International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP)

ICAP builds capacity for emissions trading

Since 2009, ICAP has held courses on emissions trading for developing countries and emerging economies. The ICAP courses provide an intensive ten day to two week long introduction to all aspects of the design and implementation of emissions trading systems (ETS) as a tool to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Topics include:

Data collection and inventory generation
Allocation methods
Offset mechanisms
Scope and coverage of a trading scheme
Adequate monitoring, reporting and verification
Registry design and implementation.
Stakeholders engagement
Competitiveness concerns
Impacts on and responses from covered entities
Market analysis and drivers
Opportunities offered by creating a global carbon market of linked domestic and regional systems

For each course, between 25 and 30 highly qualified policymakers as well as stakeholders from the non-governmental, academic and private sectors are selected.

Teaching faculty consists of experienced decision makers from the relevant administrative authorities in ICAP member jurisdictions, as well as practitioners and representatives from established educational and research institutions active in the area of emissions trading and climate policy, market analysts and industry representatives.

ICAP courses in a nutshell:
24 courses since 2009
19 in-person and 5 virtual courses
700 participants from 63 countries
274 speakers from 32 countries

ICAP Online ETS Academy 2021
From 16 August to 10 September 2021, the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) convened its first ICAP Online ETS Academy, implemented by the Ecologic Institute, ICF International and get2C in cooperation with the Asia Society Policy Institute, and funded by the European Commission.

The academy was the first ICAP summer school to go fully virtual, giving participants from all corners of the world the opportunity to deepen their understanding of ETS design and implementation. 79 participants from 35 countries and spanning four continents were selected to attend the academy, representing a diverse range of professional backgrounds, including policymakers and public officials, private sector actors, academics and civil society representatives.
Regional ICAP Workshop 2021 (virtual): Southeast Asia
From 22 to 26 March 2021, ICAP in cooperation with the Asia Society Policy Institute convened a virtual ETS workshop focusing on Southeast Asian countries. The "ICAP Seminar on ETS in Southeast Asia" introduced 35 Asian and Southeast Asian participants from the nongovernmental, academic and private sectors as well as policy makers who are or will be involved in deciding on, designing and implementing ETS to the basic concepts and key elements of emissions trading and was designed to be interactive and engaging. Drawing on examples and experiences from existing systems, the Seminar explained the main design choices for setting up an ETS and conveyed solutions for their implementation.

The ICAP online Seminar was implemented on behalf of ICAP by the Ecologic Institute, ICF International and get2C in cooperation with the Asia Society Policy Institute. It was funded by the European Commission.
Regional ICAP Workshop 2020 (virtual): Latin America
From 8 to 10 December 2020, ICAP hosted a three-day virtual ETS workshop focusing on Latin American (LATAM) countries. The workshop "Emissions Trading in Latin America – Developments on the Ground, Role for Cooperation" convened 47 experienced policy experts and stakeholders to discuss the state of play of LATAM carbon markets and give a practical perspective on key design choices and best practices in the establishment and operation of an emissions trading system. The interactive workshop also served as a key networking opportunity for ETS practitioners in the region.
The ICAP online Seminar was implemented on behalf of ICAP by the Ecologic Institute, ICF International and get2C. It was funded by the European Commission.
ICAP Training Course 2019 in Bogotá, Colombia
From 12 to 21 November 2019, the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP), supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the World Bank’s Partnership for Market Readiness (PMR) and hosted by Colombia’s National Planning Department (DNP), succesfully implemented a regional training course on ETS in Bogotá, Colombia.

The course offered 27 Latin American and Carribean participants from the nongovernmental, academic and private sectors as well as policy makers who are or will be involved in deciding on, designing and implementing ETS, an opportunity to deepen their understanding of ETS design and implementation. Participants came from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana, Mexico, Peru and Trinidad & Tobago. Over the span of eight course days the course built capacity on the technical design and implementation of carbon trading systems taking into account the development of carbon markets in Latin America and the Carribean and provided a curriculum dedicated to emissions trading as a policy instrument for climate policy. Also, it provided illustration through many hands-on examples, practical experience and case studies.

