Carbon Offsets:  Opportunities and Challenges for State Carbon Trading Schemes – April 11, 2008

DURHAM, N.C. – The Environmental Law Program at Harvard Law School, the Harvard University Center on Environment, and the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University will hold a day-long conference on April 11, 2008 focused on the design of carbon trading schemes, with particular attention to offsets.

This will be a high level event featuring panelists and invitees with a broad range of expertise, including policy makers, offset market participants, state officials and academics. 

Given the recent interest in offsets, this conference is particularly timely, and differs from many recent climate-related events in its focus on a single policy instrument. In particular, panelists will discuss the challenges faced by states that wish to use carbon offsets in their greenhouse gas reduction programs. Panels will address lessons learned from state, federal, and international experience with offsets; perspectives of buyers and sellers in the offset market; the "state of the states" currently designing climate policies using offsets; and questions of harmonization and preemption related to future federal and international regulatory regimes. 

Brief background papers for each panel will be circulated to those registered for the conference to ensure that discussions can begin at a high level.

The event will be held in the Ames Courtroom at Harvard Law School.  To register for the conference or for further details, please contact the Environmental Law Program at Harvard Law School at environment@law.harvard.edu.

Suggested area hotels include: Sheraton Commander, The Inn at Harvard and the Charles Hotel. Lunch will be provided to all registered participants on the day of the conference. 

The day's events will be closed to the press and off the record, except for the luncheon remarks. Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit will not be issued for attendance.