CFA 2013 Post Show report.pdf

Conference Overview
Featuring 73 speakers from 24 countries, Carbon Forum Asia brought together carbon market players,
policymakers and industry analysts in a total of 28 insightful dialogues.
The Carbon Forum Asia participants learned about a range of emerging climate finance instruments
and mechanisms, including the new UN Green Climate Fund (GCF). During a special lunchtime
dialogue and plenary session, delegates were joined by 3 of only 4 Active Private Sector Observers to
the GCF, who provided updates on the fund's operationalization as well as the expectations heading
into the GCF's next Board Meeting, and the priority fund items that will be addressed. Examples
included the business model framework on allocation and financial inputs as well as performance
indicators, panel committee guidelines and many more. Thus, Carbon Forum Asia reaffirmed the vital
role that the private sector must play in reaching international climate finance goals.
“ADB is pleased to see the innovative discussions on carbon market developments in Asia and the
Pacific at this year’s Carbon Forum Asia. Many new and creative thoughts such as the carbon market
linkage and carbon credit rating were brought to the table in an intense discussion, contributing to the
development of the future carbon market not only in this region, but also in the world,” said Lu Xuedu,
Advisor, Asian Development Bank.
“It is always good to meet people at this Forum, global or Asian. One realizes the concerns in Asia are
very similar to those on a global level. I think all forums are a convening space for players in the market
space - from both the financial and public sector as well as the industrial sector – these are all
important players,” said Nikolaus Schultze, Assistant Director General for Public Private Cooperation,
Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).
As China gears up for a potential nationwide emissions trading system, the attention lies on the
development of the 7 pilot systems and what challenges governments, together with pilot participants,
are addressing and overcoming. Participants in the session on China’s National Carbon Market
discussed the policy design issues of a national ETS in China as well as industry ‘market readiness’ for
emissions trading. From the discussions, it was evident that knowing the ins and outs of emissions
trading - including what works and what didn’t from the EU’s experience - will be paramount to
operators’ effective participation in the Chinese pilot emissions trading systems. The session provided
delegates with the opportunity to learn about the challenges and opportunities ahead for stakeholders
in the Chinese carbon market and how industry readiness will be key for a national emissions trading
system in China.

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