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The Alliance for Climate Protection

The Alliance for Climate Protection was founded in 2006 by Al Gore, Nobel Laureate and former Vice President of the United States. With more than 2,000,000 members worldwide, the Alliance is a unique non-profit, non-partisan organization that is committed to educating the global community about the urgency of implementing comprehensive solutions to the climate crisis.

The Asia-Pacific Emissions Trading Forum

The Asia-Pacific Emissions Trading Forum (AETF) is an information service and business network dealing with domestic and international developments in greenhouse gas emissions markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The AETF provides a range of services including publications, events, and networking opportunities for its members.

The Carbon Disclosure Project

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is an independent not-for-profit organization which holds the largest database of corporate climate change information in the world. The data is obtained from responses to CDP’s annual Information Requests, issued to more than 3,700 corporations across the globe and on behalf of more than 500 institutional investors, purchasing organizations and government bodies. Since its formation in 2000, CDP has become the gold standard for carbon disclosure methodology and process, providing primary climate change data to the global market place. The CDP plays a vital role in encouraging private and public sector organizations to measure, manage and reduce emissions and climate change impacts. 

CARMA

Carbon Monitoring for Action (CARMA) is a massive database containing information on the carbon emissions of over 50,000 power plants and 4,000 power companies worldwide. Power generation accounts for 40% of all carbon emissions in the United States and about one-quarter of global emissions. CARMA is the first global inventory of a major, emissions-producing sector of the economy.

CARMA is produced and financed by the Confronting Climate Change Initiative at the Center for Global Development, an independent and non-partisan think tank located in Washington, DC.

Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance

The Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA) is a partnership between leading companies, NGOs and research institutes seeking to promote integrated solutions to land management around the world. With this goal in mind, the CCBA has developed voluntary standards to help design and identify land management projects that simultaneously minimize climate change, support sustainable development and conserve biodiversity.

Climate Savers Computing Initiative

Started by Google and Intel in 2007, the Climate Savers Computing Initiative is a nonprofit group of eco-conscious consumers, businesses and conservation organizations. The Initiative was started in the spirit of WWF’s Climate Savers program which has mobilized over a dozen companies since 1999 to cut carbon dioxide emissions, demonstrating that reducing emissions is good business. Our goal is to promote development, deployment and adoption of smart technologies that can both improve the efficiency of a computer’s power delivery and reduce the energy consumed when the computer is in an inactive state.

Clinton Global Initiative

Building on President Clinton’s lifetime in public service, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) reflects his belief that governments need collaboration from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and other global leaders to effectively confront the world’s most pressing problems. In 2005, President Clinton established CGI to turn ideas into action and to help our world move beyond the current state of globalization to a more integrated global community of shared benefits, responsibilities, and values.

By gathering world leaders from a variety of backgrounds, CGI creates a unique opportunity to channel the capacities of individuals and organizations to realize change. To fulfill the action-oriented mission of CGI, all members devise practical solutions to global issues through the development of specific and measurable Commitments to Action.

Combat Climate Change

Combat Climate Change (3C) is business leaders’ initiative endorsed and actively promoted by the top executives of 67 of the world’s largest corporations. The main objective of 3C is to support the UNFCCC-led negotiation process to establish a new global agreement on climate change, and to mobilize companies and business leaders across the world to contribute knowledge, resources and leadership to this common goal.

Environmental Markets Association

The EMA is a Washington DC-based membership organization designed to promote market-based trading solutions for environmental management and to serve its membership in order to:

• Promote the advancement and application of policy and regulation relevant to market-based emission trading systems.
• Encourage and facilitate information exchange among members, other professional and technical groups and the public.
• Provide programs in education and training to improve both the knowledge and skills of members and the understanding and acceptance by the public.

The EPA Climate Leaders Program

Climate Leaders is a US EPA industry-government partnership that works with companies to develop long-term comprehensive climate change strategies. Partners set a corporate-wide greenhouse gas reduction goal and inventory their emissions to measure progress.

Partners also identify themselves as corporate environmental leaders and strategically position themselves as climate change policy continues to unfold.

The EXCEL Partnership

EXCEL is a partnership of Canadian companies that are committed to improvement in environmental leadership. The Delphi Group acts as the Secretariat for the EXCEL Partnership. EXCEL is a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)'s Regional Network.

The International Climate Change Partnership

The International Climate Change Partnership (ICCP) is a global coalition of companies and trade associations from diverse industries committed to constructive and responsible participation in the international policy process concerning global climate change. The ICCP recognizes that the continued growth in emissions of greenhouse gases is an important concern for all nations and that efforts are underway internationally and in national governments to develop policies that address this concern.

