Carbon Credit Trading in China Hopes to Help Curb Wanton Pollution

How Emerald Knight Carbon Credits Can Reduce Social Unrest

Pollution can drive societies to the brink of agitation. Just ask China.

The country with a pollution problem bad enough to make people wear surgical masks every day has recently initiated carbon trading for cleaner air. Pilot programs have already started in several China cities where air pollution is at its worst, mostly in the northern province of Hubei. Trading carbon credits from Emerald Knight, in this case, has both environmental and social implications.

For many, it's a welcome move. Pollution-related ailments claim half-a-million lives every year in China, says the World Bank, reducing over-all life expectancy by 5.5 years. Hurdles in implementation of stricter environmental policies have given way to demonstrations over the past few years, one of which was in 2005 when three people were killed in a riot over a planned power plant in Dongzhou.

In 2009, China made a commitment during the climate talks in Copenhagen to reduce its emissions per unit of GDP to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The government saw emissions trading as one of two ways to achieve this goal, a strategy which will have companies either reducing their actual carbon emissions, or buying carbon credits.

However, one question remains. Is China serious about it?

The country's emissions trading scheme faces political and economic challenges. The government has failed to implement its environmental policies effectively due to some companies' unlawful practices like the construction of hidden pipes for toxic discharge or waste disposal under the cover of darkness. In addition, some firms, the government says, are under the protection of local officials.

Shenzhen will be the center of this collective effort. With more than 600 companies responsible for 40 percent of the city's air pollution, the program sets the limit for these companies at 100 million metric tons (Mt) of carbon within a three-year span. Shenzhen's initiatives won't have any significant impact; but if the program is successful, other cities like Beijing and Shanghai may soon follow.

Overall, China is tackling its pollution problem one city at a time. Its carbon trading pilot program, analysts say, is a signal to the world of the country's commitment to curb air pollution and reduce its emissions, as it intended to do so since Copenhagen. It is hoped that there will be less riots on the streets, especially if trading carbon credits from Emerald Knight proves to be a viable long-term solution.

Emerald Knight Bamboo Projects and Other Green Developments to Support

There's a good reason why the most apt metaphor for nature is the Web of Life, and that's because all life forms are dependent on each other to survive. Whole ecosystems could collapse if one plant or animal species suddenly ceases to exist; one missing piece can cause the entire web to fall apart. Man may have risen to the top of the food chain, but his wanton use of resources has led to the extinction of many species and looks to be leading towards the destruction of the world as we know it.

It's humanity's responsibility to give back to nature after putting so many resources to waste. There are various ways to go about restoring the planet, and they don't all entail physically replanting trees or sheltering endangered species. You can still help rejuvenate nature by way of investing in Emerald Knight bamboo reforestation projects and other similar opportunities.

Green investments refer to projects designed to restore nature and help make up for man's reckless use of resources in the past. These investments can be anything from reforestation, to crop replanting, and even research into alternative energy sources. While investing in these projects can bring investors some cash on the side, it's ultimately the projects' contribution towards the environment and humanity as a whole that will make these investments worth your time and effort.

There's also a bit more to ethical environmental investments than just saving the planet and earning cash. Investors can greatly improve their public image by actively investing in such products. Corporate investors can make an ethical stand; and such genuine aid can win the hearts of both consumers and their stockholders.

As beneficial as they are, it can be challenging to find ecological investment opportunities. Thankfully, Emerald Knight bamboo projects and other green efforts are accessible through the help of investment consultants. These specialized professionals keep abreast of the latest environmental efforts, and can easily refer investors to promising new programs.

The web of life hangs in a delicate balance; humanity can't afford to upset this balance if it hopes to spare the world from irrevocable destruction. Every investor looking to save the planet should look into trying ethical investments.

Learning About Types of Carbon Credits Through Emerald Knight Consultants

The world may be heading towards a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions. Several environmental experts claim that global warming is a looming danger due to high greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and intense deforestation. The latter, in turn, reduces the ecosystem's ability to reprocess carbon dioxide (CO2) into oxygen.

