Emissions Broker, Continued

I wanted to write a follow-up to my earlier post today about the emissions broker. While I haven't had the opportunity, yet, to review it further, I wanted to mention the Chicago Climate Exchange. It's an interesting program that includes such members as the Ford Motor Company, Motorola, IBM, Bayer Corporation, and Amtrak. This is information from their website explaining what they are:

The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) is North America’s only, and the world’s first, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission registry, reduction and trading system for all six greenhouse gases (GHGs). CCX is a self-regulatory, rules based exchange designed and governed by CCX Members. Members make a voluntary but legally binding commitment to reduce GHG emissions. By the end of Phase I (December, 2006) all Members will have reduced direct emissions 4% below a baseline period of 1998-2001.Phase II, which extends the CCX reduction program through 2010, will require all Members to reduce GHG emissions 6% below baseline.

The goals of CCX are:

• To facilitate the transaction of greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading with price transparency, design excellence and environmental integrity

• To build the skills and institutions needed to cost-effectively manage greenhouse gas emissions

• To facilitate capacity-building in both public and private sector to facilitate greenhouse gas mitigation

• To strengthen the intellectual framework required for cost effective and valid greenhouse gas reduction

• To help inform the public debate on managing the risk of global climate change

Again, I need to better familiarize myself with what they do, but it does seem to be something that, with the help of businesses among other entities, can help reduce greenhouse gases.