During the course, many internationally distinguished ETS experts provided input that served as the breeding ground for vivid exchange among participants and experts. Speakers included policymakers from ICAP members (representatives from Germany, Spain, Québec), international ETS experts (Ecologic Institute, FutureCamp Climate, German Emissions Trading Authority, Climate Connection, IEA, Environmental Defense Fund) as well as representatives from the World Bank's Partnership for Market Readiness.
ICAP Masterclass 2017 in Lisbon, Portugal
ICAP convened its 2nd Advanced Course on Emissions Trading in Lisbon, Portugal, from 28 August to 7 September 2017.

30 participants from a diverse set of countries and regions, including: Brazil, China, Chile, Colombia, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam attended the course. The Masterclass targeted individuals with previous knowledge and practical experience with emissions trading. The course also focused on the participants’ individual expertise and experience on best practice implementation and on the latest developments in the field of ETS.

Speakers included policymakers from ICAP members (representatives from the European Commission, Germany, New York, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), Québec, California, Switzerland the Tokyo Metropolitan Government,), international ETS experts (Ecologic Institute, Get2C, Carbon Market Watch, Ecofys, SinoCarbon, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development) as well as representatives from the financial sector and academic sector (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University College London).

The ICAP Advanced Course on Emissions Trading 2017 in Lisbon was hosted by the Portuguese Ministry of Environment. The course was funded by the European Commission.
ICAP Training Course 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand
ICAP convened its 17th Training Course on Emissions Trading in Bangkok, Thailand from 25 April to 4 May 2017.

27 participants from China, India, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam were selected.

Speakers included policymakers from ICAP members (representatives of the California Air Resources Board; the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety in Germany; Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center in South Korea; the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government), international ETS experts (Asian Development Bank, Ecologic Institute, FutureCamp Climate, Get2C, Motu and Tsinghua University) and local speakers (Thailand Greenhouse Gas Organization and Thammasart University).

The ICAP Training Course 2017 in Bangkok was hosted by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Organization and took place at Sasin University. The course was funded by the European Commission.
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ICAP Training Course 2016 in Brussels, Belgium
ICAP convened its 16th Training Course on Emissions Trading in Brussels, Belgium from 4 to 15 July 2016.

27 participants from Bangladesh, China, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam were selected.

Speakers included policymakers from ICAP members (representatives of the European Commission, the French Ministry for Environment, Energy & the Sea, Dutch Emissions Authority, Tokyo Metropolitan Government), international ETS experts (Carbon Market Watch, Ecofys, Ecologic Institute, IES, IETA and Thomson Reuters).

The ICAP Training Course 2016 in Brussels was hosted by the European Commission and took place at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Institute for European Studies. The course was funded by the European Commission.
ICAP Training Course 2016 in São Paulo, Brazil
ICAP convened its 15th Training Course on Emissions Trading in São Paulo, Brazil, from 3 to 12 May 2016.

25 participants from Latin America – Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama and Peru – were selected.

Speakers included policy-makers from ICAP members (representatives of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), New Zealand, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)), international ETS experts (Ecologic Institute, EDF, Get2C, MexiCO₂, SinoCarbon, and Thomson Reuters), and further practitioners of the carbon market and local stakeholders, such as the Brazilian Ministry of Finance, CETESB, DAN Brazil, FGV (Fundação Getúlio Vargas), SEMARNAT Mexico, SP Secretaria do Meio Ambiente, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Braskem, and ENGIE.

The ICAP Training Course 2016 in São Paulo was hosted by the Corporate Initiative on Climate Change (IEC) and took place at the Fundação Getúlio Vargas University. The course was funded by the European Commission.
ICAP Masterclass 2015 in London, UK
ICAP convened its inaugural Masterclass on Emissions Trading in London, UK, from 12 to 17 July, 2015.

30 participants from 14 countries were selected. The Masterclass targeted individuals with previous knowledge and practical experience with emissions trading. The course relied heavily on the participants’ own expertise and experiences to encourage discussion and knowledge sharing on the latest issues in emissions trading.
Speakers included policymakers from ICAP members (representatives from the European Commission, France, Germany, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)), international ETS experts (Ecologic Institute, Get2C, Ecofys, ThomsonReuters, Greenpeace, Öko-Institut, Carbon Pulse and Sandbag), as well as representatives from the financial sector and academic sector (MIT, Imperial College, LSE).
The ICAP Training Course 2015 in London was hosted by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change and took place in Imperial College. The course was funded by the European Commission.
ICAP Training Course 2015 in Seoul, Rep. of Korea
ICAP convened its 13th Training Course on Emissions Trading in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 19 to 28 May 2015.