The extension of the Kyoto Protocol until 2020 has given the international community an added push to trim all carbon emissions. Part and parcel of this effort is carbon credits trading, particularly among CO2 emitters of every stripe. If you are a CO2 emitter and you want to join such a market, you may want to seek guidance from companies that market carbon credits like Emerald Knight Consultants. This way, you'll learn which types of credits are applicable to you and how much you ought to trade.

Carbon credits are broken down into two categories. The Compliance Carbon Credits are the credits that are regulated and traded under the Kyoto Protocol. Emitters will often have specific reduction targets to meet. The Voluntary Carbon Credits are credits usually traded across several specific markets, especially in the United States, which has not ratified the Protocol and has no binding targets either.

The Certified Emission Reduction (CER) is the most basic form of Compliance Carbon Credit and this is found among projects in developing countries. The Clean Development Mechanism governs the emissions certification for such projects. Its counterpart in developed nations is the Emission Reduction Unit, which is made through Joint Implementation programs. The European Union also has its own trading scheme that follows the Protocol, called the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Emitters trading in Voluntary Carbon Credits can start through Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) credits, which have been established as an international standard. Already meeting standards as stated in the Kyoto Protocol, VCS credits require independent verification of permanent, measured abatement. Renewable Energy Certificates are unique in the sense that they represent how much CO2 is saved through the efficient use of renewable energy sources like wind in generating one megawatt-hour of electricity.

Climate change is enough to give people pause about the environment's woes. Carbon credit projects such as those marketed by companies such as Emerald Knight Consultants will help reduce carbon emissions and help reduce damage to the environment.

Hydroelectric Power Generation Investments

Hydroelectric Investments Marketed by Emerald Knight

The on-going search for more sources of renewable energy is no longer a task relegated to scientists and philanthropists. Hydroelectric power attracts many people simply because it is a very lucrative business that can compete with more conventional electric power generation operations. Investment marketers like Emerald Knight can identify hydroelectric investments.

It's a Growing Market

This industry seems to be thriving. China, Canada, and Brazil continue to gain a larger share in the global hydroelectric market each year. In 2008, China generated roughly 18 percent of the entire world's hydroelectric power. This was a considerable achievement, knowing that the largest segment of hydropower (about 31 percent) comes from local, small-scale power plants spread across the planet. Experts predict that hydropower’s market value will be maintained at around $2.2 billion per year, so long as its three- to eight- percent growth rate remains consistent until 2020. Investment opportunities, however, are a different story altogether, since many factors can determine the functionality and profitability of prospective sites of hydropower in different locations worldwide. Topography, water pressure, and even the presence of sediments can make or break the creation of a hydroelectric plant.

The Market Needs Help

Currently, machines and equipment for hydroelectric power can remain functional for 30 to 60 years. In practice, however, this is not the case—especially in developing countries that lack resources for maintenance of the equipment. It is expected that most hydroelectric power plants across the globe would need to be renovated and upgraded by 2030. However, the future looks promising now that organizations like the World Bank are spearheading development projects for this industry to refurbish existing HEP stations and develop new hydro-electric power stations. Private funding into these initiatives are good for the environment and can provide good returns for private investors.

You Can Help Save the Planet by Making Renewable Energy Investments

Getting to Know Renewable Energy Investments through Marketers like Emerald Knight

In the 2006 documentary film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” former vice president Al Gore emphasized that “as more and more people understand what's at stake, they become a part of the solution, and share both in the challenges and opportunities presented by the climate crises.” Today, many organisations have taken a pro-active role in the global cause for environment conservation. On their part, private investors can participate in these efforts through socially responsible investments marketed by companies like UK-based Emerald Knight.

One of the various goals of SRIs is to reduce the worldwide use of fossil fuel in favor of renewable energy sources. This, of course, is a challenge for many since they rely on fossil fuels for electricity, heating, cooking, and industry. The majority of the world's electric power is produced by burning coal, petroleum, and natural gas; with the remaining amount generated by nuclear power, hydroelectric dams, geothermal plants, and other alternative sources.

Fossil fuels are sourced from the organic remains of organisms that formed steadily over a period of well over 150 million years. These resources are limited and scientists say that it is only a matter of time before fossil fuel supplies totally run out.

For this reason, organisations have come together to strengthen renewable energy efforts and, at the same time, open opportunities for investments in renewable energy, such as those marketed by the Emerald Knight. If people move to carbon-free energy sources, rather than fossil fuels, there will be much less air pollution generated which will reduce the growing threat of climate change caused by carbon emissions. 

