About
IETA is a non-profit organisation representing businesses committed to smart, well-designed and effective carbon markets to help achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Our History
In June 1999, a visionary group of international companies and business associations established IETA. Their objective was to build on the economic mechanisms created by the Kyoto Protocol in order to achieve climate objectives with minimal economic harm.
IETA was the first international, multi-sectoral, purely business group devoted to pricing and trading greenhouse gas reductions. From the start, it had a strong focus on the Kyoto mechanisms and helped members using, hosting and investing in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI) projects by disseminating policy and market information and promoting development and reform. As markets developed, IETA expanded its work to cover the EU ETS, sub-national efforts in North America, China, Korea, New Zealand and emerging markets across Latin America. In more recent years, IETA has also developed work streams on digitisation, aviation, natural climate solutions, voluntary carbon markets, and carbon removals.
IETA has a proud history of convening carbon market participants. In 2004, IETA joined the World Bank and Koelnmesse in co-founding Carbon Expo, the first annual global carbon trade fair and conference. It continues today under the banner of Innovate4Climate, still the largest and most authoritative gathering of carbon market stakeholders. IETA built on this experience to co-organise regional Carbon Forums in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America, offering IETA members platforms to discover new opportunities around the world.
IETA has remained true to its mission through highs and lows in market activity – and through political shifts and economic shocks. It continues to aim for excellence in harnessing market forces to deliver climate protection – to address climate challenges with market solutions and to make net zero possible.
-
IETA’s trusted business voice facilitates carbon markets to be optimised and net zero by 2050 is achieved
-
IETA’s mission is to:
- Empower business to engage in climate action and pursue net zero ambitions to advance the Paris Agreement’s objectives, and
- Establish effective market-based trading systems for GHG emissions and reductions that are environmentally robust, fair, open, efficient, accountable and consistent across national boundaries.
In pursuit of our mission, IETA works in collaboration with other stakeholders to:
- Develop components of the GHG market and trading systems
At the international level, IETA focuses on the transparency rules and accounting standards under Articles 5 and 6 of the Paris Agreement, and also for the Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and voluntary markets. At the national and sub-national levels, IETA promotes best practices for offset and allowance markets aligned with the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
- Develop a global GHG market
IETA is dedicated to the establishment of linked trading systems to ensure efficient and competitive GHG markets. IETA provides thought leadership on the distinct advantages of linked markets by collaborating with deep subject matter experts in academia and think-tanks.
- Strengthen business capacity and embrace innovation
IETA brings together experienced carbon market practitioners and stakeholders in new emissions markets to share lessons learned and best practices. IETA seeks continuous improvement in carbon pricing systems, including innovations to advance natural climate solutions.
- Promote market-based solutions and broad participation in GHG markets
IETA uses its global reach and reputation to promote the go-to events for market participants, including its many regional carbon fora. These events showcase excellence, explore market insights and offer networking opportunities in every region of the world.
-
Mission Driven
We are committed to delivering on the IETA Mission through everything we do and the way
we work.Trusted
We always maintain our authenticity, integrity and remain fact-based.
Diverse and Inclusive
We recognise the value that everyone’s diverse experiences, abilities and backgrounds can bring and are fully committed to ensuring our policies, processes and behaviours promote equality and an inclusive culture.
Collaborative
We work well with others, towards a common goal, learning from one another and solving problems through our collective experience and skills.
Transparent
We are open and honest with others, no matter how challenging it might be. We welcome the benefits that come from being straightforward.
Our PRINCIPLES
Why emissions trading?
Emissions trading is one of the principal policy instruments available to manage industrial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by encouraging operational excellence and the deployment of new and existing technologies. Emissions trading is effective because:
- It is economically efficient
- It is specifically designed to deliver an environmental objective
- It delivers a clear price signal
How it works
A central objective of climate change policy should be the efficient direction of capital within the market towards low and zero carbon emission investment. To achieve this an emissions market requires:
- Scarcity of emission allowances to create the price signal
- Long-term clarity and predictability of rules and targets
Growth and linking
In the longer term the market should grow and evolve to provide wide sectoral, geographic and GHG coverage, leading to a global trading regime. This will require:
- Similar rules and enforcement within an array of approaches
- Mechanisms to link different approaches
- An offset mechanism based on verifiable emission reduction projects and programmes
- Offset based mechanisms offer the opportunity for countries yet to introduce an allowance based approach to participate in the market
- Offset mechanisms should be created through a transparent process that recognizes business decision-making realities and is both environmentally effective and economically efficient
- The use of offset mechanisms should not be unduly constrained
FUNDAMENTALS
IETA aims to ensure that system design, implementation and review delivers a functioning, efficient market. Key aspects of our approach include:
- Transparency of design and operation
- Sufficient scale to operate and deliver emissions reduction
- No artificial barriers to access or participation
- Low transaction costs and limited bureaucracy
- Delivery without intervention (i.e. no price caps or price floors, no artificial supply barriers such as limits on the use of reduction units from projects)
- Adequate offset availability
- A fair and equitable allowance allocation process that does not withdraw capital from the firms and industries covered by the scheme, nor grants windfall profits
- Recognition of the important link between the holder of allowances and the initiation of actions that create the reductions
- The need for trading systems to recognise all verifiable key abatement technologies, including Carbon Capture and Storage
- That the release of market data is well managed
IETA upholds its principles by acting as a think tank, a convenor of dialogues, an advocate, a market promoter and acting as a body that is able to drive market standards.
