Nature conservation instead of climate protection: the green roots of the right
stern.de, 21st June 2024 (in German)
News publ. 21. Oct 2015
As Parties gather in Bonn, Germany for the latest UNFCCC negotiating session leading up to the Paris meeting, the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) affirms its conviction that market mechanisms, particularly emissions trading, are an effective climate action measure.
In its submission to the UNFCCC Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP), ICAP calls for a Paris agreement that supports Parties in transferring mitigation outcomes on a voluntary basis, provides a robust accounting framework for international transfers, encourages the development of sound monitoring reporting and verification (MRV) standards, and builds on the existing knowledge and institutions developed by countries and the UNFCCC. Such an agreement could give guidance as to how market mechanisms can be used to help Parties meet their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).
"Carbon markets are efficient because they reduce costs for business and society as a whole. 17 ETS operating on four continents are testament to the growing trend towards cap-and-trade worldwide" states ICAP Co-Chair Jean-Yves Benoit. "The INDCs submitted so far indicate that many Parties support a role for market mechanisms post-2020" adds Co-Chair Marc Allessie from the Netherlands. "We hope that the Paris agreement will reflect this."
The ICAP Submission can be found here.
ICAP is a multilateral forum for jurisdictions that have implemented, or are planning to implement ETS. Founded in 2007, the partnership shares best practices in emissions trading and discusses ETS design elements with the long-term goal of creating a well-functioning global carbon market through linking different systems. ICAP currently has 31 members and 4 observers, The partnership not only brings representatives from different national systems together but also policymakers from city-level and statewide systems.
ICAP’s work focuses on three main pillars: Technical dialogue, capacity building and knowledge sharing. It facilitates a technical dialogue among its members in order to exchange lessons learned on ETS and the way forward to a global carbon market; a dedicated working group focuses on the issue of linking ETS. Since 2009, ICAP has also held capacity building courses on ETS for developing and emerging economies. Lastly, ICAP also acts as an ETS knowledge hub, sharing knowledge and the latest news on emissions trading around the world.
Since 2008, adelphi has been the hosting partner of ICAP and provides the staff for the Secretariat, including the ICAP Project Manager. Key tasks of the Secretariat include conceptual and strategic assistance to the ICAP process, including analyses and briefings on different aspects of emissions trading worldwide, as well as administrative support and financial management.