27 participants from seven countries – China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, and Ukraine – were selected.

Speakers included policy-makers from ICAP members (representatives of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), California, New Zealand, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)), international ETS experts (Ecologic Institute, Get2C, Ecofys, Asian Development Bank (ADB), ICF International, SinoCarbon, Global Green Growth Institute and Thomson Reuters), and further practitioners of the carbon market and local stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea, Korea Exchange, Korean GHG Inventory and Research Center, and POSRI.

The ICAP Training Course 2015 in Seoul was hosted by Sookmyung Women’s University and funded by the European Commission.
ICAP Summer School 2014 in Paris, France
ICAP convened its 6th Summer School - and 11th course overall - on Emissions Trading in Paris, France, from 25 August to 5 September 2014.

25 participants from twelve countries - China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Peru, South Africa, Iran, Turkey, Thailand, and Vietnam - were selected.

Speakers included policy-makers from ICAP members (representatives of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), California, and Vermont), international ETS experts (e. g. from UNFCCC, Ecologic Institute, International Energy Agency, OECD, CDC Climat), carbon market analysts, and further practitioners of the carbon market. Participants also visited the EDF Vitry Power Plant.

The ICAP Summer School 2014 in Paris was hosted by the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy. It was funded by the European Commission.
ICAP Training Course 2014 in Santiago, Chile
ICAP convened its 10th training course on Emissions Trading in Santiago, Chile from 5 to 14 May 2014.

29 participants from eleven countries – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico and Peru - were selected.

Speakers included policy-makers from ICAP members (representatives of California, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), New Zealand, Québec, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)), international ETS experts (Ecologic Institute, Get2C, Litz Energy Strategies), carbon market analysts and traders (Thomson Reuters Point Carbon, GDF Suez Trading), and further practitioners of the carbon market and local stakeholders, such as the Chilean Ministry of Energy and Chilean Ministry of Environment, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Santiago Climate Exchange, and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

The ICAP Training Course 2014 in Santiago was hosted by Universidad de Chile and funded by the European Commission.
ICAP Training Course 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey
ICAP convened its 9th training course on Emissions Trading in Istanbul, Turkey, from 18 to 27 September 2013.

27 participants from nine countries - Albania, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, and Turkey - were selected.

Speakers included policy-makers from ICAP members (representatives of California, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), New Zealand, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG)), international ETS experts (e.g. from Ecologic Institute and Get2C), carbon market analysts, and further practitioners of the carbon market, such as international and local industry representatives from E.On, Enerjisa, and Oyak.

The ICAP Training Course 2013 in Istanbul was hosted by the Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and funded by the European Commission.
ICAP Summer School 2013 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands
ICAP convened its 5th summer school - and 8th course overall - on Emissions Trading in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, from 8 to 19 July 2013.

25 participants from twelve countries - Belarus, Brazil, Chile, China, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam - were selected.

Speakers included policy-makers from ICAP members (representatives of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), Australia, New Zealand, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG)), international ETS experts (e.g. from Ecologic Institute, Pace University, CDC Climat) and carbon market analysts. Guest presentations from Statkraft, Eneco, and IETA provided private sector insight into carbon markets and climate protection. Participants also visited the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa), the Enecogen gas-fired power station, and wind power installations.

The ICAP Summer School 2013 in Rotterdam was hosted by DCMR, the Environmental Protection Agency Rijnmond in cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment. It was funded by the European Commission.
ICAP Training Course 2013 in Beijing, China
ICAP convened its 7th training course on Emissions Trading in Beijing, China, from 8 to 17 May 2013.

21 participants from China and the Republic of Korea were selected. The course provided an advanced curriculum, tailored to the needs of jurisdictions currently developing cap-and-trade programs.

Speakers included policy-makers from ICAP members (representatives of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), Australia, New Zealand, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG)) and international ETS experts (e.g. from Carbon Rooster Advisory Services, Ecologic Institute, the ETS Compliance Forum, ICF International and Simmons & Simmons). The course also provided the perspective from international private sector representatives (EDF Trading, Shell, Statkraft) and insights from local experts (China Shenzhen Emissions Exchange, Tsinghua University).

The ICAP Training Course 2013 in Beijing was funded by The Netherlands.

The official launch of the ICAP Training Course took place during a trade dinner organized by the Dutch Embassy in Beijing on the occasion of the visit of the Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Ms. Lillianne Ploumen.