RU2373576C2 - Systems and methods for trade of reduced emissions - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: information technologies.

SUBSTANCE: invention is related to facilities that facilitate trade of emission permits and compensations between participants. Method includes the following operations: schedule of emissions reductions is established for specific participants on the basis of information about emissions represented by these participants, and amounts of debits or credits are identified for each participant to provide for compliance with the schedule of emissions reduction. Computer system realises method operations.

EFFECT: reduced extent of environmental pollution due to reduction of greenhouse gases by establishment of limitations and tenders for emission permits.

18 cl, 19 dwg

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The environment on a global scale faces significant threats from anthropogenic, or “human-induced,” greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, tropospheric ozone, nitric oxide and methane, are usually transparent to solar radiation, but opaque to long-wave radiation, so they prevent the energy of long-wave radiation from escaping from the atmosphere. The resulting effect of the presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is the capture of absorbed radiation and the tendency to heat the surface of the planet.

Greenhouse gas emissions can occur, for example, due to carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels. Thus, cars, factories and other devices that burn fuel produce carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, greenhouse gas emissions can also occur in more natural ways. For example, farmers can cultivate agricultural land in such a way that carbon dioxide emissions from plowed land into the air occur. Deforestation, or deforestation, can also lead to greenhouse gas emissions.

In general, a rapid increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere caused by human activities increases the risk of significant and costly changes in the Earth’s climate system. Such risks may include periods of more severe drought / more severe rainfall; longer and more extreme heat waves; the spread of tropical diseases; damage to vegetation and agricultural systems; and environmental threats to coastlines and property due to higher sea levels and storm surges.

In the 1980s, the United States introduced an emissions trading system to phase out the use of lead in automotive fuels. Following this attempt, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted a very successful sulfur dioxide (SO ₂ ) emission trading program. To reduce acid rain, power plants have been limited by the maximum total SO ₂ emissions. Energy utilities, which felt that reducing sulfur emissions was expensive, could buy emission permits from energy utilities that produced excessive emissions reductions at a low price.

The SO ₂ program has been successful. Emissions were reduced at a faster pace than required, and costs were significantly lower than in most forecasts. There was also a steady increase in emissions trading from 700,000 tons in 1995 to about 12 million tons in 2001. The market of emission allowances SO ₂ has now reached a volume of about $ 2 billion per year for registered trades.

The environmental and economic success of the United States' sulfur dioxide emission permit trading program to reduce acid rain, as well as other similar markets, provide evidence of the benefits of large-scale emissions trading. Emissions trading creates a deficit by setting limits on total emissions, setting limits at the company level, and allowing those who can cut emissions at low cost to make further cuts. Companies facing high emission reduction costs can obey the rules by purchasing commercially available emission rights from those who make additional reductions. The market for financial instruments, such as property, which are emission permits, helps ensure the efficient use of limited resources (the environment) and provides a price that informs about the value that the company sets for the use of the environment. This price is a financial reward paid to those who reduce emissions, and also indicates the cost of creating innovative ways to reduce pollution.

Emission permit trading systems, sometimes referred to as cap and trade systems, may be supplemented by project “compensations” that reflect a reduction in greenhouse gases and / or carbon capture and storage. Compensation can be created through individual initiatives undertaken by economic entities that either are not sources of significant emissions or have emission characteristics that are naturally integrated into the market in the form of compensation. For example, individual farmers can absorb and conserve carbon dioxide in soils by cultivating crops using anti-erosion tillage. Anti-erosion tillage includes minimal disturbance of the soil cover, thus ensuring the capture of carbon that has been transferred to the soil due to plant growth.

Compensation of compensations provides an additional source of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to industrial emission sources, while also providing a source of financing for activities such as anti-erosion tillage, which creates local environmental benefits, such as improving water quality.

Many of the major industrialized countries have attempted to create a draft greenhouse gas emission trading program that could provide corporations and other entities with an orderly, market-based mechanism for cost-effective reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This attempt is a means to effectively respond to the challenge of climate change, while providing significant opportunities for business owners and members.

While state and local governments studied greenhouse gas emission trading programs, private sector leaders in many countries have funded emission reduction projects for several years and traded in informal carbon credits (unrealized carbon allowances). A World Bank study reported that this nascent over-the-counter market included several dozen significant industries. This study found that, in the absence of any regulatory framework, OTC transactions in US dollars already exceeded $ 200 million. In addition, The Economist magazine predicts annual trade volume ranging from $ 60 billion to $ 1 trillion.

Many governments, including the United Kingdom, Denmark and the Netherlands, as well as the states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the United States, have moved further than just planning and are implementing official greenhouse gas emission trading markets. The European Union has established a framework for a carbon emissions trading system that is expected to come into force in 2005. The European Union Directive established the initial stage of the market before creating a wider and more comprehensive system of trading in greenhouse gas emissions quotas between energy and industrial enterprises in its member states, starting in 2008.

Some states, provinces, exchanges, and international organizations have already made extensive preparations for such trade. It is in this regard, taking into account the recognition of a serious environmental risk, the desire for responses at the lowest cost, strengthening global regulation and the needs of interested parties, the present invention proposes solutions to complex problems that arise when creating and conducting exchange trading in emission quotas greenhouse gases.

Examples of barriers to trading in greenhouse gas quotas include, but are not limited to, the uncertainty of regulations; lack of a clear, universally recognized definition of goods; lack of standards for monitoring, verification and for trade documentation; lack of standards for acceptability of compensation for excessive emission reductions within the project and lack of organized markets and clear market prices. There are also other obstacles and problems. These barriers create significant transaction costs that impede progress towards commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to higher costs of successfully fulfilling such commitments.

Thus, there is a need to create an improved trading system for reduced emissions, which allows to achieve the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions at lower transaction costs. In addition, there is a need for an organized trading system to stimulate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, there is a need to create an organized market for trading in greenhouse gas emissions quotas, which is based on standards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for facilitating the trading of emission permits and compensations between participants, comprising the following operations: establishing an emission reduction schedule for particular participants based on the emission information provided by these participants, and determining the amount of debit charges or credit accruals for each particular participant for in order to ensure compliance with the emission reduction schedule. Participants include, among others, those who voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and philanthropists who contribute to the protection of the environment.

In one embodiment of the invention, said specific participants are, inter alia, those participants who voluntarily reduce GHG emissions, and the method comprises the following additional step: bidding between participants. In a preferred embodiment, participants that voluntarily reduce GHG emissions are, including industrial enterprises, philanthropists who contribute to environmental protection, including non-industrial economic entities, and participants who voluntarily reduce GHG emissions receive at least at least some of their debit amounts from benefactors contributing to the environment.

Non-industrial economic entities can include, but are not limited to: (a) forestry workers, farmers, or others who cultivate land in ways that help prevent the release of greenhouse gases, or in ways that capture and conserve carbon or carbon dioxide, or (b) commercial enterprises, including law firms, advertising agencies, banks, shopping centers or other commercial enterprises that are capable of exerting a controlling influence on the use of public utilities x or transportation services for the reduction or the rational use of these services in order to reduce GHG emissions caused by the generation of energy or electricity used to provide these services.

In one embodiment of the invention, which is given as an example, the method comprises the following additional steps: provide loans to those benefactors who contribute to the protection of the environment who carry out activities including tree planting; retention of carbon released by plants in the soil; decrease in electricity consumption; reduction in the number of business trips; removal of pollutants from rivers, lakes, landfills or other environmentally disadvantaged areas; the purchase of environmentally friendly goods or the disposal of waste, thereby facilitating the sale of such loans or permits by philanthropists contributing to the protection of the environment and by participants voluntarily reducing GHG emissions.

In addition, the present invention relates to a computer system for facilitating the trading of emission permits and compensations between participants, which comprises means for setting emission reduction schedules for specific participants based on emission information provided by these participants, and means for determining debit or credit amounts accruals for each individual participant in order to fulfill the emission reduction schedule. Participants include, among others, those who voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and philanthropists who contribute to the protection of the environment.

In general, the specific participants mentioned are, inter alia, those participants that voluntarily reduce GHG emissions, and the system additionally contains (a) debit write-offs or credit accruals representing emission reduction values that are based on emission information or the activities of philanthropists contributing to the protection of the environment, and (b) a means of bidding on the amounts of debit write-offs or credit charges between participants to provide each specific participant to the possibility of fulfilling its emission reduction schedule.

Systems and methods for calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or emission reduction equivalents based on energy consumption or environmental protection are also disclosed.

In some embodiments of the invention, methods for calculating GHG emissions or emission reduction equivalents comprise the step of providing a characteristic of energy consumption or rational use of energy that is related to the type of energy activity and corresponds to the selected units of activity, and the operation of issuing a request for activity data having the selected unit of activity. Determine the coefficient for converting activity data into one of the equivalents: GHG emission equivalent or GHG emission reduction equivalent. This coefficient is based on the type of activity in the energy field and on the selected unit of measure for activity. Based on the activity data and the emission factor, one of the equivalents is calculated: the GHG emission equivalent and the GHG emission reduction equivalent. Equivalents correspond to standard values that facilitate trading between participants. The coefficient may be based, at least in part, on a location characteristic that is related to the geographical location of the energy activity and corresponds to the selected geographical locations.

In some embodiments, participants may include, but are not limited to, those who voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and benefactors who contribute to environmental protection, and the methods include the additional operation of trading equivalent GHG emissions or reducing GHG emissions between by participants so that participants who voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can reduce GHG emissions.

Activities for the consumption or rational use of energy may contain one or more of the following activities: activities in the field of energy generation, activities in the field of transportation and activities not related to transportation. Each type of activity in the field of transportation is associated with a source of energy consumed during transportation, and is associated with selectable units of measure of activity, which are, inter alia, one or more of the following units: units of measure of the amount of fuel for a vehicle used up time of transportation, and units of distance traveled during transportation, possibly, but not necessarily, modified taking into account fuel economy values STI. Each type of activity in the field of energy that is not related to transportation, is associated with a source of energy consumed independently of transportation, and is associated with selectable units of measure of activity, which are, inter alia, one or more of the following units: units of measure of energy consumed during production, units of measure of the raw materials consumed during production, units of measure of manufactured products, units of measure of consumed products, units of energy consumed during office equipment operation, and units of office space occupied by office equipment.

