This opening high-level plenary will take stock of the implementation of
market-based carbon pricing instruments around the world. Government
leaders will discuss the state of emissions trading in their jurisdictions and
their expectations for the future. As the impact of carbon market expands
to new jurisdictions and deepens to new sector, this session will review
good practices and past mistakes, aiming to identify key lessons for
policymakers and market participants.
Hear from the world's leading carbon analysts as they provide their latest
analyses, forecasts and insights on trends. US carbon markets have eased
back from their earlier strong levels as lawmakers and regulators have
struggled to approve reforms and renewals of the state-level cap-and-trade
systems. Analysts will review the state of the various markets and the
outlook for prices in the coming months and years.
Mobilising private capital for climate transition requires more than a carbon
price; it requires Financial Market Infrastructure that institutional capital can
trust. IOSCO's Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures set the
benchmark for safe, resilient, and transparent markets, covering clearing,
settlement, registries, and trade-reporting. This session examines how
applying PFMI-grade standards to carbon markets can deliver the
transparency and structural resilience that institutional investors demand.
At a pivotal moment for corporate climate action, industry leaders from
Verra, SBTi, and iconic global brands will explore the future of Scope 3.
Coinciding with the debut of Verra’s first new carbon standard in nearly 20
years, the discussion will examine credible pathways for accelerating value
chain decarbonization and achieving Scope 3 targets.
Reaching net zero will require a portfolio, not a single winner. This session
unlocks the various roles and opportunities across removals, CCUS, and
superpollutant mitigation, and how they can serve complementary roles
across prices, timelines, and durabilities. Panelists explore what market and
policy signals exist, and what's still needed, to scale the complete toolkit.
Following the reentry of Virginia into RGGI, there has been increased
attention on the market as prices rise to unprecedented levels. This session
will discuss the ongoing adoption of the updated Model Rule and IETA's
engagement with RGGI regulators on program redesign.
Despite headwinds at the US federal level, subnational jurisdictions across
North America are maintaining support for carbon market approaches. This
session will cover the ongoing linkage process between California,
Washington, and Québec, RGGI Model Rule Adoption, and Alberta's TIER
reform. The session will also address federal legal threats to state-level
programs.
'The Carbon Case’ is a documentary on how climate finance and
international cooperation are put to work in emerging economies. A teaser
was released in London as part of the London Climate Action Week. New
York will celebrate the pre-screening launch, on the road to COP31 in
Türkiye. The film examines how carbon markets can channel investment
into the countries that hold the natural capital the world depends on.
Grab a drink and join us for this exclusive and exciting session!
AI is driving a rapid increase in global electricity demand, creating both
opportunities and challenges for energy systems, climate goals, and
economic development. Bringing together perspectives from industry,
energy, technology, and climate policy, this session will look at the role of
carbon markets in enabling the energy transition, and provide practical
insights into balancing economic growth, technological advancement, and
climate action.
Corporate carbon accounting and reporting is being rewritten in real time
– from the GHG Protocol's new Actions & Market Instruments workstream
and ongoing ISO harmonization to form a single corporate standard, to
SBTi's evolving guidance and mandatory disclosure regimes in California
and beyond. This session unpacks how shifting standards are reshaping
carbon markets, corporate strategies, and claims-setting.
This session shines a spotlight on Canada’s climate policy landscape,
examine the current state of federal and provincial carbon markets, and
explore Canada’s role in supporting carbon market development globally.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of Canada’s complex and
interconnected decarbonization policies, market dynamics, linkage
opportunities, and what the future may hold for these uniquely Canadian
carbon markets.
Environmental markets are adapting to a rapidly changing policy and
standards landscape. Updates to emissions accounting frameworks,
corporate reporting or scope 2 guidance, and the reporting of
environmental claims will influence the future utility and value of
environmental commodities. This discussion will examine the market
implications of these shifts and what they mean for corporate climate
strategies, carbon competitiveness, and the future role of carbon markets.
Continued discourse around durability and integrity is impacting policy
formation and market dynamics for nature-based reductions and removals.
This panel will provide insight into the current landscape across policies,
markets, and emerging models that bridge the durability gap like
permanence trusts, contracted durability, and new insurance products –
assessing where we are and what we still need.
This panel will explore how carbon market participants and policymakers
are adapting to evolving market dynamics amid geopolitical tensions and
shifting government priorities. With only a handful of countries expected
to use Article 6 to meet their 2030 climate targets, demand from airlines
seeking to comply with CORSIA will be a critical source of finance for many
carbon projects in the near term. Join us for a forward-looking discussion
on the future of global compliance markets.
The legal foundations of carbon markets remain highly dynamic. Climate
litigation has increased, regulators are exploring ways to provide market
stability through the provision of safe harbours. Simultaneously, a
consensus on the legal nature of carbon credits is emerging following the
release of the UNIDROIT draft Principles. This session will discuss the
recent developments surrounding the legal foundations of carbon markets
and how certain developments could underpin significant market growth.
In 2026, several industry-wide transformations are underway. New registry
infrastructures, initiatives to standardise digital MRV, and the proliferation
of digital methodologies provide the market with new opportunities to
scale. But in order to have the impact we hope to see, they must be
communicated to stakeholders at every part of the value chain. How can
these advancements be communicated to traders, investors, insurers, and
everyone in between?
In an increasingly multipolar world, competitiveness is the new organizing
principle of climate action. As governments pursue new industrial
strategies, companies navigate geopolitical and trade realities, and
economies confront rising energy demands, carbon markets move from
environmental instruments to platforms for investment and economic
advantage. With COP31 around the corner, this session will take stock of
major developments and initiatives across the global landscape.