GHG and Carbon Management GHG and Carbon Management

Don Bain and Michael Gillenwater are joined by Mr. Philip Gass, International Institute for Sustainable Development. Philip reflects on Carbon Policy in Canada after COP21 in Paris. This conversation was recorded in Seoul, Korea.

Michael Gillenwater is just back from COP-21 in Paris. Don Bain followed the agreement from afar. Listen in on their discussion of first impressions. Look for more detailed analysis in future episodes.

Read the agreement for yourself at http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/l09r01.pdf. Check out the excellent coverage of the event and development of the agreement at http://parisagreement.org/.

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A tax on greenhouse gas emissions, a.k.a. carbon tax, is one policy mechanism for addressing climate change. The Canadian Province of British Columbia implemented a carbon tax in 2008 and reports of experience with it are now in papers and the press. Don Bain and Michael Gillenwater discuss the tax and some of the lessons learned. Michael points out some of the implementation challenges.

Details of the tax are available at http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/tbs/tp/climate/carbon_tax.htm. Press articles include http://grist.org/climate-energy/what-we-can-learn-from-british-columbias-carbon-tax/ and http://www.economist.com/blogs/americasview/2014/07/british-columbias-carbon-tax.

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Don Bain and Michael Gillenwater respond to posted comments and emails from you. We are very grateful to our listeners for taking the time to contact us. We want to hear from you. Please email podcast@ghginstitute.org

Get ready! The Greenhouse Gas Accounting Standards Council, GHG-ASC, is coming.

Don and Michael go over the features of an exciting new organization dedicated to recognizing leading GHG accounting practice in companies. Recorded 1 April 2015, a formal announcement will come after details are finalized and key positions filled. Email podcast@ghginstitute.org for questions or more information.

Don Bain and Michael Gillenwater discuss a personal carbon dilemma – should I fly or should I drive? A recent trip prompted Don to try 5 different on-line carbon calculators for air travel when trying to compare the carbon intensity of airline travel versus travel by auto. The carbon calculators gave surprisingly different results for the same air travel data.

Michael gives an overview of Radiative Forcing in the context of emissions from air travel.

Want a more scientific look into carbon calculators for air travel? We highly recommend Carbon Offsetting & Air Travel, Part 1: CO2-Emissions Calculations, by Anja Kollmuss & Jessica Lane.

We love listener feedback and ideas. Email us at podcast@ghginstute.org.