6th session, Manila, March 2003
5th session, Rio de Janeiro, Aug 2001
4th session, Colorado, Aug 2000
3rd session, London, May 1998
2nd session, Toronto, Nov 1997

5th Session of the UNCTAD/Earth Council Policy Forum on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 29-31 August 2001

The Rio Policy Forum was unique in that it drew together, for the first time in a developing country, stakeholders from the public and private sectors of both developing and developed countries to look at the trade and investment aspects of climate change. We hope that the Rio Policy Forum managed further the discussions among all nations and will contribute to the growing concerns about trade and investment implications of climate change, as well as experience and expectations in developed and developing countries, and their industry and financial sectors. In the focus on developing countries, we explored the concrete issues involving greenhouse gas emission mitigation projects.

The Policy Forum was intended to serve as a high-level bridge between the resumed COP 6 session in July and COP 7 in November 2001. The Earth Council and the International Emissions Trading Association will partner with UNCTAD in ensuring a wide representation of public, private sector and civil society participation from different regions of the world.

Details

Agenda

List of Participants

Presentations, Wednesday, 29 August

UNCTAD/ Earth Council

Training Initiative on the Kyoto Protocol Mechanisms

Research paper on “Foreign Trade Implications of Kyoto Protocol”, by Mr. Laurent Viguier (PhD., MIT/Grenoble)

Discussion on 2002 Policy Forum

Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development

Banco de Nordeste

Petrobras

Plantar Group

Conselho Empresarial Brasileiro para o Desenvolvimento Sustentavél

BP Brazil

Presentations, Thursday, 30 August

Opening

Climate change, energy crises & globalization: How can bottom-up climate change initiatives converge with top-down negotiations? Do the private sector and civil society need to wait for governments to act?

Mr. Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General, UNCTAD

Mr. Maurice Strong, Chairman, Earth Council Institute

Mr. Ronaldo Sardenberg, Minister of Science and Technology and President of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Climate Change, Brazil

Mr. Paulo Protasio, Chairman, IETA

The Kyoto Protocol negotiations: What next?

Mr. Tahar Hadj-Sadok, Deputy Executive Secretary, Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC)

Mr. Everton Vargas (Brazil) and Mr. Paul Fauteux (Canada)

Dr. Richard Sandor, Chicago Climate Exchange

Experience with domestic emissions trading systems

Emerging national emissions trading systems in several developed countries indicate interest in importing GHG offsets from developing countries. What are the provisions for the purchase of project-based GHG offsets from abroad? What are the criteria and requirements for their trade within emerging national systems?

Mr. Peer Stiansen, Norway

Ms. Margaret Mogford, United Kingdom

Mr. Lex de Jonge, Netherlands

Mr. Jurgen Lefevere, European Commission

Private sector views of GHG offsets importing countries

What are the specific attributes of GHG offset projects that would attract private investment? What are the specific project characteristics that have attracted investment (type of project, scale, geographical area, investment return rates, country risk, transaction costs, etc.)? What motivates multinational companies to invest in GHG offset projects in developing countries?

Mr. Frede Cappelen, Statoil

Mr. John Mogford, British Petroleum

Mr. Bernt Rydgren, NRG Energy

Friday, 31 August

Public sector views of GHG offset exporting countries

What is happening and being done in export countries regarding GHG offsets? How are developing countries preparing for the emerging GHG market? What can be done to enhance the capacity of export countries?

Mr. Jose Domingos Miguez, Brazil

Mr. Eduardo Sanhueza, Chile

Mr. Jan Pretel, Czech Republic

Mr. Jose Villarin, Philippines

Mr. Richard Muyungi, Tanzania/LDC

Jean Acquatella, ECLAC

Private sector views of GHG offsets importing countries

What are the economic and developmental interests of the private sector in GHG exporting countries in participating in GHG offset projects? What specific project attributes are important for their active participation? What projects are currently under implementation?

Mr. H. Situmeang/Ms. A. Semiawan, PLN-Indonesia

Ms. Hyo-Sun Kim, Korean Gas

Mr. Eduardo P. Carvalho, UNICA

Prof. Jose Goldemberg, University of Sao Paulo

Market Makers’ Panel

What are funds and other market actors doing to develop the GHG market/s?

Mr. John O’Brien, Enviros

Mr. Teobaldo Leal, Banco do Nordeste

Mr. Neil Cohn, Natsource

Mr. Francisco Hoyos, Fondelec

Concluding panel – a message from the Policy Forum to COP 7

How can buyers and sellers advance the emerging global GHG market? What can be done to enhance the capacity of developing countries to participate in this market?

Mr. Fabio Feldmann, Brazilian Forum on Climate Change

Mr. Lucas Assunção, Policy Forum Coordinator

IISD Coverage

Summary Report of the Policy Forum

Daily Summaries

Contact

Mr. Lucas Assuncao, Programme Coordinator.

UNCTAD Palais des Nations 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Tel +41 (0)22 917 5731
Fax +41 (0)22 917 0504
Email: lucas.assuncao@unctad.org