Climate Policy, Carbon Credits and Business Risk
Course ID: SUST-406

• July 22, 2009
• $250 (*$195 reduced rate)
  

Managing Carbon: Footprints, Risk and Climate Action for Business and Government
Course ID: SUST-407

• July 23, 2009
  
• $250 (*$195 reduced rate)

Carbon Footprints, Step by Step
Course ID: SUST-408

• July 24, 2009
  
• $250 (*$195 reduced rate)

THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR:
(Please read carefully)

• Professional services providers whose clients seek strategic guidance emerging costs, risks and opportunities
• Technical and environmental practitioners whose organizations or clients seek to develop strategies to respond to climate change legislation and energy policies
• Policy analysts and researchers in government, non-governmental organizations, and higher education whose agendas are shifting to include climate concerns

DESCRIPTION: This workshop will provide clarity and structure for understanding the interconnected web of climate and energy policies that have arisen quickly at the national, state, regional and municipal levels.

This workshop will provide clarity and structure for understanding the interconnected web of climate and energy policies that have arisen quickly at the national, state, regional and municipal levels. The workshop will include an update on congressional discussion of the proposed Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill.

Topics will include:

• Fundamental analytical tools for examining climate policy, including cap-and-trade basics and cost of carbon
• Background and status of regional cap-and-trade systems, especially the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
• Mandatory reporting guidelines in Washington, Oregon and California
• The state of environmental markets for emissions reductions via carbon credits (or offsets) and renewable energy credits (RECs).
• Brief review of state and federal tax policies for renewable energy and alternative fuels, and Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS)
• Voluntary efforts by states, cities and higher education institutions that include targets and commitments related to emissions reductions, reporting and cross-jurisdictional cooperation
• Review of the major issues being considered/debated in Congress in federal climate legislation
• CM | 6 | Law
  AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for this activity [or many activities at this event]. When CM credits are available, they are noted at the end of an activity description. More information about AICP's CM program can be found at www.planning.org/cm.

THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR:
(Please read carefully)

• Managers and directors who must manage their organizations’ climate action strategies
• Staff at all levels who must interpret and disseminate the results of organizational GHG inventories
• Professional services providers whose clients seek strategic guidance emerging costs, risks and opportunities
• Technical and environmental practitioners whose organizations or clients seek to develop strategies to respond to climate change legislation and energy policies
• Policy analysts and researchers in government, non-governmental organizations, and higher education whose agendas are shifting to include climate concerns

DESCRIPTION: This workshop is intended for directors, managers, policy analysts and executives in the public and private sectors who are seeking strategic guidance around emissions management and climate risk.

The workshop will explain key conceptual aspects of carbon footprints to assist decision makers who must manage a carbon footprint process now and understand the implications of the results. Various aspects of “climate risk”–new regulations, reporting requirements, and physical changes in climate – will be linked to carbon footprints and to climate action steps for immediate implementation and for medium- and long-term planning.

The analytical tools presented are relevant to both organizations that must report emissions for regulatory reasons, as well as to public- and private-sector leaders that seek to better understand the carbon footprints of their organizations. The workshop will allow organizations of all types to gain the most strategic insight from both mandatory and voluntary reporting.

Note: This workshop will have a small overlap with both the day before (Climate Policy, Carbon Credits and Business Risk) and the day after (Carbon Footprints, Step by Step).

CM | 6 | Law
AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for this activity [or many activities at this event]. When CM credits are available, they are noted at the end of an activity description. More information about AICP's CM program can be found at www.planning.org/cm.

THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR:
(Please read carefully)

• Public- and private-sector staff who must conduct a GHG inventory for their organizations
• Individuals who must prepare their organizations for mandatory state-level reporting (in Oregon or Washington)

DESCRIPTION: This workshop will provide concrete tools for conducting a GHG inventory (or carbon footprint) of a corporation, municipal or county government, or other entity. The structure of the day will follow the entire process, including:

• Selecting relevant protocols and data tools to use throughout your GHG inventory process
• Setting boundaries for your inventory
• Data gathering, inside your organization and in coordination with external entities
• Calculating emissions from data
• Estimating emissions sources with incomplete data
• Interpretation of results, and framing of major issues
• Final reporting writing and other dissemination
• Linking GHG inventory results to climate action opportunities

Participants will leave with a complete structure and plan for carrying out a GHG inventory for their respective organizations. Activities throughout the day will provide directions for first steps. Note: Attendees are encouraged to bring a laptop and use the spreadsheets provided at the outset of the workshop.

The workshop will draw on details and insights from emerging GHG reporting frameworks in Washington, Oregon and California. If you are unsure about whether your entity will be required to report GHG emissions to state government, see one of these sites.

Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting: WA, OR, CA

NOTE: There is minimal overlap across the three days.

Instructor Bio: Joshua Skov is a Principal of Good Company, a Eugene, Oregon-based consulting firm. Mr. Skov combines extensive experience with sustainability indicators and expertise in economics with the ability to communicate issues of sustainability in a practical and meaningful manner. He leads Good Company’s climate practice (www.goodcompany.com/climate).

Skov’s research and consulting have assisted corporations, universities and public agencies in understanding how the challenge of sustainability relates to their organizations, assessing social and environmental performance, and implementing measures to address these emerging issues. He has led the development of GHG inventories for a wide range of clients, including Portland Parks and Recreation Department, the City of Vancouver (Washington), the University of Texas, the seven-campus Oregon University System, and numerous other public agencies and corporations.

Mr. Skov is an adjunct instructor in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon, and he teaches sustainable business courses in the MBA program at the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego. He earned an M.A. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Skov is a LEED™ Accredited Professional. He serves as a City Council appointee on the Sustainability Commission of the City of Eugene.

REGISTRATION: $250 (*$195 reduced tuition is available for Native American tribes; government employees; nonprofits). You may register via links above or by calling the Northwest Environmental Training Center at 206-762-1976.

Cancellation Policy: Registration fees are fully refundable up to 30 days prior to the event and 50 percent refundable (or 100% credit) thereafter up to 3 business days prior to the event. No refunds are issued for cancellations occurring less than 3 business days before the start day. Course registration fees and cancellation policy are subject to change without notice.

Disability Accommodations: To request disability accommodations, please contact us at info@nwetc.org or (206) 762-1976 at least 30 days prior to the event.

If you have any questions please contact info@nwetc.org