The Environmental Law Program at Harvard Law School, the Harvard University Center on Environment, and the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University, with generous support from Bank of America, held a day-long conference on April 11, 2008 that focused on the design of carbon trading schemes, with particular attention to carbon offsets. This was a high level event that featured panelists and invitees with a broad range of expertise, including policy makers, offset market participants, state officials, and academics.
Given the recent interest in offsets in both state and regional regulatory programs, and in proposed federal climate schemes, this conference was particularly timely. In particular, panelists discussed the challenges faced by states that wish to use carbon offsets in their greenhouse gas reduction programs, including how to ensure that such offsets play a constructive role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and how to ensure they are real, permanent and verifiable. Panels addressed lessons learned from state, federal, and international experience with offsets, including experience to date with the Kyoto Protocol regime; perspectives of buyers and sellers in the offset markets; the "state of the states" currently designing climate policies using offsets; and questions of harmonization and preemption related to future federal and international regulatory regimes. Please see the attached agenda for panelist bios and future details.
The conference agenda is available here.
Powerpoint presentations:
Powerpoint presentation for Michael Wara
Powerpoint presentation for Dale Bryk
Powerpoint presentation for Ann Hambleton
Powerpoint presentation for Wiley Barbour
Powerpoint presentation for Diane Wittenberg