Our Team
-
Andrea Abrahams
Managing Director, VCM
-
Awagbé Antille
Conference & Operations Manager
-
Lynne Backhouse
Communications Manager
-
Anna Bonutto
EU Policy Assistant
-
Andrea Bonzanni
Director, International Policy
-
Franco D’Aprile
Program Coordinator, ICROA
-
Claire Davis-Reddy
Programme Director, Carbon Markets, South Africa
-
Antoine Diemert
Accreditation and VCM Policy Director
-
Björn Fondén
International Policy Advisor
-
Belinda Ellington
Senior Advisor
-
Lilly Flawn
Policy Assistant
-
Dirk Forrister
President & CEO
-
Will Gifford
NCS Policy Analyst
-
Charlotte Glossop
Interim COO
-
Elisa Guida
Project Coordinator
-
Mushra Hartley
Operations Manager
-
Simon Henry
Director, Carbon Market Development
-
Joseph Hoekstra
Analyst
-
Justin Johnson
RGGI Representative
-
Su Ling Khoo
Singapore Representative
-
Evan Kong
Technical Director, CAD Trust
-
Tom Lawler
Washington Representative
-
Min Li
China Representative
-
Nadine Lim
International Policy Analyst
-
Ellen Lourie
NCS & Aviation Director
-
Kyle Lynch
Research Analyst
-
Badr Maallem
Conference Manager
-
Julia Michalak
EU Policy Director
-
Meg Miller
Membership Program Manager
-
Takashi Morishima
Japan Representative
-
Christian Mosquera
Conference & Partnerships Manager
-
Dinesh Nithyanandam
Executive Director, CAD Trust
-
Svea Nyberg
EU Policy Officer
-
Jeanette Pablo
Senior Advisor
-
Luis Panichelli
VCM Policy Director
-
Lisa Spafford
Managing Director
-
Ieva Steponaviciute
Community Manager, CAD Trust
-
Katie Sullivan
Managing Director
-
Terence Tan
Student Volunteer, CAD Trust
-
Camilo Trujillo
Technical Analyst
-
Pedro Venzon
International Policy Advisor
-
Alessandro Vitelli
Communications Advisor
-
Chris Winch
People Operations
-
Hannes Zimmermann
Programme Manager for Voluntary Carbon Market Formation
Governance
Documents
IETA received legal non-profit status from the government of Switzerland in June 2000, and received United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change non-governmental organisation accreditation in October 2000.
IETA is a membership organisation where all members have one vote, used at the Annual General Meeting and any Extraordinary General meetings. Half of IETA’s 18 Board members are elected each year.
IETA’s articles and bylaws are available online. IETA’s competition policy and internal guidance for developing position papers are also available.
IETA COUNCIL
Chair of the board
Vice-chairpersons
Directors
-
Daniele Agostini
Head of Low Carbon Policies & Carbon Regulation
Enel -
Sandeep Roy Choudhury
Co-founder and Director
VNV Advisory Services -
Paul Dawson
Head of Regulatory Affairs
RWE Supply & Trading -
Leslie Durschinger
Founder & CEO
Terra Global Capital -
Lisa DeMarco
Senior Partner and CEO
Resilient LLP -
Jonathan Grant
Chief Advisor, Climate Change
RioTinto -
Takashi Hongo
Senior Fellow
Mitsui Global Strategic Studies Institute -
Abyd Karmali OBE
Managing Director,
ESG & Sustainable Finance
Bank of America Merrill Lynch -
Kerry Liebenberg
Counsel
Linklaters -
Julie Mulkerin Ortiz
General Manager, Decarbonization Strategy
Chevron -
Ingrid Parramon
VP Low Carbon Trading
bp -
Liv Rathe
Director
Hydro -
Hendrik Rosenthal
Director – Group Sustainability
CLP Holdings Limited -
Rick Saines ONM
Partner
Pollination Group -
Jonathan Shopley
Managing Director, External Affairs
Climate Impact Partners
Honorary board member
COMMITTEES
-
Finance Committee
Paul Dawson, Chair
Federico Di Credico
Liv Rathe
Hendrik Rosenthal -
Governance Committee
Lisa DeMarco, Chair
Daniele Agostini
Rick Saines
Kerry Liebenberg
Julie Mulkerin Ortiz -
Membership Committee
Jonathan Shopley, Chair
Daniele Agostini
Jonathan Grant
Ingrid Parramon -
Communications Committee
Kerry Liebenberg
Sandeep Chaudhury
Abyd Karmali OBE
Jonathan Shopley
IETA FELLOWS
IETA awards honorary fellowships to individuals in recognition of their contributions to developing market-based solutions to climate change and in strengthening the role of the IETA in building the profession. IETA Fellows are named each year.