Regulating Speculation

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

The United States is considering the development of a carbon trading market as a mechanism to address climate change. Given the fact that the carbon emissions permits for such a trading system are considered a commodity like corn or wheat, the ability of the United States commodity futures system to monitor a carbon trading market in the United States has been called into question. In the United States and Europe, there are now efforts to strengthen the regulation of commodity futures markets to address both the problems of speculation in this market as well as the implications of the United States developing a carbon market. Over the last grant period, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy has provided information and analysis that has allowed for a more informed discussion of the commodity markets. In this next grant period, it will work with national and international nongovernmental organizations as well as researchers and regulators to develop proposals to regulate commodity markets, with particular focus on impacts of a potential global carbon market.

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