Carbon trading expert: Queenstown opportunities

Media release from Otago Polytechnic
8 July 2008

Carbon trading expert to present opportunities for Queenstown

Queenstown business people have a chance later this month to learn about carbon trading, carbon credits, world carbon markets and carbon opportunities.

The Otago Polytechnic, through its Centre for Sustainable Practice is bringing to Queenstown a carbon trading expert for a two hour session that offers instructive advice on how businesses can find opportunities, recognise risks and enter the carbon market.

Seminar organiser Steve Henry says the session will provide Queenstown businesses with the opportunity to learn about carbon credits and how they begin to enter the market.

“This is about carbon as a currency. There’s going to be a price on carbon use and local businesses need to learn how to respond. What are the risks? Where are the opportunities?

“Carbon credits are a key component of national and international emissions trading schemes that have been put in place to mitigate global warming. Carbon is now the largest commodity market in Europe and New Zealand carbon credits are highly sought after.”

Attendees will hear from Wayne King, Director of Carbon Market Solutions Ltd (CMS), a leading New Zealand-based advisory, brokerage and trading company. The company specialises in maximising value from trading carbon credits internationally and helps organisations to participate in the global carbon market.

Mr King is well-known in the industry following involvement in the international negotiations on the Climate Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. Following 14 years experience in international climate change issues, his specialist area within CMS is business development in the New Zealand carbon market.

Mr Henry says it is important that Queenstown businesses, particularly tourism operators understand the issues and act accordingly.

“Businesses are at brand risk if they don’t head down the track of carbon neutrality. Carbon accounting is becoming standard practice and is expected by many tourists, particularly Europeans.”

The seminar, ‘Carbon Trading - understanding the opportunities’, is to be held at Queenstown’s Copthorne Hotel on Tuesday 29 July from 9.00am to 11.00am and costs $150 per person.

ENDS

To register: please call Otago Polytechnic on 0800 765 9276.
For more information about Carbon Market Solutions Ltd visit www.carbonmarketsolutionscom.

About Wayne King
Wayne is a director of Carbon Market Solutions Limited (CMS) and has been closely involved in the international negotiations on the Climate Convention and Kyoto Protocol in the areas of financial mechanism, capacity building and clean development mechanism. He has also managed a 4 year $US5million GEF Pacific regional climate program based in Samoa.

Wayne is focused on business development in the New Zealand carbon market and assisting landowners with monetizing carbon credits under the Permanent Forest Sinks initiative in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme and in the voluntary carbon markets.

He is one of New Zealand’s most experienced carbon brokers, as CMS has already assisted New Zealand companies under the Government PRE program to transact Kyoto carbon credits from windfarms and landfill gas recovery to buyers in the EU-ETS.
For more information see www.carbonmarketsolutions.com

About the Otago Polytechnic Centre for Sustainable Practice
The objective of the Centre is to lead the development of sustainable practice in the Otago region.

The role of the Centre is to deliver expert education and advice in terms of a sustainable future for the region. It recognises the need for training and understanding in the field of sustainability and sources the experts to deliver useful courses and information to the widest possible community cross section.

The Centre is developing a range of multidisciplinary courses, provides consultancy advise and presents various events including the Cromwell and Dunedin What’s Best Expos.

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