NACWA is pleased to announce the release of the Association’s climate change primer, Getting Into the Game: How POTWs Can Take Advantage of Carbon Trading .  This new publication is designed to help municipal clean water utilities better understand the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging carbon markets, including potential financial benefits through participation in carbon trading or offset projects.  We are pleased to provide this publication to the Association’s membership as a free download from NACWA’s website.

Understanding Carbon Markets and Carbon Trading

The Primer addresses carbon market function and accessibility, and provides key insights on issues clean water agencies should consider when deciding whether to engage in carbon trading.  The document begins with a general overview how carbon markets work, including a description of the role of allowances and offsets and an analysis of existing international and domestic carbon trading structures.  Included is a discussion of the prevailing standards and criteria with regard to trading allowances or offsets on carbon markets.  The Primer next addresses how POTWs can generate offset credits, including how to value the offsets and the best way to trade them in a market setting.  The final section of the Primer provides an overview of the contractual and legal factors utilities should consider before formally entering a carbon market.  The publication also examines the potential impact that the 2008 presidential and congressional elections may have on the ongoing climate change and carbon trading discussions.

Critical Issues Action Initiative Funds at Work

Work on this Primer was funded by the generous contributions of NACWA members to the FY 2009 Critical Issues Action Initiative (CIAI).  It is anticipated that this new publication will provide valuable guidance and potential economic benefit to the Association’s public agency members.

NACWA expresses its sincere appreciation to Legal Affiliate Williams Mullen, who collaborated with the Association to develop the Primer.  Thanks are also extended to NACWA’s project review team, comprised of the leadership and representatives from the Association’s Air Quality & Climate Change and Legal Affairs committees, whose input this process was invaluable.  The review team included Greg Adams, Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, Calif.; Ed Torres, Orange County Sanitation District, Calif; Lisa Hollander, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Ohio; Tom Walsh, Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District, Mass.; and, Hilary Meltzer, New York City Department of Law, NY.  NACWA is pleased to provide the membership with this complimentary value-added benefit of membership in the Association.  The 37-page Primer is available now for download from the Member Pipeline page of NACWA’s website by clicking here .