The Climate Trust and IETA Form a Partnership

The Climate Trust and IETA form partnership to address offset quality in an internationally growing carbon market

The Climate Trust and the International Emission Trading Association (IETA) publicly announced today the official start of their partnership to promote carbon offset quality.

“The Climate Trust is known for its pivotal role to promote sound climate change policy. This partnership will enhance international cooperation and will ease access to evolving emerging markets in the US,” said Andrei Marcu, president of IETA.

Growing public concern about climate change impacts has fueled the development of voluntary markets. In absence of US federal GHG emission regulations, the quality of such products and services offered by a growing number of providers is difficult to evaluate.

“IETA and The Climate Trust will intensify efforts to promote offset quality. Quality is crucial at this juncture, as it provides investors and consumers likewise with needed certainty and credibility in an emerging market for compliance and voluntary action here in the US and elsewhere. Offsets are an important component of the Kyoto protocol and have been successfully demonstrated in the US.” said Mike Burnett, Executive Director of The Climate Trust.

“The United States is potentially the largest emission market in the world. Creating quality standards that promote sustainable development and environmental integrity is an important step forward to gain market liquidity thereby spurring investments in new, innovative energy sources and technologies that are in high demand worldwide”, Mr. Marcu added.

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The Climate Trust (www.climatetrust.org) is a non-profit organization that buys GHG offsets from around the world for registration in both regulatory and voluntary markets. The Climate Trust is an originator of high-quality GHG offsets from projects that meet strict criteria for environmental integrity. In addition to reducing global GHG emissions, The Climate Trust offsets increase investments in clean technologies, create jobs and contribute to sustainable economic and business development. The Climate Trust has invested $5 million in projects that are expected offset 1.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and anticipates securing an additional $6 million in project-based reduction in 2006 – making it one of the largest and most experienced offset buyers in the U.S. and world markets.

IETA (www.ieta.org) is an association of business organizations whose main goal is the creation of a global GHG market. IETA is dedicated to the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and ultimately climate protection, establishment of effective market-based trading systems for greenhouse gas emissions by businesses that are demonstrably fair, open, efficient, accountable and consistent across national boundaries; and maintaining societal equity and environmental integrity while establishing these systems.

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