Regulating Carbon Markets

About this grant

One of the key mechanisms that the United States is considering to address climate change is the development of a carbon trading system. 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 regulatory system to monitor a carbon trading system in the United States should be assessed. The global financial crisis and the commodity price spikes of 2008 highlighted the inadequacies of the financial regulatory system in the United States. To contribute to the policy discussions, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy will document the risks of a deregulated carbon market; work with a nongovernmental organization coalition in the United States to ensure there is meaningful regulation of carbon trading markets; work with European organizations to advance a coordinated transatlantic response to commodity market speculation; and work with international nongovernmental organizations to ensure that the international climate change negotiations call for a well-regulated carbon trading market.