Emissions Reductions: Approaches to Carbon Markets

Ecologic Institute's Elizabeth Zelljadt explained emissions trading systems (ETS) at a workshop on carbon pricing in Latin America and the Caribbean hosted by the environmental advocacy group World Wildlife Fund (WWF). As several Latin American countries are implementing carbon pricing policies – from carbon taxes applied to fossil fuels to carbon markets similar to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) – Latin American WWF leaders brought their members together with external carbon pricing experts for a workshop on measures to price carbon around the world. The international group of participants, which included officials from the Mexican government and the United Nations, also addressed the status of global negotiations around this issue.

Zelljadt's presentation centred around lessons learned from existing emission trading systems in Europe and North America, with discussions throughout the workshop aimed at comparing various carbon pricing approaches and their applicability in the Latin American context. She also contributed her expertise in emissions market trading dynamics to discussions about carbon market design, and to group activities aimed at familiarising participants with carbon pricing measures and their effects.

The event involved about 30 participants, mainly from Latin American countries including Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Chile.