The Carbon Forum Asia 2007 Trade Fair & Conference, a major
platform for emissions trading, carbon reduction solutions and new
technologies, will be held from November 6 to 7 at Suntec International
Convention and Exhibition Center in Singapore.
The event is jointly organized by non-profit business organization
International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), and one of the world’s
top exhibition organizers Koelnmesse, and hosted by Sustainable Energy
Association of Singapore. The forum follows on the successful inaugural
Carbon Expo Asia 2006 in Beijing.
“Carbon Forum Asia 2007 is expected to present vast business
opportunities for private operators and public sectors around the world in
greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions as the carbon market potential will
continue to grow exponentially in Asia with its economic growth,” said
Andrei Marcu, IETA president and chief executive officer, Saturday at a
press conference in Singapore.
“Some 120 exhibitors from 25 countries and more than 1,200 participants
from 50 countries are expected to attend the event in Singapore,” said
Michael Dreyer, Koelnmesse’s vice president Asia Pacific. The expo
last year in Beijing saw 108 exhibitors from 20 countries and 1,062
participants from 44 countries.
Statistics from IETA and the World Bank showed that in 2006, the global
carbon market reached a volume of US$30 billion. Asia was a major
selling region for carbon emission reductions, accounting for nearly 80
percent of the total reductions achieved under the global clean
development mechanism (CDM). And China was the biggest seller, accounting for 61
percent of the total, followed by India, while the UK was the biggest
buyer, with half of the global volume share.
Set up under the Kyoto protocol according to the 1992 United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change, the CDM allows developed
countries to achieve part of their emission reduction commitments by investing
in emission-saving projects in developing countries and counting the
reductions achieved toward their own commitments to control GHG
emissions.
As Asia is playing a more crucial role in managing global efforts to
reduce carbon emissions, some key elements need development in the
region, such as a workable regional trading scheme, investment in sustainable
energy research and development, technical innovations in sustainable
energy, CDM projects, and industry guidelines for energy efficiency,
said Marcu, adding that IETA, working with governments and businesses,
organizes such carbon trade fairs to make a difference in tackling
climate change on a global scale.
“China is well aware of the dilemma it faces in the relationship
between economic development and more energy consumption and emission of
pollutants, and has already taken action to try to develop its economy in a
sustainable way,” he said.
While China may still have a long way to reach the level of development
it deserves, there are now more GHG technologies, which can help the
country develop by avoiding the production of such high emissions, like
other developed countries, he added.
“In fact, the Chinese government attaches great importance to the
carbon trading market as top officials of its ministries of science and
technology and finance and National Development and Reform Commission were
all present at the carbon expo fair inaugurated last October in
Beijing,” said Marcu.
He stressed that what struck him most was that people from abroad were
commenting on and impressed by the business opportunities for GHG
emission reductions for private operators and governments around the world
that exist in China as well as other Asian countries during the Beijing
event.
Recognizing the Asian carbon market potential, the Singaporean
government announced it intends to be a regional carbon trading hub by taking
advantage of its geographical location in Asia, world class finance
industry and strong support in initiatives related to carbon emissions
trading and creating favorable conditions for a high level event such as
Carbon Forum Asia 2007, according to Edwin Khew, chairman of Singapore’s
sustainable energy association.
“In addition to technical innovations and information on carbon
emissions policies and regulations with special attention to financing and CDM
projects, Carbon Forum Asia 2007 will highlight the combination of an
exhibition with an extensive and top quality conference which will
focus on upcoming trends in a rapidly developing market, new sources of
supply and their effect on price,” said Dreyer.
He is confident that Carbon Forum Asia 2007 will help create greater
awareness for the Asian carbon market.
Singapore, the host country, will have its own pavilion featuring 15
exhibitors, and 20 exhibitors are expected from Japan, he said, adding
that Koelnmesse currently has no fixed numbers of Chinese exhibitors and
participants yet as it is still in the midst of marketing the event.
By Sun Hongmei