[Committee] Fwd: Policy Event (Conference): Design and Public Policy: Markets for Congestion and Emissions Trading - Conference Thu 11 Jan - Fri 12 Jan

[Stephen Stretton]

Hi, Just wanted to let you know about a conference in Colchester on Thursday
and Friday. It looks pretty exciting. Last chance for registration is
today/tomorrow.
Steve
(Sorry if you've received this twice.)

Programme now available   Book your place now (Extended till 8 Jan. 2007)

http://www.essex.ac.uk/eccc/
Design and Public Policy: Markets for Congestion and Emissions Trading

This two day high profile conference aims to critically examine market
oriented solutions to the control and pricing of negative economic
externalities from road transport congestion and industrial environmental
pollution. Keynote speakers and panellists include leading academics, policy
makers and practitioners who have in depth knowledge relating to wider
policy issues, hands on trading experience and who have pioneered market
designs and guided implementation of trading and control systems for
congestion and carbon. This landmark conference moves away from rhetoric to
actual design and implementation issues in order to prevent over use and
degradation of resources due to missing markets and other institutions.
Special forums have also been organized to inform and advise local
authorities and firms on joining ETS, carbon offsetting and on obtaining
finance for sustainable development and eco-innovations.

Keynote and Plenary Speakers: Prof. Brian Collins (Chief Scientific Advisor
DfT), John Barrett (Research Associate, SEI York),  Prof. David Brownstone
(University of California, USA), Dr. Dallas Burtraw (Resources For The
Future, USA), Prof Stephen Glaister (Imperial College), Lorenz Koch
(Project Leader, World Business Council for Sustainable Development),
Jonathan Kohler (Cambridge University and OMEGA Aerospace and Environment
Management Group), Simon Kyte ( Economist, Greater London Authority), Matt
Prescott (CarbonLimited), Bruce Pittingale (Head of Low Carbon Programme, UK
CEED), Prof. Charles Plott (Caltech, USA), Richard Price (Chief Economist
Defra), Dr. Robert Rabinowitz (Director of Climate Exchange (Europe)),
Jonathan Selwyn (Executive Director, UK CEED), Richard Starkey (Tyndall
Centre),  Trevor Sikorski (Senior Analyst and Advisor, Point Carbon), Andrea
Young (Deputy Regional Director, Regional Economy, Environment &
Partnerships)


Chairs and Panellists on Roundtables : Ian Swingland (Pioneer
Environmentalist and Advisor on Commercialization of Biodiversity), James
Beale (Director, Renewables East), Hugh van Cutsem (Conservationist),  Tim
Lunel ( Director, National Energy Foundation),  Steven Joseph (OBE,
Transport 2000), Richard Burrett (Director Sustainable Development, Global
Markets, ABN-Amro), Nicola Steen (Senior Vice President, CO2e), Richard
Gardiner (Director OMEGA Aerospace and Environment Management Group), Hugh
Parnell (NW Brown), Richard Frost (Energy Manager, University of Essex),
Trevor Platt (Managing Consultant SERCO Integrated Transport), Terence
Bendixson (Independent Transport Commission), David Ong (Reader,
International and Environmental Law, University of Essex), Lucinda Turner
(Policy Manager, TfL), Bob Russell (Lib Dem MP), Jean Lambert (Green Party
MEP)

The conference is aimed at the following types of specialists, NGOs and
government bodies:
·academic, professional and government economists
·local transport and environmental authorities
·regional development agencies
·environmental agencies
·carbon traders
·corporate innovators in climate change
·government planning departments
·policy makers
·specialists in sustainable finance
·students of public policy, transport and environment     The conference
will provide forums/stalls for:
·finance and insurance advice for sustainable development
·advice to local authorities and firms on joining Emission Trading Scheme
·showcase for successful schemes for a sustainable economy
·publications in the area
.... and more
Due to limited stall space, to book please complete a registration form
which can be found on the sponsors page, or for more information contact
Camilla Fox or Julie Peirson on +44 (0) 1206-874876 or Email: cfox @ essex .
ac . uk

>On 1/7/07, Robin Smith <robincsco at hotmail.com> wrote: >Steve, are you
attending this event?

On 1/7/07, Dr. Adrian Wrigley < amtw at linuxchip.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
> Steve Stretton wrote:
> > Sorry for the delay in responding to your email. I've been doing some
> work
> > on a Carbon calculator (http://www.zerocarbonnow.org/cam/Energy-Log.xls)
> > among other things.
> >
> > Here are some specific figures (with a back of envelope cost breakdown)
> for
> > the limestone -> lime process: CaCO3 + Energy -> CaO + CO2, - carbon tax
> > excludes CO2 produced in the process and concentrates only on the fuel
> used.
> > These figures are for a lime plant in Pensylvania, USA (thanks to my dad
> who
> > consults in this industry):
>
> Interesting figures.  Thanks.
>
> I calculate producing one tonne lime drives off 0.21 tonnes carbon (as
> 0.78t CO2).
> So the carbon tax on the CO2 driven off by the process should be about the
>
> same as from the fuel (0.2438 tonnes/tonne of lime, it appears).
>
> As I mentioned, cement and similar industries (import, production) should
> pay
> for CO2 generated, same as fuel-derived CO2.  The tax rate I'd like to see
>
> *as a starting point* is $85/tonne CO2 (roughly the $300/tonne C in your
> right-hand column).  So that pushes costs to $237/tonne including process
> and fuel.
> But this excludes labour and capital cost savings.  Also, it excludes
> substitution of fuel (coal is one of the highest carbon fuels!).
> Switch to nuclear (or even geothermal or solar heat), and things look much
> more favourable.
>
> You describe a 71% cost rise as "quite significant".  What is the effect
> on the end user?  You don't show figures for delivery cost (significant
> in this case(?)).  As you know, limestone is the starting point in cement,
> mortar, plaster production.  Reinforced concrete structures cost the
> customer
> about $1100/tonne in the UK (including labour, materials, transport).
> So the $121/tonne carbon additional cost of lime looks to be rather a
> *low*
> increase in cost to the end user (only 11%) (using $300/tC carbon cost).
> And this (construction) is a carbon intensive industry. And I haven't
> subtracted the tax reductions elsewhere.
>
> So it all depends on your perspective.  As a producer, you'd have a
> big shock to hear of this additional input cost (carbon cost of
> $121/tonne).
> But it will all (roughly) go on the sale price.  Imports pay the
> carbon tax (on certain, named commodities).  As a builder, you'll
> grumble, but save elsewhere.  As a customer, the effect is moderate.
> But... the producer is motivated to use a lower carbon process
> (new plant? carbon capture? solar heat? biofuel?).  The builder is
> motivated
> to switch to (say) timber construction, or improved design etc.
> The end customer is offered lower carbon alternatives at similar prices.
> Remember, carbon abatement is *cheap*.  But why bother when pollution is
> "free"?
>
> Once you get to $1100/tC, things start to get really interesting.  You've
> lost
> Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax, Stamp duties, Value Added Tax
> *and* Corporation Tax.  You've shed huge swathes of tax inspectors,
> accountants, avoidance schemes etc.  And you've eliminated VAT carousel
> fraud
> and a large chunk of the black market. The National Insurance Contribution
>
> mess would probably have been dumped too.  Losing CGT and CT cuts the
> cost of capital, extending the time horizon of investors.
>
> A good thought experiment.  But impossible for the weak political
> leadership
> we're stuck with at the moment.
> --
> Adrian
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: /pipermail/committee_zerocarbonnow.org/attachments/20070107/cf67ff6e/attachment.html