In some embodiments of the invention, there is provided a database containing coefficients in which each coefficient is associated with a type of energy activity, a geographical location and a unit of measure of activity. The coefficient is determined by submitting a request to the database to determine whether it contains a coefficient corresponding to the type of activity in the energy field and the selected unit of measure for activity.

The factors may include emission factors and natural resource management factors. Each emission factor is associated with a type of energy source and a unit of activity. Each coefficient of rational use of natural resources is associated with activities for the rational use of energy, with a geographical location and with a unit of measure of activity.

Also disclosed are systems and methods for reducing environmental pollution by creating demand for commercially viable GHG emission equivalents or reducing GHG emissions.

In some embodiments of the invention, methods for reducing environmental pollution comprise an operation for calculating GHG emission equivalents for a first participant based on the above methods and an operation for enabling a first participant to acquire GHG emission reduction equivalents in an amount that is at least equivalent to the calculated emission equivalents GHG, to reduce the degree of environmental pollution.

The methods further comprise calculating GHG emission reduction equivalents for the second participant by providing activity data based on the second participant's energy efficiency activities and corresponding to the selected units of activity. To calculate the GHG emission reduction equivalents of the second participant, the conversion factor of activity data into GHG emission reduction equivalents is used. The coefficient is based on the type of activity in the energy field and on the selected unit of measure for activity. The first participant can be a participant who voluntarily reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the second participant can be a philanthropist who contributes to environmental protection, and the methods can include an additional step in trading GHG emission equivalents or reduce GHG emissions between participants so that the participants voluntarily reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could reduce GHG emissions.

Systems and methods for market management are also disclosed to facilitate trade in GHG emissions equivalents or to reduce GHG emissions.

In some embodiments of the invention, computer-based market control methods comprise receiving a market trade request from a participant. In response to this, the participant is asked to provide information on the values of GHG emission equivalents or GHG emission reductions put up for auction, and the participant is registered to trade GHG emission equivalents or GHG emission reductions in the market.

Activity data can be received from the participant, while activity data is based on energy consumption or rational energy use and corresponds to the selected units of activity. A coefficient can be applied to convert activity data into one of the equivalents: GHG emission equivalent or GHG reduction equivalent, this coefficient based on the type of energy activity and on the selected unit of activity to calculate GHG emission equivalents or GHG reduction to confirm whether the participant’s accurate information on the values of the equivalents of GHG emissions or reduction of GHG emissions put up for auction is accurate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

1 is a block diagram of a reduced emissions trading system according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the functionality of the auction in the system of Figure 1 according to a variant embodiment of the invention, which is given as an example.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a system for reducing emissions and trade according to another embodiment of the invention, which is given as an example.

Figure 4 shows a sequence diagram of operations, which shows examples of operations performed when creating the base levels and in the distribution of permits for emissions.

Figure 5 shows an example of a baseline emissions chart, a graph of emission reductions, conditions for ensuring economic growth and maximum values of emission reductions.

Figure 6 shows an example of a diagram of the conditions for ensuring economic growth, the maximum volume of required purchases and allowed sales volumes.

7 is a schematic representation of emissions monitoring in many industries, reporting and verification of baseline emissions and periodic emission reports.

On Fig depicts a schematic representation of the method of verification (true-up), which is given as an example.

Figure 9 shows a schematic representation of an example of registration of the project providing compensation and reporting.

10 is a schematic representation of an exemplary lending mechanism for methane combustion.

11 illustrates an example compensation graph for forestry based on carbon storage.

12 shows an example compensation map for agricultural land provided based on a geographical area.

On Fig depicts a schematic representation of an example of issuing permits for greenhouse gas emissions while increasing carbon stocks that meet the established requirements.

On Fig depicts a schematic representation of the process of verification of compensations, which is given as an example.

On Fig schematically shows another embodiment of a reduced emissions trading system, which is given as an example.

On Fig schematically shows an example of a graphical user interface displayed on the screen, which facilitates the calculation of GHG emissions and carbon financial instruments, UVI (CFI), ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

On Fig schematically shows an embodiment of a method for calculating GHG emissions in the system of Fig.15, which is given as an example.

On Fig schematically shows an embodiment of a method for calculating carbon financial instruments (UVI), ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, in the system of Fig.15, which is given as an example.

On Fig schematically shows an embodiment of a method for registering carbon financial instruments (UVI) for trading on the market supported by the system of Fig.15, which is given as an example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following is a description of illustrative embodiments of the invention to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed systems and methods. The drawings show one or more illustrative embodiments of the invention. For ordinary specialists in the art it is clear that the disclosed systems and methods can be adapted and modified in such a way as to ensure the creation of systems and methods for other fields of application of the invention, and that other additions and modifications of the disclosed systems and methods can be made without leaving beyond the scope of patent claims of the present invention, the essence of which is disclosed here. For example, the features of the embodiments of the invention, given as illustrative examples, can be combined, divided, replaced by one and / or rearranged to create other embodiments of the invention. It is intended that such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the present invention.

Now, referring to the drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system 10 for reducing emissions and trade. The system 10 may comprise a registry 12, a guarantee tool 16, and a host computer or computer platform 18 for trading. The system 10 may be connected to a network 20, for example, to the Internet, or to any other public or private means of communication of computing devices. The system 10 can be connected to the database 22 of emission data in a manner that provides communication between them, either directly or through a network 20.

Register 12 serves as an official document for holdings in the form of emission permits and compensations held by each participant in the product market managed by system 10. Trading becomes officially recognized as meeting regulatory requirements only when the amounts are transferred from one account to another in registry 12. Holdings in registry 12 may include carbon financial instruments (UVIs), such as, for example, stock exchange permits for emissions, DBAs (XAs), stock exchange compensation for excess emission reduction, BKV (XOs) created as part of projects to reduce adverse environmental impacts, and exchange loans for early actions, BKD (XEs). Each tool is a document for one hundred metric tons of CO ₂ and, in the preferred embodiment, has a specified specific year of release. Each instrument is recognized as equivalent when it was commissioned to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements (when certain restrictions are imposed on it, which are described below). UVIs can be used, respectively, in the year of manufacture indicated in them or in subsequent years. These equivalents facilitate standardized trading.

In an embodiment of the invention, which is given as an example, the registry 12 is designed in such a way that provides secure access for participants to their own accounts via the Internet. The registry 12 can be made in such a way that provides open access to accounts, but this access can be provided only for viewing. In a preferred embodiment, the registry 12 is designed in such a way that it is able to interact with registries in other markets for trading in greenhouse gas emissions. The registry 12 is associated with a computer platform 18, providing trade, and with the mechanism 16 for providing financial guarantees. The combination of these three components provides a clearing house system.

Warranty mechanism 16 improves market performance in several ways. The guarantee providing mechanism 16 ensures that those who sell UVBs on a computer platform 18 that provides trading receive payment the next day even if the buyer is unable to complete the payment. This mechanism provides for anonymous trading, eliminating the need to consider the creditworthiness of buyers. The risk of non-payments has been eliminated, which therefore leads to the elimination of transaction costs. This feature allows trading with liquidity providers (including “market makers”) who can be willing to quickly buy and sell. The presence of regular buyers and sellers increases the activity of trade, which leads to an increase in the economic efficiency of the process of identifying the price of a financial instrument in the course of free exchange trading. In addition, the anonymity of tenders allows members to submit offers to buy and sell and conduct tenders without revealing their trading strategies. Warranty mechanism 16 eliminates the risk that the buyer may not make the payment.

After being credited as a member of the exchange, the member is allocated a length of time for initial emission permits, in which the years of issue are indicated. Regardless of the method of trading used, all transfers of exchange emission permits (BRV) and exchange compensations (BKV) take place as follows: the transferring person submits to the register 12 a command to transfer emissions permits or compensations from his account to the recipient's account. At the end of the year, the source of emissions must transfer the number of emission permits or compensations with an appropriate issue date equal to its total emissions for the previous year to the account for assets retired. At the end of the relevant year, each member of the exchange must indicate, for withdrawal from circulation, the number of commercially available exchange-traded UVIs equal to the total emissions of this participant for the corresponding year.

Computer platform 18, providing trade, is an electronic mechanism designed to perform the functions of the main node that provides market trade. The computer platform 18, providing trade, provides participants with a central node that facilitates trade, and openly displays pricing information. The computer platform 18, providing trade, reduces the cost of identifying opposing trading parties and the finalization of transactions, which is an important advantage in the new market. The computer platform 18, providing trade, can also be used as a platform for periodic auctions.

Figure 2 shows an example of an annual auction held using the system 10 described with reference to Figure 1. Alternatively, an auction may be held periodically throughout the year. In an example embodiment, the auction operates by submitting applications 30 and proposals for permits to auction pool 32. The auction pool 32 may receive permissions from the reserve fund 34 of the auction and other offers 36. The reserve fund 34 of the auction contains exchange permissions for emissions (e.g., DBV). The auction results contain publicly available price information 38, winning purchase offers 40 and proceeds proportionally returned to participants 42. Winning purchase offers 40 lead to the transfer of 44 emission permits from the same accounts in register 12, described with reference to Figure 1 to other accounts.

Mostly, greenhouse gas permit auctions provide an orderly mechanism to promote the market. Through open bidding, auctions provide important information to bidders. Prices help participants to formulate acceptable private terms of trade and, importantly, provide signals indicating which internal actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are economically sound and which actions are best performed by other participants who face lower costs. to reduce emissions.

System 10 preferably conducts periodic auctions of exchange-based emission permits (BRVs) (possibly including exchange-based compensation for excess emission reductions (BKV)) to identify market prices, stimulate trading, and increase market participation. In an embodiment of the invention, which is given as an example, the auction is held at a single clearing price. Alternatively, use an auction with different prices. At auctions on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, a method with different prices is used to trade sulfur dioxide emission permits. For example, it is understood that an auction at a single clearing price is an auction where all buyers pay the lowest price out of all eligible purchase offers. In contrast, it is understood that an auction with different prices is an auction where successful buyers pay the price they offer, regardless of what other prices of the purchase offers are accepted for bidding. Essentially, there is the possibility of having different prices of purchase offers admitted to bidding at the same auction.