The International Emissions Trading Association

The IETA is a non-profit organization created in June 1999 to establish a functional international framework for trading GHG emissions. Members include leading international companies from across the carbon trading cycle.  They seek to develop an emissions trading regime that results in real and verifiable GHG emission reductions, balancing economic efficiency with environmental integrity and social equity. 

International Carbon Action Initiative

On October 29, 2007, leaders of more than 15 governments met in Lisbon, Portugal to launch the establishment of the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP). ICAP is made up of countries and regions that have implemented or are actively pursuing the implementation of carbon markets through mandatory cap and trade systems. The partnership provides a forum to share experiences and knowledge.

International Investors Group on Climate Change

The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) is a forum for collaboration between pension funds and other institutional investors on issues related to climate change.

IIGCC seeks to:

• Promote better understanding of the implications of climate change amongst our members and other institutional investors.
• Encourage companies and markets in which IIGCC members invest to address any material risks and opportunities to their businesses associated with climate change and a shift to a lower carbon economy.

Investor Network on Climate Risk

INCR is a $7 trillion network of investors that promotes better understanding of the financial risks and opportunities posed by climate change. INCR was launched at the first Institutional Investor Summit on Climate Risk at the United Nations in November 2003.

Offset Quality Initiative

The Offset Quality Initiative was founded in November 2007 to provide leadership on greenhouse gas offset policy and best practices. OQI is a collaborative, consensus-based effort that brings together the collective expertise of its six nonprofit member organizations.

Supply Chain Leadership Coalition

United States Climate Action Partnership

United States Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) is a group of businesses and leading environmental organizations that have come together to call on the federal government to quickly enact strong national legislation to require significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. USCAP has issued a landmark set of principles and recommendations to underscore the urgent need for a policy framework on climate change.

The We Campaign

The We Campaign is a project of The Alliance for Climate Protection -- a nonprofit, nonpartisan effort founded by Nobel laureate and former Vice President Al Gore. The goal of the Alliance is to build a movement that creates the political will to solve the climate crisis.

WWF Climate Savers Program

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Center for Energy and Climate Solutions invite environmentally committed businesses to participate in its Climate Savers Program to develop and adopt innovative climate and energy solutions, and gain international recognition for their efforts. The program gives companies access to leading experts on the best technologies and most innovative strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while boosting profits and productivity.

The Asia Pacific Partnership

The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate is an innovative new effort to accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy technologies. APP partners Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, Korea, and the United States have agreed to work together and with private sector partners to meet goals for energy security, national air pollution reduction, and climate change in ways that promote sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction.

BC Climate Action Toolkit

A climate action resource for local government by local government in collaboration with UBCM, Smart Planning for Communities & the Province of BC.

Carbon Offset Solutions

An Alberta Government and Climate Change Central-sponsored information resource for all things related to emissions trading and climate change policy in Canada.

Climate Change Central

Climate Change Central is a non-profit organization that empowers Albertans to take action on climate change through consumer rebate programs, demonstration projects and educational outreach. The organization has also been instrumental in the collective effort of developing a provincial carbon market, the first in Canada.

Energy Information Administration (US)

Official energy statistics from the US government.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1988. Its main objective was to assess scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to the understanding of human induced climate change, potential impacts of climate change and options for mitigation and adaptation.

Pacific Carbon Trust

Pacific Carbon Trust is a provincial Crown corporation with a mandate to deliver quality BC-based greenhouse gas offsets to help clients meet their carbon reduction goals and to support growth of this industry in B.C.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Over a decade ago, most countries joined an international treaty -- the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) -- to begin to consider what can be done to reduce global warming and to cope with whatever temperature increases are inevitable. More recently, a number of nations approved an addition to the treaty: the Kyoto Protocol, which has more powerful (and legally binding) measures. The UNFCCC secretariat supports all institutions involved in the climate change process, particularly the COP, the subsidiary bodies and their Bureau.

United Nations Global Compact

The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. By doing so, business, as a primary agent driving globalization, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere.

World Business Council for Sustainable Development

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a global association of some 200 companies dealing exclusively with business and sustainable development.

The Council provides a platform for companies to explore sustainable development, share knowledge, experiences and best practices, and to advocate business positions on these issues in a variety of forums, working with governments, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations. EXCEL is a member of the WBCSD.

