Environmental Markets Symposium Series: Carbon Offsets

Share March 12, 2009

When: April 10-11th, 2009
Where: French Family Science Center
More Info: Duke Carbon Conference site

As we all work towards reducing our carbon footprint and the potential for climate neutrality, the conversation inevitably leads to how offsets will be a part of the equation. The Sustainable Duke Program and the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions recently issued a report examining the political and economic trends surrounding carbon offset markets and the opportunities to invest in high quality, local offset projects. As we expand this discussion, the Duke Environmental Markets Student Group would like to invite you to a free, two-day event in April focused on clearing the air on carbon offsets and their role in the voluntary and compliance markets.

Symposium Overview:

A series of panels focused on specific types of carbon offsets in the marketplace—Forestry, Energy Efficiency Certificates (EECs), Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), and Methane Capture—will attempt to shed some light on the specific issues regarding methodologies, policies, and business planning by drawing on the expertise of professionals within the policy, industry, and certification arenas. The symposium will culminate with a roundtable discussion to address some pressing practical issues and questions regarding offsets including:
• Which types of offsets are appropriate to meet climate neutrality goals (e.g., land use and forestry offsets vs. renewable energy and/or energy efficiency offsets)?
• Are there benefits to sourcing local versus global offsets?
• How can we, as institutions, evaluate the different certification standards?
• What is the role of offsets in existing and future climate change policy?

Symposium Agenda:  

Friday afternoon, April 10:
- RECs and Forestry Panels
Saturday morning, April 11:
- EECs and Methane Capture Panels & Roundtable Discussion

Please follow the link below to register for more information on the symposium:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=I4ZXMT5lwXZYMa0Rso8V2A_3d_3d