3, a system 100 for reducing emissions and trade is shown. The system 100 may include a registry 102, a computer platform 104 that provides trading, a clearing settlement component 106, a financial institution 108, a help desk 110, and a help desk support component 112. In general, members 114 and / or participants 116 interact with a computer platform 104 for trading to participate in the purchase and sale of emissions permits and compensations. For registration / maintenance 118 and for general inquiries 120, members 114 and / or participants 116 interact directly with the registry 102. In any case, communication is implemented through technological standards 122. Technological standards 122 may contain Internet protocol standards and other standards that reflect the specifics of a particular technologies that facilitate the transfer of information by members 114 and / or participants 116.

The registry 102 may contain information about the goods in the system, for example, DBV, BKV and BKD, as well as information on the baseline and on emission reduction commitments. The registry 102 may be implemented using a database and computer programs. The registry 102 may also contain information on accounts for permits and compensations withdrawn from circulation and on loans for early actions granted on the basis of activities prior to the creation of the system.

The computer platform 104, which provides trade, provides members 114 and participants 116 with a structure that enables trade in permits and compensations. The computer platform 104, providing trade, can be implemented in the form of a program that creates a user interface that makes it possible to perform various functions. The computer trading platform 104 may include a market surveillance monitor 130, a market administration console 132, and equipment 134. Equipment 134 may include hardware and / or software, such as routers, servers, telephone lines, and the like. The market administration console 132 allows the exchange to manage, intervene, and control accounts and amend accounts (for example, when a member sells an emission source). A market monitoring monitor 130 facilitates the monitoring of transactions made using a computer platform 104 that provides trading to comply with system rules.

A computer platform 104, providing trade, is connected to the registry 102 for receiving and transmitting information, such as information about accounts and accounting documents about trade transactions. The computer platform 104, which provides trade, also interacts with the clearing settlement component 106 when concluding trade transactions made by members 114 and participants 116 in the computer platform 104, which provides trade. The clearing settlement component 106 may comprise an account transfer facility 138, which is the official mechanism by which the transfer of commercially available UVI occurs, archive 140, registry interface 142, and cash collection component 144. Financial institution 108 provides a settlement for tenders and may provide a mechanism to guarantee financial results.

Information desk 110 provides trading members with support for trading activities for members 114 and 116 using a computer platform 104 for trading. Help desk support component 112 helps provide customers with direct requests to the system, bypassing the computer platform 104 that provides trade that a third party can provide and serve.

The market (as implemented in system 10 or system 100) was conceived with the intention of transforming the UVI used in UVI trading into a commodity. Uniform and completely interchangeable UVIs (for example, exchange permits, exchange compensations and exchange loans for early actions) ensure their easy transfer between participants and flexibility. Consistency reduces transaction costs, increases predictability and improves market liquidity. These features represent some of the improvements related to the heterogeneous and high transaction costs associated with the practices currently being used in the unorganized market for trading in greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

Each market member controlled by system 10 (described with reference to FIG. 1) or system 100 (described with reference to FIG. 3) (collectively referred to as “market” below) has a baseline emission level, which may be the average volume its emissions during some previous years, for example from 1998 to 2001.

The baseline emission level preferably reflects a detailed assessment of production patterns and practical considerations, such as data availability. Baseline emission levels can be set so that they reflect the acquisition or disposal of industrial enterprises. The reference emission level is preferably set so that it is possible to obtain emission data, reflect changes in business cycles and carry out operations. An emission reduction schedule can be determined from the reference emission level.

Figure 4 illustrates the operations performed when creating the baseline levels and distributions of emission permits in the market. Depending on the embodiment of the invention, additional operations, fewer operations or other operations may be performed. In an exemplary embodiment, step 410 is performed in which emission monitoring rules are established. Emission monitoring rules may apply to the manufacturing facilities it covers, the gases it covers and / or the gases not covered by it. These rules indicate what kind of activity is taken into account when calculating emissions.

At operation 420, the emissions of a member are determined using the emission monitoring rules. In some embodiments, emissions from a member are calculated based on the schemes described with reference to the drawings of Figures 15-17. Emission volumes can be presented to the market by its members or obtained electronically via a network from a database. The rules for monitoring emissions are applied in such a way that the emissions produced by a member are accurate to establish a baseline. In a preferred embodiment, the definition of a baseline contains rules governing the accounting of industrial enterprises and the technical requirements for determining the "owner" of emissions in jointly owned enterprises, and rules for accounting for gaps in emissions data for the period of determining the baseline. After the emission volumes are obtained, an operation 430 is performed in which baseline levels for the member are established. The base level may be the average value of emissions over a certain period of time, for example, over four years.

At operation 440, base level adjustments can be made. Base level adjustments can be upward, for example, when a member acquires emissions-generating industries. Likewise, baseline adjustments can be downward, for example, when a member alienates an emissions generating enterprise.

Once the baseline is set, operation 450 may be performed to create distribution of permits and contributions to the auction. To create an emission schedule for each member, an emission reduction schedule created by the market is applied. In a preferred embodiment, the emission reduction schedule uses a well-known rule that is common to all participants. For example, a schedule may require emission reductions of 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% below baseline emissions, respectively, for example, in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Members annually issue such a number of UVIs (for example, exchange permits for emissions, exchange compensations for excess emissions reductions, when possible, exchange credits for early actions), which is equal to their annual emissions. Those members who reduce emissions below these levels can either sell their excess UVI or loans, or put them in reserve, while those who have higher emissions than the emission reduction schedule have a debit balance and must buy UVI to achieve regulatory compliance. Debit amounts include the required UVI purchases to meet the emission reduction schedule.

Advantageously, the emission reduction schedule is uniform and easy to understand. Its simplicity facilitates the participation of various commercial enterprises and other economic entities, thus increasing both the environmental efficiency of the program and the potential for involving economic entities that are able to reduce emissions at low cost. As shown in Table 1 below, the goal of reducing emissions is to reduce them by 1% annually, and the cumulative level of emission reductions relative to baseline emissions over four years is 10% (1% + 2% + 3% + 4%). This simple meaning makes it easy to analyze the potential consequences of participation, as well as planning.

TABLE 1 Year Market emission reduction schedule, distribution of stock exchange permits for emissions 2003 1% below the base level of the participant 2004 2% below the base level of the participant 2005 3% below the base level of the participant 2006 4% below the base level of the participant

Each member is preferably given a four-year sequence of emission permits. The registry 12 (or registry 102 in the embodiment of system 100 of FIG. 3) uses a system that determines the release date of each instrument. The market provides ongoing control over the transfer of instruments and holdings and facilitates the oversight necessary to enforce rules, such as restrictions on banking operations and on the maximum sales volume carried out by one firm.

Figure 5 shows an example of a baseline emissions chart, emission reduction graphs, conditions for economic growth and maximum emission reductions. The chart contains a horizontal dashed line at 100% to indicate the baseline emission level for a specific member. In each subsequent year, target emission levels are reduced according to the emission reduction schedule. The chart depicts an annual schedule for reducing emissions by 1% annually.

The diagram of FIG. 5 also indicates that the required maximum amount of emission reduction increases at a constant rate over time. In an exemplary embodiment, the market is configured so that the maximum CO ₂ equivalent emissions determined when determining the annual true-up results for each member are 2% higher than the baseline emissions of that member during the first year and second year and 3% higher than the base level during the third year and fourth year. In essence, there is an established restriction on the exposure to risk faced by participants in the trial market model. Without such a condition, the maximum potential number of UVI purchases that each member can deal with would be unknown. This mechanism enables potential participants to know in advance with certainty the maximum number of purchases that they may have to make in order to achieve compliance with their annual emission reduction commitments. This condition is called the condition for ensuring economic growth.

Figure 6 shows an example of a diagram of the conditions for ensuring economic growth, the maximum volume of required purchases and allowed sales volumes described with reference to Figure 5. For each instrument issue date, there is a maximum number of emission permits that can be sold, as well as a maximum number of emission permits that must be bought. These restrictions reflect the symmetrical application of the conditions for ensuring economic growth.

Emission levels can be unpredictable and often influenced by factors that are external to commercial activities (for example, weather, economic conditions, plant downtime). The condition for economic growth provides some degree of isolation from such uncertainties. This risk-reduction functionality provides potential members with the opportunity to create better estimates of the maximum possible open financial position associated with participation based on the information received. This higher predictability is expected to lead to greater participation in the voluntary market, which will therefore lead to greater environmental progress and help improve market infrastructure while developing human capital in the field of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trading. The benefits of this condition are especially important for economic entities facing a rapid increase in emissions (for example, due to the population growth in their consumer base). The development of tools to initiate efforts to reduce GHG emissions in countries with fast-growing emissions, such as China and India, is recognized as one of the significant global challenges in long-term global efforts to effectively combat the threats of global climate change.

At the same time, there is a limit to the permitted sales volume applicable to market participants. In an exemplary embodiment, the maximum eligible amount of emission reductions reflects the maximum required purchase volume. For example, sales are limited to 6% of the base level, while the required volume of purchases is limited to 6%.

Some individual members may be able to sell a large number of exchange-related emission permits. If any one member or a small group of members were given the opportunity to sell without any restrictions, the market could become unbalanced and a “price jam” could occur. Similarly, unlimited ability to sell could cause one firm to achieve a dominant position on the side of the market that sellers are, which could disrupt market competition. Thus, the volume of sales that any single company can make is limited in order to avoid market imbalance, "price congestion" and the potential for dominance in the market of one seller or a small group of sellers of exchange permits for emissions. This condition applies to all members that have a baseline emission level in excess of 100,000 metric tons of CO ₂ equivalent. This exception reflects the fact that unlimited sales by small participants do not cause an undesirable effect on the market and that the removal of such a restriction increases the likelihood that the fixed costs of membership in the market may be more than offset by the proceeds from the sale of UVI.

