Carbon credits 'stolen'
The European Commission suspended most of its Emissions Trading Scheme following the disclosure of a theft of 475,000 E.U. carbon dioxide emissions allowances (EUAs) from the Czech Republic's carbon registry. The EUAs, worth around 7 million euros, were transferred to an account in Poland, then Estonia, and then Lichtenstein, before disappearing.
It isn't the first scandal to hit the carbon market.
"This theft and a hacking attack on the Austrian registry on January 10 follows a raft of scandals to hit the market in the past two years, including VAT fraud, a phishing scam, and the resale of used carbon credits," states Reuters.
Kjersti Ulset, Manager European Carbon Market at Point Carbon, says the theft, while serious, represents only a small proportion of the market.
"Hacking attacks of this type have also occurred elsewhere within the EU in the recent past," said Ulset in a statement. "Although such incidents are negligible in terms of actual market impact they will over time undermine the credibility of carbon trading as a policy measure to reduce emissions in Europe. Immediate actions to improve the security of EU registries are thus needed."
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Powerpoint of Enviromental Change
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Canada heeds softwood lumber ruling
AFP: Canada heeds softwood lumber ruling
Canada heeds softwood lumber ruling
(AFP) – 18 hours ago
OTTAWA — Canada will increase export charges on softwood lumber to the United States, the government said Friday after an arbitration court ruled it had wrongly subsidized lumber exports.
The London Court of International Arbitration last month supported US claims that Canada broke the terms of a five-year-old agreement on bilateral lumber trade.
After reviewing the decision, Trade Minister Peter Van Loan said the tribunal ruled that "loan guarantee programs that specifically benefit the softwood lumber industry contravene the Softwood Lumber Agreement."
To bring Canada into compliance with the pact, he said Ottawa will implement additional export charges of 0.1 percent and 2.6 percent for Ontario and Quebec, respectively.
"The government will complete the necessary steps in parliament to implement these additional charges as of March 1, 2011," the minister added.
Van Loan did not specify the amount of the charges, but the office of the US Trade Representative said last month Canada faced additional export levies of $59.4 million for violating the 2006 pact.
The complaint was the second by Washington against Ottawa over the lumber pact that has gone to arbitration.
The first, in 2007, was over Canada's miscalculation of export quotas and resulted in a $68 million fine.
The USTR lodged a third complaint last month, alleging that the province of British Columbia was setting an artificially low price for timber from public lands sold to lumber exporters -- which Van Loan rejected.
Canada heeds softwood lumber ruling
(AFP) – 18 hours ago
OTTAWA — Canada will increase export charges on softwood lumber to the United States, the government said Friday after an arbitration court ruled it had wrongly subsidized lumber exports.
The London Court of International Arbitration last month supported US claims that Canada broke the terms of a five-year-old agreement on bilateral lumber trade.
After reviewing the decision, Trade Minister Peter Van Loan said the tribunal ruled that "loan guarantee programs that specifically benefit the softwood lumber industry contravene the Softwood Lumber Agreement."
To bring Canada into compliance with the pact, he said Ottawa will implement additional export charges of 0.1 percent and 2.6 percent for Ontario and Quebec, respectively.
"The government will complete the necessary steps in parliament to implement these additional charges as of March 1, 2011," the minister added.
Van Loan did not specify the amount of the charges, but the office of the US Trade Representative said last month Canada faced additional export levies of $59.4 million for violating the 2006 pact.
The complaint was the second by Washington against Ottawa over the lumber pact that has gone to arbitration.
The first, in 2007, was over Canada's miscalculation of export quotas and resulted in a $68 million fine.
The USTR lodged a third complaint last month, alleging that the province of British Columbia was setting an artificially low price for timber from public lands sold to lumber exporters -- which Van Loan rejected.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Sugar Tariffs,Canada & Central America
Canada - Central America Four (CA4)
The purpose of Canada's free trade agenda is to enhance its economic prosperity and help provide the foundation for sustainable economic and social development. Canada's regional and bilateral trade agreements are a means to ensure that its exporters and investors have competitive terms of access to international markets. A free trade agreement with the Central American Four countries (Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua – the CA4) would strengthen the commercial relationship between Canada and the CA4 countries. An agreement would not only help to preserve the competitive position of Canadian exporters and investors in the region, it would also create new opportunities for growth in these markets.
The purpose of Canada's free trade agenda is to enhance its economic prosperity and help provide the foundation for sustainable economic and social development. Canada's regional and bilateral trade agreements are a means to ensure that its exporters and investors have competitive terms of access to international markets. A free trade agreement with the Central American Four countries (Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua – the CA4) would strengthen the commercial relationship between Canada and the CA4 countries. An agreement would not only help to preserve the competitive position of Canadian exporters and investors in the region, it would also create new opportunities for growth in these markets.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
CISDL
Open Invitation
The Centre for International Sustainable Development Law is pleased to invite you to an expert panel discussion on the topic of international law and climate change, at the McGill University Faculty of Law, on Tuesday February 8th, 2011. The event will focus on the outcomes of recent international negotiations and future perspectives for an international climate change regime.
4-5:30pm Law Old Chancellor Day Hall, 3644 Peel St. Room 16
The Centre for International Sustainable Development Law is pleased to invite you to an expert panel discussion on the topic of international law and climate change, at the McGill University Faculty of Law, on Tuesday February 8th, 2011. The event will focus on the outcomes of recent international negotiations and future perspectives for an international climate change regime.
4-5:30pm Law Old Chancellor Day Hall, 3644 Peel St. Room 16
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