Regulating Speculation

About this grant

Carbon trading has continued to be the focus for providing financing 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 and European commodity futures system to monitor a carbon trading market 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 the problems of speculation in this market. Over the last grant period, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy provided information and analysis that allowed for a more informed discussion of the commodity markets and the nexus with carbon markets. In this next grant period, it will work with national and international nongovernmental organizations, as well as researchers and regulators to develop public comments on the rulemaking for commodity markets, with particular focus on impacts of a national carbon market.