Net permitted sales for a single firm are preferably increased if emissions from the entire program become higher than baseline levels. The increase mechanism reflects the degree of increase in emissions throughout the program relative to baseline emission levels throughout the program. For a specific release date, each member is given the opportunity to sell and / or stock up such a number of emission permits that is the smaller of the quantity values determined by the symmetrical condition for ensuring economic growth and the marginal sales volume for one company. (In this case, the term “authorized sales” means the net sales made by a member.) If during the first year of production the marginal sales for one firm are less than the amount determined by the symmetric condition for economic growth, then the difference between the two placed in a special reserve fund for possible emissions in the future.

For subsequent release dates, each member is given the opportunity to sell and / or stockpile such a number of emission permits that is the smaller of the quantity values determined by the condition for ensuring economic growth and the marginal sales for one firm. For these release dates, members can also set aside such an amount that the amount determined by the condition for ensuring economic growth exceeds the maximum sales volume for one firm.

Essentially, they avoid market imbalances and “traffic congestion” that may occur if members are allowed to carry forward large amounts of excess exchange permits for emissions, which could be due to an economic downturn or other factors.

Figure 7 illustrates the market as applied to emissions monitoring in many industries, to reporting, to benchmarks of baseline emissions and to periodic emission reports. Any of several market sectors, for example, the electric power sector 710, the manufacturing sector 720, the electric power consumption sector 730, and the oil and gas sector 740, may report information to the emission database 750 available in system 10 or system 100. For example, electric power sector 710 may use a method quantification for continuous monitoring of emissions and / or emission factors for specific fuels. The electricity sector 710 may also perform a carbon check for carbon. Emission information obtained using quantification methods of these types is transmitted to the emission database 750.

The information accepted by the database 750 of emissions from sectors 710-740 can be used by the market for confirmations and adjustments of UVI at operation 760. In order to make these confirmations and adjustments, at operation 760, audits of 770 emissions carried out by the National Association can be used US Securities Dealers (NASD). Final verified emissions 780 can be used in the reconciliation process described below with reference to FIG.

In addition to or instead of sectors 710-740, the market may include additional sectors, fewer sectors or other sectors. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, members who were originally involved in power generation include, at their base level and in their quarterly emission reports, CO ₂ emissions from all power plants with a rated power of 25 megawatts or more. These members can add emissions from power plants with a nominal capacity of less than 25 megawatts, but should cover all such enterprises if this option is chosen. Power units use CO ₂ emissions data from Continuous Emission Control Devices (NECD), which are passed to the US Environmental Protection Agency. In other cases where the PNEC data are not available, these members determine the amount of CO ₂ emissions using methods based on fuel consumption, which are contained in government regulations.

These conditions reflect the adoption of certain rules for monitoring CO ₂ emissions and the inclusion of industrial enterprises in the composition of participants by those economic entities that were originally involved in the generation of electricity, in the form of a program for the organized reduction of GHG emissions and trade in them. Mostly this provides a diversified GHG emissions trading program for power plants.

Members of the electricity sector can also add SF ₆ emissions from power transmission equipment. Emissions from such systems can be determined using protocols provided by the US Environmental Protection Agency. These members can also attach emissions from vehicles they own and operate or rent using protocols developed by the World Resources Institute / World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WRI / WBCSD). These conditions reflect the adoption of certain rules for monitoring emissions of SF ₆ and the inclusion of enterprises in the composition of participants by those economic entities that were originally involved in the generation of electricity, in the form of a program of organized reduction of GHG emissions and trade in them.

Other members, including members from the forestry, chemical, cement, manufacturing, and utility sectors, can report greenhouse gas emissions as follows. The amount of CO ₂ emissions from a stationary source of fossil fuel combustion can be determined using protocols developed by the World Resources Institute / World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WRI / WBCSD). Process emissions (e.g. N ₂ O, perfluorocarbons and CO ₂ ) can be determined using the appropriate WRI / WBCSD protocols. Information on CO ₂ emissions from vehicles can be included in the base level of emissions produced by a member, and in quarterly emissions reports if these emissions exceed 5% of the total emissions of the entire company and are an integral part of the member's activities. Otherwise, members have the opportunity to include emissions from vehicles in the base level of their emissions and in quarterly emission reports. Emissions from vehicles can be determined using the WRI / WBCSD protocols.

Those members who were not originally involved in generating electricity can add purchased electricity (sector 730 in FIG. 7) as an additional reduction goal. When this option is chosen, the obligations to reduce purchased electricity are identical to the market emission reduction schedule (for example, in 2003 it is 1% below the baseline, in 2004 2% below the baseline, in 2005 3% below the baseline, in 2006, 4% below the baseline). Members choosing this option will receive greenhouse gas emissions permits when the reduction target is exceeded. When members join the electricity they have purchased and their target of reducing electricity purchases is not achieved, the member must pass permits for greenhouse gas and / or gas emissions.

The market can determine how to monitor emissions and lending activities for emission permits for different sectors and for different areas of activity. Forestry sector members can determine the amount of carbon stock (expressed in metric tons of CO ₂ equivalent) held in terrestrial biomass on land owned by a member or on land on which a member holds capture and storage rights carbon, and report net changes in these stocks. Exchange-based emission permits (DBA) can be issued to these members annually in an amount reflecting the net increase in stored carbon from the previous year. These emission permits have a release date corresponding to the year in which the amount of carbon stored increased. These members annually surrender DBF, LBF or LFB in an amount reflecting the net decrease in the amount of carbon stored in terrestrial biomass.

Preferably, the base of market participants can be expanded as additional economic entities attempt to join. As a rule, members are, including corporations, industrial companies, municipalities and other economic entities that emit CO ₂ , SO ₂ or other gases from industrial enterprises in various neighboring countries, for example, in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, and are committed to meeting the emission reduction schedule. However, the expansion can be controlled in order to facilitate the objectives of the exchange and prevent “price congestion”. New members may be bound by the same conditions and obligations as the original members. The use of a standardized, proportional emission reduction schedule simplifies the addition of new members, since the goal of reducing emissions from each of the existing members does not change when new members join the exchange. The ability of potential participants to become members of the exchange is constantly changing, as there is a better understanding of the strategic benefits of becoming a member, and as the base of required skills expands. Membership expansion automatically triggers increased trading opportunities for members and compensation providers based on predefined formulas.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, entities satisfying the following conditions may become associate members: the entity has no direct emissions and the entity assumes obligations according to a schedule for reducing adverse environmental impacts or the goal of reducing negative environmental impacts that goes beyond the graph. Examples of associate members include, but are not limited to, businesses, individuals, families, or other groups. Associates may be subject to the same external audit for reconciliation that is carried out for members. Members and associate members can be grouped together as “members voluntarily reducing greenhouse gas emissions” or members who have committed themselves to a emission reduction schedule in an attempt to reduce pollution, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In some embodiments, emissions for associate members are calculated based on the schemes described herein with reference to FIGS. 15-17. Thus, the invention provides a simple but effective method and a simple but effective system for calculating emissions.

Additional entities that can participate in the system are, including philanthropists who contribute to environmental protection, and exchange participants. Benefactors who contribute to the protection of the environment are participants who do not necessarily fulfill obligations under the emission reduction schedule, but take actions to prevent or eliminate pollution. Benefactors contributing to environmental protection can be, for example, compensation providers, liquidity providers and intermediaries trading in the system but not having a timetable for reducing emissions. Compensation providers are entities such as, for example, project owners, project implementers, registered aggregators, “market makers” and economic entities selling exchange compensation created in the framework of eligible registered compensation compensation projects. Liquidity providers are those organizations or individuals that trade on the exchange for other reasons than adhering to the emission reduction schedule. They are, inter alia, such entities as, for example, “market makers” and private groups engaged in trade. Participants in the exchange are those legal entities or individuals who create an account in the registry for the acquisition of UVI.

By providing opportunities for participation in the market to a wide range of entities, including those entities that are not large industrial or energy enterprises, the market stimulates a wider implementation of goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the introduction of new and creative goals to reduce adverse environmental impacts ( for example, entities may wish to become carbon neutral for “indirect” emissions associated with company employees flying on commercial airlines). Thus, a member who does not fulfill his emission reduction schedule is not limited to buying his debit amounts only from other members. Philanthropists contributing to the environment can also provide the UVI necessary to eliminate such debit debts from member accounts. For example, a forestry worker or farmer is given loans to participate in environmentally beneficial activities, for example, to plant trees or to remove pollutants from rivers. A member exceeding his level of emissions can buy these loans from a forestry worker or farmer to fill the shortage of his own emission permits.

In a preferred embodiment, the system may optionally produce an annual emission reduction report. It helps facilitate emission reductions and describes the performance of a member, that is, whether a member has implemented its emission reduction schedule. A report can be published, for example, in a member’s report to its shareholders, distributed during shareholders ’meetings and used as a means of public relations in advertising a member’s environmentally sound practice.

The system described here provides for members, associate members and other participants a computer platform for trading in UVIs and facilitates their trading. Participation in this system is completely voluntary and provides numerous incentives for players in the market to participate in it. The system creates a market in which secondary players can engage in countertrade and provide valuable goods to players in other industries when there is demand for them.

Entities can contribute to reducing greenhouse gases by reducing electricity purchases (for example, through improved “end use” efficiency), reducing travel, or reducing activities that produce CO ₂ , such as burning garbage or building campfires. Such entities are provided with loans when emission reduction goals are exceeded, or they are responsible for acquiring UVIs reflecting a reduction in adverse environmental impacts, elsewhere on the market, if such standardized emission reduction goals are not achieved. The condition for connecting the purchased electricity is described below with reference to FIG. 10.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a reconciliation method used in the system 10 described with reference to FIG. 1 and / or in the system 100 described with reference to FIG. 3, which is given as an example. Depending on the embodiment of the invention, the reconciliation method may comprise the operations described below, additional operations, or fewer operations. At operation 810, market members apply enterprise and emission monitoring rules to generate emission data. At operation 820, the emission data is transmitted to the market and stored in the emission database.