Wind turbine power is considered to be among the most feasible solutions to help reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Massive turbine blades harness the energy of the wind as it rotates their turbines to run generators that convert the force into useful and clean electric power. These are situated where wind is constant and considerably powerful, often along the coast. In the British Isles, 4,366 wind turbines are currently in operation, with another 763 expected to be up and running within the year.

There is currently no blueprint for renewable energy, so private initiatives are being set up to find cost effective renewable energy sources. Emerald Knight look for and find these projects and market select opportunities to their client base.

Saving the Environment through Emerald Knight Investment Portfolios

Saving the Environment with Emerald Knight Investment Portfolios

The effects of climate change are increasingly felt around the world, and this has prompted governments, in conjunction with the scientific community and the private sector, to act with haste. At the same time, a growing number of concerned individuals and corporate entities have realized the need to support global efforts aimed at curbing the loss of resources, greenhouse gas emissions, worsening weather crises, and other problems. Such a worldwide trend has created the perfect environment, so to speak, for ethical or socially responsible investment (SRI) opportunities.

Rampant capitalism, i.e. economic growth with very little regard for the environment, has proven to be unsustainable. The Industrial Revolution may have led to tremendous technological and economic progress, yet it also laid waste to vast expanses of forest and potable water sources. Clearly, the prevailing mantra back then was profit at all cost. Times have changed, however, and a lot more profit-oriented folks now opt to go the SRI route through the projects found and marketed by Emerald Knight.

Those who engage in SRI initiatives steer clear of business ventures that harm the environment and have a negative effect on society. Instead, socially responsible investors help fund projects that address environmental as well as humanitarian issues. These include research and development for sustainable energy sources, reforestation projects, social housing, and carbon offsetting.

Ethical investing now forms more than just a niche sector and is in fact a widely accepted investment style. Individual as well as corporate investors who support environmental causes in principle yet are somehow unable to directly participate in conservation efforts can now put their money where their mouth is. In turn, firms like Emerald Knight Limited can bring socially responsible investment opportunities to the attention of investors to help them build a diversified investment portfolio.

While SRI is a matter of principle, investments are ultimately a profit-oriented undertaking and those that invest in the alternative market naturally expect returns on their investments. Always consult a certified financial advisor to learn about the risks with any opportunity before investing.

The Emerald Knight Ltd: Promoting Sustainable Investment Portfolios

Emerald Knight Ltd: Promoting Sustainable Investment Portfolios

The global economy and the international world of finance have not yet fully recovered from the Great Recession. Territories like Japan and the European Union continue to experience slow growth and the crippling effects of a weakened monetary system. Unemployment rates remain high in many countries, and this has spawned social unrest and open revolts against governments and their ineffectual economic policies. 

What factors brought about this economic downturn? There's no simple black and white answer as the reasons are complex, though most analysts believe that the high level of debt in many developed countries was the primary cause of the recession. This crisis has caused many analysts to question the exploitative practices utilized by growth capitalism, and many experts from companies like Emerald Knight Consultants believe that socially responsible investing or green investments are the way of the future.

Such companies promote sustainable investment portfolios that create alternative opportunities for investors with proven social and environmental benefits. Green investments opportunities have the power to generate profits without undermining environmental, social, and government policies.

In fact, according to an article that appeared in the Harvard Business Review, companies that invest in sustainability do better financially than those that don't. In the past, people had the wrong impression that responsible or sustainable investments were great for public relations, but led to diminished investment returns. Recent research has shown this to be untrue.

The reality is that resource-efficient companies—which are companies that use less water and energy, and generate less waste during the production process—tend to produce higher investment returns than companies that are less resource-efficient. Studies have also shown that resource-efficient companies demonstrate higher standards of innovation and entrepreneurship, which makes them better investment targets.

Companies like Emerald Knight Ltd understand the value of promoting sustainable investments, and continue to market a dynamic portfolio of opportunities to their database. Socially responsible investing and other green initiatives can safeguard our resources, mitigate climate change, and create new opportunities for economic growth, which will revitalize the world economy. By transitioning to sustainable capitalism, we can create a better future for our descendants.