Participating in a series of three workshops on capacity building for climate change mitigation and adaptation organized in Beijing by the German Agency for International Co-operation (GIZ) jointly with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the People¹s Republic of China, Ecologic Institute contributed to the development of training modules on the design and implementation of emissions trading systems (ETS) in China. Serving as international expert, Michael Mehling of the Ecologic Institute in Washington DC joined two national experts, Prof. Chen Hongbo of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Ms. Wang Ying of the China Beijing Environment Exchange (CBEEX), on the Working Group on Emissions Trading.

Together, they developed an intense two-day curriculum covering the theoretical background and rationale of emissions trading, critical design elements (such as data collection, definition of targets and covered sectors, allowance allocation, and monitoring, reporting and verification), aspects of implementation (such as price formation and the role of financial and energy markets), and specific challenges and priorities for the introduction of ETS in China.

Training material designed by the Working Group included a textbook on emissions trading, a trainer’s manual with detailed instructions on the course roll-out, a number of interactive exercises, and presentation slides for each session of the course. The material will be used by the NDRC Climate Change Department and NDRC Training Centre to build capacity on emissions trading for up to 2000 government officials and other stakeholders at the regional level.

The programme is implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, in partnership with the NDRC as political partner in China.

Further Links:

Project: Sino-German Climate Change Programme