In accordance with the reconciliation procedures, members are provided with annual notifications of the required issuance of (financial) instruments. At the end of each year of compliance with environmental emission standards, each member must hand over (provide) any combination of exchange emission permits, exchange compensation and exchange credits for early actions in an amount equal to emissions expressed in CO ₂ equivalent that are recorded by industrial enterprises this member for the corresponding year (subject to the conditions for ensuring economic growth described with reference to the drawings of Figures 5 and 6, and restrictions on the use of BKV and BKD). Compliance with the standards by issuing three different forms of UVI allows the flow of resources intended to reduce adverse environmental impacts to those areas of activity that produce the “greatest effect on every dollar invested” (for example, to reduce emissions from members or from projects compensation). It also provides recognition and credit for some environmental impact reduction projects that were undertaken prior to the start of the program.

At operation 830, members provide the registry, which is available in the system, with a notification of the types of financial instruments and the dates of issue to be retired to comply with regulatory compliance obligations. At operation 840, the data contained in the registry can be transferred to the archive of UVI removed from circulation. In essence, members perform a “true-up” or record of emission permits, compensation, and other emission data. The market may also make changes to the permitted use of compensation and loans for early actions based on the reported emission data for all members.

Figure 9 illustrates the registration operation of the project providing compensation and reporting in the system 10 (of Figure 1) and / or in the system 100 (of Figure 3). Depending on the particular embodiment of the invention, additional operations, fewer operations or other operations may be performed. In an exemplary embodiment, small projects 910, 920, and 930 have less than 10,000 metric tons of CO ₂ annually. In operation 940 performed by the aggregator, small projects 910, 920, and 930 are combined.

Eligible projects can be registered in the registry and exchange compensations (BKV) are issued for them based on the tonnage of emission reductions implemented over a four-year period. BKVs can be issued after emissions are reduced and the required documentation is provided to the market, or they can be issued simultaneously pending receipt of such documentation.

Compensations or amounts of credit accruals are created according to a predetermined schedule of environmental activities, which is, for example, planting trees that absorb CO ₂ , retaining carbon emitted by plants in the soil, or removing pollutants such as CO, lead,

NO ₂ or ozone, from rivers, lakes, landfills or other environmentally disadvantaged areas. Indirect reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can be obtained by reducing the use of fossil fuels, for example, by reducing the number of business trips, or by purchasing environmentally friendly products, for example, manufactured in ways that do not have an adverse environmental impact. Consequently, the first category of participants eligible to be suppliers of compensation are, inter alia, forestry workers, farmers and others who cultivate the land in such a way as to facilitate the reduction of CO ₂ emissions. Representatives of economic entities that would probably fall into the second category are law firms, advertising agencies, banks, shopping centers, supermarkets or other organizations or territorial units, which consist of a large number of people.

In a preferred embodiment, a system is provided for independent verification of compensation projects that meet established requirements. Independent verification provides the basis for granting credits and emission permits and guarantees accurate accounting of carbon capture and storage activities. Independent verification can be performed, for example, by an independent party with which a contract has been concluded, or by any party to which the right to perform such an assessment has been granted. Ideally, independent verification should be carried out at least every year before the verification process.

Other eligible sections of the compensation project are, inter alia, the destruction of methane from landfills in North America; the destruction of methane from agricultural activities in North America; carbon sequestration and storage for forest restoration projects in North America; carbon capture and storage in agricultural soils in the United States; and projects on the transition to alternative fuels, on the destruction of methane in landfills, on renewable energy sources and on forest conservation in Brazil, waste management, alternative types of travel and other environmentally sound activities. For compensation projects that have a dubious effectiveness in reducing environmental impacts, standardization of commercially-available compensation amounts is achieved through the use of discount factors so that members can have high confidence that a particular activity is defined in such a way that each metric The tonne of CO ₂ emissions reduced by each project is equivalent.

As shown in FIG. 9, the minimum amount of exchange compensation (LSE) issued for any project or group of projects in any one category can be set equal to (for example) 10,000 tons of CO ₂ equivalent per year. Individual projects, in which achieved emission reductions of emission reductions of less than 10,000 tonnes of CO ₂ equivalent per year, combined with other projects within the same project category via aggregator projects registered on the market. Essentially, trade in volumes of less than 10,000 tons can be made.

In the market, a threshold rule of 10,000 tons can be used as a standard that sets the value of the total compensation fund, which allows for cost-effective administrative management of project registration, verification and the process of issuing compensations. This condition allows supplying the market with emission reductions due to low-cost activities to reduce adverse environmental impacts, providing also a source of financing for the implementation of such projects.

In operation 940 performed by the aggregator, projects 910, 920, and 930 are analyzed to determine various characteristics, such as, for example, project eligibility determined based on type, location, and timing; whether contracts and / or appraisals are properly implemented; and the estimated annual tonnage of created compensations. Other characteristics that can be analyzed include, but are not limited to, timing obligations and descriptions of the properties of contaminant capture and storage projects, confirmation of the annual report, confirmation of verifier access, subject name and production facilities, and management issues. The project pooling process, carried out in operation 940, provides an opportunity to participate in the market for many small projects without forcing exchange or market participants to incur high administrative costs.

At operation 950, the registration procedure of the combined small projects 910, 920, and 930 or the large project 970 and reporting thereon is performed. An approximate procedure for registration and reporting includes the following operations: create an account file, create an account in the registry, receive reports on the implementation of the project, determine acceptable project controllers, receive project verification reports from controllers, receive reports from the National Association of US Securities Dealers (NASD) about controllers and issue compensations credited to accounts.

In another embodiment of the invention, reserve funds for compensation for carbon capture and storage are created to hide part of the earned compensation from project aggregators. These reserve funds provide an easily accessible general compensation fund, which can be immediately canceled if subsequently the carbon stored in the loan was collected as part of the project for the collection and storage of pollutants was released.

10 illustrates a lending mechanism for methane combustion. Sources of methane 1010 (CH ₄ ) may be, for example, a landfill or agricultural waste. Methane can have twenty-one times greater environmental impacts than CO ₂ . However, methane can be burned using a combustion device 1015. During combustion, methane is converted to CO ₂ , and electricity is generated from the power generator 1020. The burning of methane produces emissions of 2.75 tons of CO ₂ for each ton of methane. Essentially, the net equivalent reduction in emissions from methane combustion is 18.25 metric tons of CO ₂ . Thus, exchange compensation for landfills, BKM (XLO) can be issued on the market.

For effective and accurate accounting of compensation projects, two types of accounting forms can be used. Those members or participants who, for example, practice anti-erosion tillage or work in the commercial forestry industry, can use an approach that records a constant amount of carbon and can quantify changes in carbon stocks on the land they use in commercial purposes. A member or participant choosing to use this approach should receive confirmation from a reputable third party that their land used for commercial purposes is managed in an environmentally sound manner and ensure that there is no net decrease in total carbon stocks by this land. In the commercial forestry sector, a member or participant from the United States of America can quantify and report changes in carbon stocks associated with individually registered forest compensation stock projects, provided there is no net decrease in total carbon stocks in the commercial forest inventory owned by a member or member.

Each member or participant in the commercial forestry sector, choosing the option of using an approach that records a constant amount of carbon, must additionally annually submit a certificate confirming that it maintains a forest management certificate in an environmentally sound manner and must provide an annual certificate signed by an officer of the corporation that there will be no net reduction in the total amount of stored reserves in carbon specified in the inventory of a commercial forest owned by a member or participant. A statement that there is no decrease in the total amount of carbon stocks stored as indicated in the inventory of a commercial forest owned by a member or participant is subject to independent verification and audit.

The approach in which accounting is based on a model can be used by a member or participant, for example, from the commercial forestry sector to quantify the change in carbon stocks in the area of its commercial forest based on forecasts made through growth and productivity models , which estimate the volume of terrestrial biomass of various tree species as the trees grow. Each member or participant who chooses to use an approach in which accounting is done on the basis of a model is given exchange permits for emissions or debited UVIs based on respectively the annual increases or decreases in carbon stocks indicated in his commercial inventory.

Net changes in carbon stocks will be quantified only on the basis of the amount of wood in the main tree trunk to the apical bud, excluding carbon deposited in the root systems and branches. The results of quantitative determination of carbon stocks reduced due to logging will also contain only its stocks in the main tree trunk.

In cases of adverse meteorological events or fires that have begun and damage from insect pests that do not reduce the amount of carbon stored in a part of the forested land, a member or participant is required to document the amount of wood destroyed by fire, pests or due to adverse weather conditions, and provide an equivalent amount of UVI. A member or participant must continue to quantify subsequent increases and decreases in carbon stocks on this land and report them, and accordingly they must be given UVIs or given them.

A market member 1030 may purchase electricity from a 1020 electricity producer as an emission reduction target. Member 1030 of the market chooses energy in a way that returns “green power crediting” to the market. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, exchange compensations for landfills can be issued for the systems for collecting and burning methane from landfills, for example, based on the number of tons of methane destroyed, the net amount of CO ₂ emitted from incineration, from 2003 to 2006. Milestones for reducing methane help eliminate the uncertainty with which projects related to waste gases can generate gas ensatsii and in what amounts, and help ensure there is proper accounting so electricity generated by the combustion gas formed by the decomposition of waste, can rightly be considered "neutral" by CO ₂ (i.e., not having no net GHG emissions associated with its development). Essentially, control points provide predictability and clarity regarding the determination of whether the collection system for the gases generated by the decomposition of waste has the right to earn GHG compensation.

Using the compensation rule for a net 18.25 metric tons (for each tonne of methane burned) takes into account the GHG benefits expressed in net amounts of C0 ₂ from methane burning from landfills. This rule simultaneously establishes the following: the electricity generated by burning the gas generated during the decomposition of waste is CO ₂ neutral, since the amount of CO ₂ emitted from the combustion is subtracted as a result of calculations when compensating. Thus, this characteristic provides the creation of a method of complete and accurate metering, which allows us to consider such purchased electricity as "zero emissions".