World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit; it is tied to no political, partisan or national interests. The World Economic Forum is under the supervision of the Swiss Federal Government.

World Resources Institute

WRI is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to find practical ways to protect the earth and improve people’s lives. Today’s environmental challenges are complex and global in nature. They call for visionary and ambitious action grounded in sound science and objective analysis–the kind of action that has distinguished WRI for 25 years.

Alberta Offset System

Alberta Offset System Quantification Protocols have all undergone three rounds of Technical Stakeholder Review and have been approved by Alberta Environment for use in the Alberta Offset System as eligible project-types.

California Climate Action Registry

The California Climate Action Registry is a private non-profit organization originally formed by the State of California. The California Registry serves as a voluntary greenhouse gas registry to protect and promote early actions to reduce GHG emissions by organizations. The California Registry provides leadership on climate change by developing and promoting credible, accurate, and consistent GHG reporting standards and tools for organizations to measure, monitor, third-party verify and reduce their GHG emissions consistently across industry sectors and geographical borders.

CarbonFix Standard

The CarbonFix Standard is a rulebook to ensure high quality forestation projects with the goal of fixing CO₂ from the atmosphere.

The Standard ensures positive socio-economic and ecological benefits and calculates the CO₂ based on formulas of the UN climate secretariat. CarbonFix is a non-profit organization registered under the German law and accredited by the UN climate secretariat.

Climate, Community and Biodiversity Project Design Standards

The Climate, Community and Biodiversity Project Design Standards (CCB Standards) evaluate land-based carbon mitigation projects in the early stages of development. The CCB Standards foster the integration of best-practice and multiple-benefit approaches into project design and evolution. The Standards:

• Identify projects that simultaneously address climate change, support local communities and conserve biodiversity.
• Promote excellence and innovation in project design.
• Mitigate risk for investors and increase funding opportunities for project developers.

The Gold Standard

The Gold Standard is a best practice methodology and applies to renewable energy and energy efficiency projects under the CDM, JI and in the voluntary offset market. The Gold Standard Foundation is a non-profit organization under Swiss law that operates a certification scheme for premium quality carbon credits.

Green-e

Green-e is a independent US certification and verification program for renewable energy and greenhouse gas emission reductions in the retail market. Green-e has two certification and one verification programs: Green-e Climate is a voluntary certification program launched in 2007 that sets consumer-protection and environmental-integrity standards for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions sold in the voluntary market. Green-e Energy is the nation's leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy. Green-e Marketplace is a program that allows companies to display the logo when they have purchased a qualifying amount of renewable energy and passed our verification standards.

ISO 14064-1:2006

Greenhouse gases Part 1: Specification with guidance at the organization level for the quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals.

ISO 14064-2:2006

Greenhouse gases Part 2: Specification with guidance at the project level for the quantification, monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emission reductions and removal enhancements.

ISO 14064-3:2006

Greenhouse gases Part 3: Specification with guidance for the validation and verification of greenhouse gas assertions.

ISO 14065:2007

Greenhouse gases -- Requirements for greenhouse gas validation and verification bodies for use in accreditation or other forms of recognition

Plan Vivo

The Plan Vivo system is a set of standards, processes and tools used to develop and register payments for ecosystem services projects in developing countries. Project activities include afforestation and agroforestry, forest conservation, restoration and avoided deforestation, and are implemented by small-holders or communities on their own land, or land where they have user rights.

UNFCCC CDM & JI Methodologies

Baseline and monitoring methodologies approved by the UNFCCC Executive Board for use in validation and verification of CDM  and JI projects.

Voluntary Carbon Standard

Developed by the International Emissions Trading Association and The Climate Group (and in association with the World Economic Forum) - the Voluntary Carbon Standard seeks to provide a credible but simple set of criteria that will provide integrity to the voluntary carbon market. In particular, the VCS will ensure that all project-based voluntary emission reductions that are independently verified to meet its criteria – defined as Voluntary Carbon Units (VCUs) - represent real, quantifiable, additional and permanent project-based emission reductions.

Voluntary Offset Standard

The Voluntary Offset Standard is a carbon offset screen that accepts other standards and methodologies using certain screening criteria. It currently accepts Gold Standards VER projects and projects that employ CDM procedures but which are implemented in countries that have not ratified the Kyoto Protocol and are therefore not eligible for Clean Development Mechanism.

The International Carbon Investors and Services (INCIS) launched the Voluntary Offset Standard in June 2007. INCIS is a not-for-profit association of large investment companies that provide carbon-related investments and services. INCIS has 26 members (as of November 2007).

WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocols

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) is the most widely used international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify, and manage greenhouse gas emissions. Developed by the WBCSD and the WRI, consists of two modules; the Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standards (methodologies to business and other organizations to inventory and report all of the GHG emissions they produce) and the Project Accounting Protocol and Guidelines (geared toward calculating reductions in GHG emissions from specific GHG-reduction projects).

Alberta’s Specified Gas Emitters Scheme

In March 2007, and with the Climate Change and Emissions Management Amendment Act and its accompanying Specified Gas Emitters Regulation (SGER), Alberta became the first province in Canada to legislate reductions in GHG emissions intensity.

The specified gas emission target for Alberta is a reduction by December 31, 2020 of specified gas emissions relative to Gross Domestic Product to an amount that is equal to or less than 50% of 1990 levels compared to business as usual.

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Australia)

The Government is strongly committed to reducing Australia’s carbon pollution. The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) is the main driver to achieve this important environmental goal. When it commences on 1 July 2011, it will guarantee that Australia meets its expanded emissions reductions of as much as 25 per cent of 2000 levels by 2020.

As a market-based solution, the Scheme is the lowest cost way to reduce emissions. A range of measures will be put in place to assist business and households to adjust to the carbon price. It will protect the jobs of today while encouraging the jobs of the future. These measures will include Emission–Intensive, Trade–Exposed assistance, the Electricity Sector Adjustment Scheme and the Climate Change Action Fund.

The EU Emissions Trading Scheme

In January 2005, the European Union Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading System commenced operation as the largest multi-country, multi-sector Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading System world-wide. The EU ETS covers 6000 companies and over 11,500 energy-intensive installations across the EU, which represent close to half of Europe’s emissions of CO₂. These installations include combustion plants, oil refineries, coke ovens, iron and steel plants, and factories making cement, glass, lime, brick, ceramics, pulp and paper.

The aim of the EU ETS is to help EU Member States achieve compliance with their commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord

The Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord is an initiative of the Midwestern Governors Association and collaboration between six Midwestern states (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Kansas) and Manitoba that aims to create a regional cap-and-trade system in the US’s manufacturing and agricultural heartland by January 1^st, 2012. Indiana, Ohio, Ontario and South Dakota are observers to the MGGRA.

The recommended reductions targets for the region are 20% below 2005 by 2020 and 80% below 2005 levels by 2050.

New South Wales Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme

The NSW (Australia) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Scheme (GGAS) commenced in January 2003 and was one of the first mandatory greenhouse gas emissions trading schemes in the world. GGAS aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production and use of electricity.

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is a cap-and-trade scheme operating in the 10 North Eastern and Mid-Atlantic US states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Pennsylvania and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario are observers.

RGGI came into force January 1^st, 2009 and is the first (and presently only) GHG cap-and-trade scheme in the US. The aim of RGGI is to reduce CO₂ emissions from the power sector 10% below 2009 by 2018

UK Carbon Reduction Commitment

The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) is a United Kingdom climate change and energy saving emissions trading scheme. Its aim is to encourage improvements in energy efficiency and is a central part of the UK’s strategy for controlling our carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. It will tackle CO₂ emissions not already covered by Climate Change Agreements and the EU Emissions Trading System.

Likely participants will include supermarkets, water companies, banks, local authorities (including state funded schools) and all central government departments. The scheme will start in April 2010.

Western Climate Initiative

The Western Climate Initiative is a collaborative effort between seven US states and four Canadian provinces. Participants (Partner jurisdictions) include Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Montana, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.

First launched in February 2007, the WCI aims to reduce GHG emissions to 15% below 2005 levels by 2020 with a market-based cap-and-trade system expected to commence January 1, 2012.

The American Carbon Registry

The American Carbon Registry (formerly The GHG Registry) is a non-profit U.S. carbon market registry.

California Climate Action Registry

The California Climate Action Registry is a private non-profit organization originally formed by the State of California. The California Registry serves as a voluntary greenhouse gas registry to protect and promote early actions to reduce GHG emissions by organizations. The California Registry provides leadership on climate change by developing and promoting credible, accurate, and consistent GHG reporting standards and tools for organizations to measure, monitor, third-party verify and reduce their GHG emissions consistently across industry sectors and geographical borders.

