Can Carbon Trading Be Effectively Implemented at the International Level to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

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While the international community debates the implementation complexities of the Kyoto Protocol, a number of countries have announced plans to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. However, an accord on the degree of emissions reductions does not imply that the specific regulatory mechanism necessary to attain these limitations has been determined. The Kyoto Protocol significantly advanced carbon trading as the most effective means for reducing greenhouse gases. At present, carbon trading schemes have only been effectively considered for implementation at the national level. International emissions trading has become one major flashpoint for disagreement over the implementation of Kyoto. In this study, the carbon trading approach will be contrasted with other emission reduction methods, essential features for successful carbon trading at the national level will be reviewed, the additional characteristics necessary for international implementation will be considered, and the potential for its success in the international arena will be speculated upon.

Stream: Environmental Sustainability

Paper: Can Carbon Trading be Effectively Implemented at the International Level to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

Julian Scott Yeomans is a Professor of Operations Management & Information Systems in the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto. His current research projects focus upon environmental informatics, waste management, remanufacturing/materials recovery/reverse logistics for industrial ecology, the impacts of climate change uncertainties for business/engineering planning, and environmental decision-making under uncertainty. He received a B.Sc. in statistics and a B.Admin. in business from the University of Regina, an MASc. in environmental engineering from the University of Toronto, and a PhD in information systems from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.