The market (trade) allows electricity consumers to choose an option in which electricity purchases are considered as an additional obligation to reduce emissions. If a market member who chooses this option reduces their electricity purchases to a level lower than their intended reduction, then the member is issued 0.61 commercially-feasible emission permits for each megawatt-hour, by which actual member purchases of electricity are reduced by that member in excess of the intended reductions. This is a simple conversion that does not require complex calculations to determine an emission permit or credit. At the same time, the producer of this electricity also implements a reduction in emissions (everything else is unchanged) as a result of a decrease in the demand for electricity from a member. This reduction in emissions from power plants may have the effect of releasing emissions permits for sale. Essentially, this functionality creates the possibility that one ton of actual reduction in emissions can lead to the release in the market system of values in the form of rights for emissions of two tons of CO ₂ , and the ownership of these rights is divided evenly between the electricity consumer and the electricity producer. This pre-determined separation equally ensures a standard formula that eliminates the need for negotiations on the sharing of rights to reduce emissions associated with reduced electricity consumption.

Joining the conditions for the purchase of electricity establishes a mechanism that uses a standardized emission reduction schedule for final electricity consumption as an additional goal of reducing the environmental impact that members may choose. This condition also establishes a known, predictable amount for which permits for greenhouse gas emissions are issued for excessive reductions in energy consumption (or which are subject to surrender for insufficient reductions in energy consumption). This predictability facilitates the participation in this choice of the option to reduce adverse environmental impacts and can stimulate the introduction of technologies to reduce energy consumption, since the financial return from such technologies is increased due to the ability to earn easily realized greenhouse gas emissions permits in the market.

The basic level of electricity purchased can be defined as the average value of electricity purchases for previous years, for example, from 1998 to 2001. The basic level can be adjusted so that it reflects the acquisition or disposal of industrial enterprises that consume energy purchased by this member. The definition of the basic level of electricity purchase also contains rules governing the accounting of industrial enterprises; technical requirements for determining the “owner" of emissions in jointly owned enterprises; and rules for accounting for gaps in electricity acquisition data for the baseline determination period.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, members who choose the option of connecting electricity purchases in the United States and reduce their electricity purchases to levels below the market reduction schedule are issued greenhouse gas permits at a rate of 0.61 metric tons of CO ₂ for every megawatt-hour, for which the energy actually purchased is less than the reduction schedule. A rate of 0.61 metric tons applies only to electricity purchased by US industrial enterprises, since it reflects the average value of the US emission standard for electricity generation in 1998-2001. In the preferred embodiment, this is the addition of electricity purchases and the implementation of electricity purchases in an amount exceeding the amount corresponding to the volume of issuing market permits for greenhouse gas emissions and / or exchange compensation in accordance with the schedule for reducing emissions at a rate of 0.61 metric tons of CO ₂ for each megawatt the hour by which the actually purchased capacity is above the reduction schedule. The corresponding standard values for electricity purchases in Canada and Mexico are 0.20 and 0.59 metric tons per megawatt-hour, respectively.

By establishing a single constant cost of crediting for GHG emissions reduction associated with each megawatt-hour of purchased electricity, the market provides a standardized reference cost, which provides for a large number of electricity consumers the comparative ease of participation in GHG emissions reduction and remuneration according to the well-known, predictable rate. Those members who choose this option know exactly in advance exactly how many tons of CO ₂ emissions they will receive permits (or will have to issue them) in case they can exceed (or fail to fulfill) the standardized emission reduction schedule.

This standardized, predictable system improves the ability to validate compliance mechanisms to reduce energy consumption. At the same time, the condition provides an opportunity to participate in the reduction of GHG emissions by a much wider range of entities even if they do not directly create significant GHG emissions due to their own fuel combustion processes or production processes. This mechanism provides a standard system, whereby large commercial buildings (e.g. office buildings, shopping centers, government buildings, enterprises with energy-intensive manufacturing operations, and possibly groups of small commercial utilities and households).

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a method for combining renewable energy certificate markets (RECs) into a greenhouse gas emissions trading market. The UHV markets are emerging in various states, provinces and countries as a means of cost-effective increase in the amount of electricity generated by environmentally preferable methods. Laws in many states (such as Texas and Nevada) require that more and more electricity be generated using systems that have low or zero emissions, such as using wind power. SVE laws usually set a quantitatively defined common goal for generating electricity from renewable sources (for example, 5% of all electricity generated in 2003), and provide an opportunity for those who produce electricity from systems with a renewable energy source in excess of prescribed level, earn commercially available certificates indicating that they have exceeded the normative target. If another electricity producer cannot achieve the target set by law, then he can remain in compliance with the legal requirements by acquiring an IED from an electricity producer that has exceeded the legal requirements. For example, a legislative regulation may require that each company: Company A and Company B, generate 1,000 megawatt-hours of electricity using these renewable energy systems. If Company A actually generated 1,200 megawatt-hours of electricity using renewable energy systems, it would have earned a cost in the form of LEAs for 200 megawatt-hours. If company B produces 800 megawatt-hours of electricity using renewable energy systems, then it must purchase a cost in the form of LEA for 200 megawatt-hours in order to achieve compliance with regulatory requirements (by generating 800 mW of renewable energy on their own and by acquiring value in the form of 200 MW MW in order to demonstrate ownership of another 200 MW of energy production from renewable sources).

The market may provide its members with the opportunity to include the purchase of electricity as an additional goal of reduction. For example, market rules may provide the following: “Electricity generated using certain renewable energy sources may be considered zero-emission electricity for a member who chooses the option of joining electricity purchases. Each member choosing the option of joining electricity purchases can be excluded from their base level of electricity purchases and periodic reports on the purchase of electricity that electricity that is acquired from market-defined systems generating electricity from renewable energy sources, provided that the member provides documentary evidence that the electricity is generated exclusively for that member or is otherwise intended for that member. Electricity must meet the condition that it is generated by the following systems for generating electricity from renewable sources: solar energy; hydropower; wind; renewable fuels, which for the market are: wood, wood waste and fuels derived from wood; agricultural waste and grass; landfill methane and methane from agricultural activities; and ethanol (bioalcohol). “Documentary evidence that electricity is generated exclusively for a member or is otherwise intended for a member may consist of copies of power station ownership documents, energy purchase contracts, and, as indicated by the Market Executive Committee, certain renewable energy certificates.”

By providing members with the opportunity to use renewable energy certificates as a means of documenting that part of the electricity they purchase is from renewable energy systems, the market creates a clear link between the greenhouse gas emission allowance markets and the UHE. This creates an additional source of flexibility for members to fulfill their obligations to reduce electricity purchases due to the systematic growth of electricity generation by renewable energy systems, as evidenced by the acquisition and presentation of goods on the market for UES by its members. The inclusion of this mechanism in the market structure also provides another potential source of financing for new renewable energy generation systems.

In accordance with the condition for ensuring economic growth described with reference to the drawings of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the maximum eligible increase in purchased energy is, for example, 2% above the baseline in 2003 and 2004 and 3% above the baseline in 2005 and 2006. Without the conditions for economic growth limiting the maximum volume of purchases required, the maximum level of obligations associated with participation in the market would not be known. This mechanism enables potential participants to know in advance with confidence about the maximum number of emission permits that they may have to purchase in order to meet annual commitments to reduce electricity purchases, as well as the maximum amount of emission permits that they may be able to make .

Uncertainty about how and to what extent the reduction in electricity purchases should be credited impedes the adoption of reduction targets, the introduction of technologies that ensure end-use efficiency, and management practices that can contribute to reducing GHG emissions. By adopting standard greenhouse gas emission permits as a tool to reduce energy purchases in the USA, Canada and Mexico, the market encourages participation in this mechanism and expands the range of economic entities that can contribute to reducing GHG emissions by reducing electricity purchases .

Members are liable for emissions from jointly owned enterprises in proportion to the member's share in the ownership of the share capital, with the following exceptions. Members who were not originally involved in power generation have the opportunity to exclude emissions from those industrial enterprises in which the member’s share in the shareholding is less than 20% from their base level of emissions and emission reports. In the event that the member’s share in ownership is less than 50% and the emission data from the jointly owned enterprise are not accessible to the member, then individual exceptions may be made depending on the particular case.

Those entities that initially engaged in the generation of electricity have the opportunity to exclude emissions from those industrial enterprises in which the share of a member in the ownership of share capital is less than 20% and have an energy capacity of less than 25 megawatts from their base level of emissions and emission reports.

The owners of many large industrial enterprises and energy enterprises are numerous entities. These many owners often jointly invest in an enterprise as a means of sharing financial risk or taking advantage of specific business opportunities or location-related benefits provided by one of the co-owners. The specific conditions for a commensurate distribution of GHG emissions on the market for jointly owned enterprises take into account the following: the logic of using the proportional ownership approach; the desire to take into account the large share of emissions of each of the firms, the importance of taking into account the main sources of emissions as the main goal; the reality that minority owners of an enterprise may not have easy access to operational data needed to calculate emissions from an enterprise.

However, by allowing a member to add emissions from those industrial enterprises in which he owns a relatively small share of the share capital, these conditions implicitly encourage members to explore the possibility that such industrial enterprises may try to reduce emissions at low cost. This flexibility encourages members to identify such opportunities for lower cost GHG emissions, their implementation and their launch on the market, which would increase the overall profitability of GHG emissions reductions achieved through the market.

Each member of the exchange can be given the opportunity to annually extract the amount of emissions equivalent to the emissions of a natural gas power plant with a combined cycle capacity of 500 megawatts, operating at 55% of its capacity and having a heating capacity of 7,000 British thermal units per megawatt-hour (btu / mwh) . The withdrawn amount of emissions may not exceed the amount of emissions from a new industrial enterprise or from new industrial enterprises. All emissions from new units that exceed this level are accounted for as part of the annual emissions produced by a member. In essence, those members who are building new industrial enterprises are not at a disadvantage due to the fact that new enterprises are usually more efficient (that is, they produce less GHG emissions per unit of electricity generated) than existing industrial enterprises.