Canadian GHG Challenge Registry

The Canadian GHG Challenge Registry is a voluntary publicly accessible national registry of greenhouse gas baselines, targets, and reductions. The primary objective of this Registry is to challenge both current and potential registrants from all economic sectors and geographic regions to demonstrate meaningful actions which contribute towards the reduction of Canada's GHG emissions.

Canadian GHG CleanProjects Registry

The GHG CleanProjects Registry provides a portal to report and showcase project emission reductions or removals. The GHG CleanProjects Registry’s focused mandate relates to the listing and delisting of greenhouse gas projects and resulting verified emission reductions and removals.

Canadian GHG Reduction Registry

The Canadian GHG Reductions Registry provides a service to have GHG reduction projects registered after successfully completing a 30-day public posting period. Verification of the project is required before any serialization of emission reductions can occur. Any quantity of verified and serialized RERs from a project may be posted to a new owner or retired to the environment.

Carbon Offset Solutions

Carbon Offset Solutions is an information resource for all things related to the Alberta carbon market and climate change policy in Canada. The website supplies information on offset policy, regulation, quantification protocols and the offset market, and is helping facilitate and support the development of the Alberta Offset Registry.

Chicago Climate Exchange Registry

The CCX Registry is a serialized greenhouse gas emission allowance tracking system that provides CCX Registry Account holders a full suite of administration and reporting tools to assist in managing their GHG emission allowances, emission offsets and early action credits. 

The Climate Registry

The Climate Registry is a nonprofit collaboration among North American states, provinces, territories and Native Sovereign Nations that sets consistent and transparent standards to calculate, verify and publicly report greenhouse gas emissions into a single registry. The Climate Registry establishes consistent, transparent standards throughout North America for businesses and governments to calculate, verify and publicly report their carbon footprints in a single, unified registry.

Community Independent Transaction Log/International Transaction Log

As EU trading legislation sets in place rules over and above those agreed for the Kyoto Protocol, a supplemental transaction log has been implemented by the European Commission. The Community Independent Transaction Log has been in place since the start of the scheme in 2005 and EU registries are now operating with it.

For the start of the Kyoto commitment period in 2008, EU registries are to switch their connections from the CITL to the International Transaction Log. The ITL will conduct “Kyoto checks” on transactions proposed by both EU and non-EU registries. In the case of transactions involving EU registries, the ITL will forward information to the CITL so that it can conduct “supplementary checks” defined under the EU scheme.

The Global VCU Registry

The Bank of New York Mellon was appointed (2008) by the Voluntary Carbon Standard Association to be a Voluntary Carbon Unit (VCU) registry provider. The Global VCU Registry and Custody Service unit will provide participants in the voluntary market with a tool that will contribute to development of a fungible market in Voluntary Carbon Units.

The Gold Standard Registry

The Gold Standard Registry is a web-based software application that serves as both the Gold Standard project database for VER and CDM/JI projects and as the registry for Gold Standard Voluntary Emission Reductions (VER) credits.

The Registry was developed and is maintained by APX, Inc, an infrastructure provider for environmental markets in greenhouse gases and renewable energy.

Kyoto Registries

Emission targets for industrialized country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol are expressed as levels of allowed emissions, (also known as assigned amounts or Kyoto units). The ability of Parties to add to their holdings of Kyoto units (e.g. through credits for CDM activities) or move units from one country to another (e.g. through emissions trading) requires registry systems that can track the location of Kyoto units at all times.

Two types of registry are being implemented:

Governments of the 38 Annex B Parties are implementing national registries, containing accounts within which units are held in the name of the government or in the name of legal entities authorized by the government to hold and trade units.

The UNFCCC secretariat, under the authority of the CDM Executive Board, has implemented the CDM registry for issuing CDM credits and distributing them to national registries. Accounts in the CDM registry are held only by CDM project participants, as the registry does not accept emissions trading between accounts.

Markit Environmental Registry

Markit Environmental Registry (formerly TZ1) is fully integrated financial market infrastructure platform for environmental commodities.

Triodos Climate Clearing House

Triodos Climate Clearing House is a project of Triodos Bank, a European based bank focused on financing enterprises which add social, environmental and cultural value.

Triodos Climate Clearing House is an independent registry and trading platform for CO₂- credits resulting from CO₂ reduction and sequestration projects. Eligible project activities include afforestation, renewable energy and energy efficiency.

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World Economic Forum Global GHG Register

The Global GHG Register enables multinational companies to disclose, monitor and compare their GHG emissions across the world. Voluntary disclosure of GHG emissions in the Global GHG Register demonstrates corporate leadership in tackling climate change challenges.