Title: Briefing: The International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) position paper for COP-6
Sponsors: The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in collaboration with the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)
Contact: Dave Moorcroft <moorcroft@wbcsd.ch>
Internet: http://www.wbcsd.org ; http://www.ieta.org

Introducing the IETA as a new organization aiming to contribute to the debate on the design and implementation of international rules and guidelines for emissions trading, Andrei Marcu highlighted core activities. These include information gathering and dissemination, capacity building in developing countries and EITs and facilitation of business partnerships.

Charlotte Grezo, BP, (photo above, seated right) utlined the Proposal for a Carbon Trading Scheme in the UK developed by the UK Emissions Trade Group. She highlighted the voluntary character of the scheme, in which companies will participate if incentives are available. The scheme aims to deliver post-Kyoto targets with minimum impact on competitiveness and to be compatible with the international ET rules.

Morten Prehn Sorensen, Danish Energy Agency, reported that the Folketing (parliament) approved Denmark's national ET scheme in 1999. The scheme will help Denmark achieve national targets to reduce emissions by 20%, compared to 1988 levels, by 2005. He noted that the system sets quotas for emissions reductions from the electric power sector.

Jos Cozijnsen, The Netherlands, (photo above, seated left) delivered a comparative study of ET systems in Europe. He noted that Denmark, UK, the Netherlands and Norway had developed plans while the EU had launched a discussion paper. Germany, Italy, Austria, and Belgium, are focusing on partial aspects of ET systems such as taxation and JI projects.