This condition reflects both the environmental background and practical considerations to ensure impartiality. The development of new, more efficient industrial enterprises provides a means of satisfying the demand for products, while producing less GHG emissions per unit of output. In addition, members may have already built such power plants before the start of the market. This condition establishes a limited exemption for emissions from new industrial enterprises, thus eliminating or reducing the fine that might have been imposed instead if it would be necessary to reduce emissions from such industrial enterprises in accordance with market rules.

11 is a diagram showing exchange compensations for forestry, BCLs (XFOs) based on carbon storage. Like methane burning projects, exchange compensation for forestry based on realized increases in accumulated carbon, expressed in tons of CO ₂ equivalent, can be issued as part of generally recognized reforestation and afforestation projects. Eligibility of the project, basic levels of the project, protocols for quantification, monitoring and verification can be determined using the market. As shown in the diagram, BKL +1 is earned annually with an increase in carbon reserves at the end of the year.

12 shows an example compensation map for agricultural land provided based on a geographical area. Volume of compensation compensation for agricultural land can standardize participation in reducing GHG emissions by capturing and storing carbon in the soil. Carbon capture and storage in the soil is realized when farmers or other private individuals do not create a significant disturbance of the soil surface during plowing and do not emit carbon accumulated in it. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, officially approved soil compensation may be issued annually for carbon capture and storage activities in agricultural soils in certain states, counties, and counties in the Midwestern United States and in the Mississippi Delta. For example, stock exchange compensation for soil can be issued at a rate of 0.5 metric tons of CO ₂ per acre annually in cases where farmers constantly comply with established requirements without plowing or with shallow plowing in these regions. Exchange compensation for soil can be issued at a rate of 0.75 metric tons of CO ₂ per acre annually in cases where farmers comply with collection and storage obligations associated with planting herbs in these regions.

The market provides a cost-effective combination of carbon capture and storage activities of a large number of agricultural producers, despite the uncertain collection and storage standards in specific regions and the high cost of measuring changes in soil carbon content.

On Fig depicts a schematic representation of the issuance of permits for greenhouse gas emissions with increasing carbon stocks that meet the established requirements, market members in the forestry sector. Chart 1310 shows changes in carbon stocks for the year. Diagram 1310 shows the increase in carbon stocks in 2003 of 10 metric tons of CO ₂ and their decrease due to harvest and other losses of 8 metric tons of CO ₂ . Essentially, there is a net change of +2 tons, and a member is given a DBV.

Chart 1320 shows the growth of carbon stocks in a given year, equal to 8 metric tons of CO ₂ , and their decrease due to harvest and other losses of 11 metric tons of CO ₂ . In this case, the member is responsible for the net changes of -3 tons, and must issue a UVI of 3 tons.

A quantitative analysis of changes in carbon stocks stored in terrestrial biomass is based on a standardized model and sampling procedures that should be used by all members in the forestry sector. The calculation of changes in carbon stocks can be adjusted to reflect the acquisition or disposal of forest land.

In an exemplary embodiment, the maximum amount of net reductions in carbon stored in land-based biomass on company-owned land is limited to 3% of the baseline emissions from each member in the first year, such as 2003, 4% of its base level for 2004, 6% of its base level for 2005 and 7% of its base level for 2006. The maximum apparent amount of net increase in the amount of carbon stored in terrestrial biomass is limited to 3% of the base level of emissions produced by a member in the first year, for example for 2003, 4% of its base level for 2004, 6% of its base level for 2005 year and 7% of its base level for 2006. There are also restrictions on the net sales of stock exchange permits for emissions and on the volume of stock exchange permits for emissions deferred by members in reserve, and a description of these restrictions is given below.

The increase in carbon capture and storage associated with changes in carbon stocks due to forest management activities provides an important opportunity to reduce GHG emissions, and this should be approved and secured by loans (or financial penalties should be made if such changes cause reduction in carbon storage). In a preferred embodiment, permits for greenhouse gas emissions are issued in an amount reflecting the net increase in stored carbon over a period of 1 year to 4 years. These members must annually surrender DBV, BKV or BKD in an amount reflecting the net reduction in stored carbon over a four-year period. The calculation of changes in carbon stocks can be adjusted to reflect the acquisition or disposal of forest land.

On Fig illustrates the verification process of the project providing compensation. Depending on the particular embodiment of the invention, additional operations, fewer operations or other operations may be performed. At operation 1410, audits of the National Association of Securities Dealers (USA) can be performed using the protocols. At operation 1415, independent measurements and verification of projects 1420 for reforestation and methane burning can be performed independently.

At step 1425, independent verification of soil carbon storage projects 1430 is carried out, on which the practical actions provided for by the contract have been taken. At operation 1435, a reference value may be assigned. At operation 1440, the tonnage of the compensation project can be confirmed and shortages reported. At operation 1445, confirmed compensations are transferred to the accounts of individual projects and aggregators in the register.

The market can determine the acceptability of the project, the basic levels of the project, protocols for quantitative analysis, monitoring and verification. This functionality helps to meet the need for a predictable, low-cost protocol that farmers provide before they decide to abide by the terms of the contract to provide carbon capture and storage services, accurate information about the amount of compensation they earn each year, for the desired actions to capture and store carbon in the soil.

In another example, stock exchange emission reductions can be issued through recognized projects in Brazil or elsewhere. Commonly recognized projects include, but are not limited to: reforestation and / or promotion of reforestation; stopping deforestation together with reforestation and / or facilitating reforestation; transition to alternative fuels; the destruction of methane from landfills and the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources, which are solar energy, wind energy, small hydropower plants and systems for generating electricity from biomass.

For some projects adopted earlier, exchange credits for early actions (BCD) may be issued. For recognition, these projects must be: non-systemic; initially accepted or funded members; provide direct emission reductions or the capture and storage of pollutants; Explicitly owned by members be measurable and verifiable. By establishing the regulatory requirements for this condition, it is possible to determine exactly what actions taken before the launch of its GHG market have the right to earn loans for early actions. This standard is of particular importance because many legislative proposals around the world that propose GHG emission limit values recognize the importance (in terms of ensuring fairness and providing incentives for early action) of including in them the terms of lending for early action.

For example, exchange loans for early actions can be provided to the following projects that meet the eligibility criteria: projects for reforestation, planting forests and stopping deforestation; U.S. landfill methane destruction projects; projects under the American Joint Implementation Initiative (U.S.I.J.I.) related to the transition to alternative fuels and other energy sources. Exchange credits for early actions are issued based on the tonnage of emission reductions implemented as part of an eligible project.

Numerous legislative proposals in the United States and other countries have proposed a general concept of lending "for early action." The rationale for this concept is to encourage early action to reduce GHGs by eliminating the incentive to delay these actions. It is sometimes argued that those economic entities that could make a short-term reduction in GHG emissions actually refrain from this because they would lose the opportunity to receive loans for such reductions if they were implemented before legislative acts or other actions were enacted, leading to the emergence of a system for reducing GHG emissions and trade. By setting a precedent that demonstrates that in an organized system of GHG emissions reduction and trade they can provide effective lending for “early” action, this condition can stimulate actions to reduce GHG emissions, which otherwise could be delayed or never taken.

Only a limited number of market restrictions are used to ensure that the reduction in emissions from the market reflects the balance between emissions reductions in member industrial enterprises and those associated with off-system projects, and to prevent market volatility and “price congestion”. The market does not approve of restrictions on trade or on the use of compensation in large-scale GHG trading systems, which could lead to the emergence of a market created by government order.

The net sales volume of exchange permits for emissions by any one member is limited to 0.5% of the base level of emissions within the entire program, proportionately distributed for 2003-2006, according to the schedule shown in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 BRV Release Date The limit on net sales of exchange-based emission permits (BRV):
as a percentage of the base level of emissions for the entire program, which can be sold by one company, for each release date 2003 0.05% 2004 0.10% 2005 0.15% 2006 0.20% TOTAL: 0.50% of the baseline emission level for the entire program

In an exemplary embodiment, the market may contain “excess reductions” that may be sold to non-members who may be attempting to purchase emission reductions that are registered under the rule-based program. These “excess reductions” reflect cases where members reduce emissions beyond the maximum reductions recognized as being commercially available under market rules. In addition, “excessive reductions” may be suitable for use in trial markets that may be established after 2006.

For example, during the first year of the entire program, to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, the use of exchange compensation for excess emission reductions in an amount equal to 0.5% of the total base level of emissions within the entire program is allowed. Starting from the second year, exchange loans for early actions can be used to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Over the following years after the first year, the use of exchange compensation for an excess reduction of emissions plus exchange credits for early actions in an amount equal to 4.5% of the total base level of emissions within the entire program is allowed within the entire program. In fact, restrictions on the use of exchange compensation plus loans for early actions are set in a predictable way and are proportional to the expansion of the market due to the entry of new participants (and the reduction of the market due to the alienation of emission sources by members).

This condition ensures that a large part of the reduction of GHG emissions in the market occurs at the member's industrial enterprises, maintaining the market balance, diversification and environmental reliability, providing the opportunity to develop and use the compensations provided for in the project, and to implement the credit method for early actions. By limiting the allowed use of exchange compensation for excess emissions reductions plus exchange credits for early actions, this condition establishes the following: at least half of the total GHG emission reductions implemented by a member should be obtained by reducing emissions from its own industrial enterprises.

By limiting the share of UVI created in previous emissions reduction projects that were used on the market to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, to a value not exceeding 25% of the total emissions reductions for the entire program, the market actually requires that 75% of the reductions be received due to actions to reduce adverse environmental impacts occurring simultaneously or in the future (or have occurred recently, for example, as part of projects to reduce adverse environmental impacts) the impact on the environment, performed after a certain date). This condition also helps maintain market balance and provide a variety of efforts to reduce environmental impacts.

The total volume of exchange credits for early actions within the framework of the entire program used to comply with environmental emission standards for years after the first year, in the preferred embodiment, does not exceed 50% of the total number of exchange compensations plus exchange credits for early actions used to comply with these standards . The total permitted volume of use of exchange compensation during the first year to comply with environmental emission standards and exchange compensation for excess emission reductions plus exchange credits for early actions over the next years increases if the volume of emissions within the entire program becomes higher than baseline levels . The proportional increase mechanism reflects the extent to which program-wide emissions exceed baseline program-wide emissions. Mostly this mechanism creates a stereotypical predictable process that automatically worsens the conditions for ensuring market efficiency with increasing demand.

