are very happy to see the prices over 20 euros for CERs per tonne," said Sneed.
 
"Everyone expects the carbon market to be here in some form or another. It's just hard to know the format."
 


]]> Press Clipping Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:21:00 +0200 http://www.firstclimate.com/press-events/news-details/article/2008/05/20/first-climate-llc-is-founding-reporter-of-the-climate-registry.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=30&cHash=a89f170593 Industry Leader Takes Action on Climate Change Contact: Justin Bilow (213) 891-1444 ext. 127 » Download press release as PDF]]> Press Release Tue, 20 May 2008 09:00:00 +0200