• Who We Are
    • The Climate Trust
    • Climate Trust Capital
    • Achievements
    • Leadership And Board Of Directors
  • What We Do
    • Action
    • Impact
    • Case Studies
  • Financials
  • Media
    • Blog
    • News & Press
The Climate Trust | Carbon Markets Show Their Resiliency

Carbon Markets Show Their Resiliency

California Market, Policy, Scorcher

Sheldon Zakreski, The Climate Trust
Weekly Policy and Finance Update – May 7, 2018

THE BOTTOM LINE.

Utah’s commerce clause challenge to California’s cap and trade program, is a signal carbon markets are securing a foothold.

Things have been quiet in the U.S. carbon world lately. The markets are functioning smoothly. California is focusing on the regulatory details to govern its post 2020 cap and trade market. Oregon is kick-starting a bicameral committee to ensure cap and trade passes the legislature in 2019. Meanwhile, Utah is gearing up on the cap and trade front as well.

However, their approach is to figure out how to launch a commerce clause challenge against California’s cap and trade system. The legislature passed and the governor approved allocating $1.7 million to fund this challenge. While many might think “here we go again,” another challenge to undercut confidence in the market, I see this challenge as a sign of the resiliency of carbon markets.

Despite political rhetoric that this is a tax, cap and trade gives Utah electricity suppliers the flexibility to use whatever fuel they desire and to install technologies to reduce emissions (clean coal anyone) to lessen the carbon cost associated with exporting electricity to California. I guess that’s for the legal minds to figure out. This political effort is, however, indicative that policies and markets are here to stay and grow. Rather than accept and adapt to the building momentum towards a carbon market, Utah has chosen to try and throw a hail marry against the many market forces that are moving us towards cleaner energy.


Tops News Headlines

Utah Legislature final-day recap: So many proposed laws, not enough time
The Salt Lake Tribune Political Team, March 8, 2018 

Are California climate policies unfair to Utah?
Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, February 12, 2018


Recent Scorcher

Scaling Regenerative Agriculture Peter Weisberg, April 30, 2018
Biodiversity and Meeting our Paris Goals Go Hand In Hand Kasey Krifka, April 23, 2018
Getting Climate Risk Right in Investment Portfolios Julius Pasay, April 16, 2018

Image credit: Flickr/Mark Jensen

Tags
Adaptation
Aggregation
American Carbon Registry
Biochar
Blue Carbon
C-AGG
California Air Resources Board
California Carbon Info
Cap and Invest
carbon offset standards
Carbon Pricing
Carbon-Pulse
Clean Power Plan
Climate Action Reserve
Climate Bonds
Conservation Finance Network
Corporate Social Responsibility
CORSIA
Culture
Dairy Digester
Ecosystem Marketplace
Edible Portland
Energy Central
Environmental Defense Fund
Environmental Justice
EPAF
Farm Power Northwest
GreenBiz
IPCC
Job Announcement
Leadership
Low Carbon Fuel Standard
Milestone
Oregon Carbon Dioxide Standard
Oregon Clean Fuels Program
Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council
Oregon Global Warming Commission
Pacific Coast Action Plan on Climate and Energy
Paris
Portland General Electric
REDD
Renewable Fuel Standard
Renewable Identification Numbers
Request For Proposal
RGGI
Rice
Risk Management
Scientific American
Social Cost of Carbon
Supply Chain
Sustainable Business Oregon
Triple Pundit
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Verified Carbon Standard
Western Climate Initiative
Recent Comments
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Proud Member Partners in Diversity
  • DONATE
  • CAREERS
  • CONTACT

©2020 The Climate Trust. Crafted by ILLUSIO