Foreword
Carbon markets can work well if designed well. However, as Carbon Market Watch has shown time and again, the technical details of how they are designed determine whether they will result in real emissions reductions or reductions just on paper. Carbon markets are complex and opaque, shielding policy-makers from the public eye while industries push for weak regulation.
Carbon Market Watch plays a critical role in uncovering policy loopholes and holding decision-makers accountable. It does so by virtue of its deep expertise in the design and implementation of carbon markets and proven advocacy approach, supported by a broad network of partner organisations around the world.
2018 was a busy year for Carbon Market Watch. Countries negotiated the rulebook to implement the Paris Agreement, and new climate policies emerged on international, national, and sub-national levels around the world to meet the growing urgency of climate change. In all of these arenas, carbon markets featured strongly.
Carbon Market Watch pressured governments to end the flawed Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol in 2020 when the Paris Agreement enters into force and to ensure that poor quality CDM emission reduction credits do not become available for airlines to buy under the future aviation offsetting scheme CORSIA. Within the European Union, Carbon Market Watch’s analysis and advocacy supported stronger outcomes in the bloc’s long-term climate objectives, carbon market design, coal phase-out, industrial emissions policies, and national energy and climate plans.
This last year Carbon Market Watch itself went through some transitions: Eva Filzmoser’s 10 years of leading the organisation came to a close. Under Eva’s leadership, Carbon Market Watch grew from one employee to the organisation it is today with a staff of nine, an annual budget of over EUR 800,000, and a critical role in the design and implementation of carbon markets both in Europe and under international climate change agreements. Thank you, Eva, also for leading the transition to the new Executive Director so thoroughly and thoughtfully.
It is exciting to have Sabine Frank join the organisation as the new Executive Director, bringing her extensive experience in strategy, policy, advocacy, management, and coalition building in the field of social justice and international trade policy. We will look forward to her applying this expertise to Carbon Market Watch’s diverse work portfolio, while also taking the organisation in some new directions.
Carbon Market Watch’s combination of analysis and advocacy with long-standing local connections will remain essential to making sure that climate policies are effective during these critical years. We simply do not have time for false solutions.
Barbara Haya
Carbon Market Watch Board Member