For each member, the total net sales volume plus the volume of use of exchange compensation (for example, compensation for landfill sites) is allowed to comply with environmental emission standards that are created by industrial enterprises owned and / or managed by it in an amount of not more than 0, 5% of the total baseline emissions for the entire program, proportionately distributed over specific years. For example, the limit values may be those indicated in Table 3.

TABLE 3 BKV Release Date Total net sales plus the use of BKV, which are received from industrial enterprises owned by and / or operated by a member to comply with environmental emission standards, by the date of issue of BKV 2003 0.05% 2004 0.10% 2005 0.15% 2006 0.20% TOTAL: 0.50% of the baseline emissions for the entire program

This functionality avoids market imbalance, “traffic congestion” and the potential for market dominance by a single seller of exchange compensation or a small group of sellers by imposing restrictions on the number of sales that any single company can make. Some individual members may be able to sell large amounts of exchange compensation. As with any market of limited scale and limited reach, if any one member or a small group of members is given the opportunity to sell without restrictions, then the market may become unbalanced and a “price jam” may occur. Similarly, unlimited ability to sell can lead to one firm gaining a dominant position on the side of the market that sellers are, which could disrupt market competition.

Given this condition, the permitted sales plus use for compliance with environmental emission standards by one member can be proportionally increased if the volume of emissions within the entire program becomes higher than baseline levels. The increase mechanism reflects the extent to which emissions throughout the program exceed baseline emissions throughout the program. Mostly this mechanism creates a stereotypical predictable process that automatically worsens the conditions for ensuring market efficiency with increasing demand.

Briefly, the system 10 (from FIG. 1) and / or the system 100 (from FIG. 3) (hereinafter referred to collectively as “the market”) provides an electronic device designed to perform the functions of a main unit providing exchange trading in goods, which are greenhouse gases. It provides participants with a central hub to facilitate trade, openly displays pricing information, and contributes to the broad objectives of the emission reduction plan. The market reduces the cost of identifying opposing trading parties and finalizing transactions, which is an important advantage in the new market. The market can also be used as a platform for periodic auctions. The market could conduct trade in the form of standardized contracts, which, for example, provide the same volume of trade, price conditions and payment requirements. The market may have the following main characteristics: low costs for customers; ease of use by participants, the ability to trade and receive real-time pricing information and ease of interaction with the accounts of commodity market participants in the register.

The market overcomes many of the disadvantages and disadvantages of conventional emissions trading programs. For example, the lack of a complete standardized system for determining and trading in greenhouse gas emissions leads to high transaction costs and prevents large-scale initiation of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions among enterprises in the private, non-profit and public sectors of the economy. The market provides a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a commodity-based trading program. Unlike unregulated or non-standardized emission trading programs, the market provides a commodity exchange that facilitates the movement of capital in the field of environmental protection through the use of a centralized mechanism for trading in securities by electronic means together with a means of guaranteeing payment and transfer of bidding carbon financial instruments even if the opposite party is not able to fulfill obligations.

Another drawback of conventional systems is how to facilitate participation in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for many sectors of the economy in many countries, thereby ensuring further progress in environmental protection and expanding prospects for economic efficiency by providing opportunities to reduce emissions for a wide range organizations.

The standardized emission reduction schedule used in the restricted trading system described here creates a common proportional system according to which all exchange members know not only their emission reduction goals, but also the maximum responsibility that they may face in fulfilling these goals.

Another drawback of conventional systems is the lack of common rules, standards, protocols and methods, which impedes widespread participation in efforts to reduce GHG emissions and limits the ability to implement low-cost emissions reductions. Preferably, the market contains a structured market configuration and a standardized environmental goal, which allows multiple participants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions according to the general schedule. This leads to a reduction in transaction costs, contributes to broader activities and ease of conclusion of transactions and creates a mechanism to ensure an effective inflow of financial resources in the sphere of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The use of a standardized, proportional emission reduction schedule simplifies the addition of new members, since the goal of reducing emissions from each of the existing members does not change when new members join the exchange. The ability of potential participants to become members of the exchange is constantly changing as there is a better understanding of the strategic benefits of becoming a member and as the base of required skills is expanded. The fact that the market started with a limited-edition trial market provides a short-term demonstration of the exchange's capabilities. In addition, due to the limited market size, the ability to test and improve methods and systems is improved.

An increase in the number of members automatically triggers an expansion of trading opportunities for members and compensation providers based on predefined formulas, while also providing means to support market equilibrium.

Unlike any other existing emissions trading program, the use of a real-time electronic trading platform provides members and participants with the ability to continuously review purchase offers, sale offers, as well as transaction prices and volumes. Continuous price discovery improves the ability of members to determine the most economical ways to meet emission reduction commitments. The predominantly public price discovery informs development authorities of the actions of private individuals and the legislature to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, there is no systematic way to make prices publicly available for tendering to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, the structure of actions of individuals and legislative bodies suffers from the lack of critical information necessary for carrying out economically rational activities. The lack of price information hinders the ability to develop action plans to reduce GHG emissions, since cost-benefit analysis is carried out in the presence of strictly limited information on costs to reduce adverse environmental impacts.

The absence of a common rule-based structure in conventional systems impedes the cost-effective use of resources to reduce emissions. The market implemented in system 10 and / or system 100 makes it possible to provide flexibility in methods, location and timing of emission reductions for the possibility of cost-effective reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

In conventional systems, high transaction costs are a significant barrier to greenhouse gas reduction and emissions trading. System 10 and / or system 100 facilitate trading with low transaction costs. A rule-based program, a centralized computer platform that provides trading, guarantees the transfer of financial instruments and their payment, and low transaction costs implemented in system 10 and / or system 100 significantly reduce the obstacles to trade, thus allowing all participants Market seize the opportunity to realize the economic benefits of trade. These features help ensure that actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are not only taken on a larger scale, but also implemented at the lowest possible cost.

This detailed description sets out the basic principles embodied in the embodiments of the system and method for reducing emissions and trade, which are given as examples. In the above description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other cases, structures and devices are shown in block diagrams to facilitate describing embodiments of the invention, which are given as examples.

The market may include systems that perform many functions. For example, it may contain a system showing individual employees of market members, associate members and participating members as authorized traders of these members. It may contain another system that displays on the screen all economic entities wishing to become members of the market, associate members and participating members on the basis of financial position and commercial stability. Another system provides traders with the opportunity to choose the option of using trade negotiation and clearing settlement mechanisms provided by the market, or alternatively, to negotiate trade deals privately through bilateral negotiations.

Advantageously, the systems and methods described herein provide the ability to create and operate a greenhouse gas emission allowance market with reduced transaction costs. Minimization of transaction costs may result from one of many different factors or more. These factors include the standardization of definitions of reported emissions and associated conditions; distribution of ownership of emissions in cases of jointly owned enterprises; determination of baseline emission levels; identifying commercially available carbon financial instruments; determination of loans for early actions; emission monitoring methods; definition of the project for the provision of compensation (including formulas), volumes and aggregation; market restrictions; registry; trading platform; and a clearing settlement system.

In some embodiments of the invention, a computer system having a central processing unit (CPU) that executes sequences of instructions contained in a storage device is used to implement these systems and markets. In particular, the execution of sequences of commands causes the central processing unit (CPU) to perform the operations described below. Commands can be loaded into random access memory (RAM) for their execution by a central processing unit (CPU) from read-only memory (ROM), from a large-capacity storage device, or from some other permanent storage device. In other embodiments, a hardware circuit may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the described functions. Thus, the embodiments described herein are not limited to any particular combination of hardware and software circuits, or to any particular source for instructions executed by a computer system.

On Fig schematically shows another embodiment of a reduced emissions trading system, which is given as an example. As shown in FIG. 15, system 1500 shown in the drawing includes one or more digital data processing client devices 1506 (“client”), one or more digital data processing server devices 1510 (“server”), and one or more databases 1534 data. Client 1506, server 1510, and database 1534 exchange information using one or more data networks 1512 (“networks”). 15, the functionality available in the digital data processing apparatus is shown as being in the client 1506. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that one or more of the functionality of the client 1506 may reside in the server 1510.

As described below, the Reduced Emissions Trading System 1500 can calculate emissions (i.e., the number of GHG emission equivalents or GHG emission reductions), UVIs that meet regulatory requirements, and / or other related parameters for members and associate members (collectively referred to below “members”) based on the consumption of energy sources by these members. In addition, the emission reduction system 1500 may control a guarantee facility (e.g., 16 in Figure 1), a host computer / trading platform (e.g., 18 in Figure 1), a clearing system (e.g., 106 in Figure 3 ) and other devices and systems described herein above with reference to the drawings of Figures 1-14.

In general, the “client” and “server” links provided here are used to separate two devices that communicate with each other and / or sets of processor instructions. Therefore, it can be understood that the references here to the client and / or to the server are links to the communication coming from the client and / or from the server, as these terms are understood by ordinary specialists in this field of technology. Such communication may be based on or otherwise initiated from one or more input devices (e.g., keyboard, pen, mouse, etc.) controlled by the user. Therefore, it can also be understood that the references here to the client and / or server contain one or more processor-controlled devices that operate in the client-server model (i.e., request-response), in which the client and server can be in the same and the same device controlled by the processor, and in which, from a perspective, the client can act as a server, and the server can act as a client.

As shown in system 1500 of FIG. 15, a user 1502 (e.g., a member or benefactor contributing to environmental protection) who wishes to calculate GHG emission equivalents or GHG emission reductions can run one or more computer applications 1504 (such as for example, a navigation and viewing program (browser) on the Internet and / or a different type of application program capable of interacting with a GHG emission calculation program) located in client 1506 to generate information messages, sent to one or more computer applications 1508, and / or to receive information messages generated by one or more computer applications 1508 (for example, a program for calculating GHG emission equivalents or reducing GHG emissions) located in server 1510, via the network 1512. An information message contains one or more data packets, and the data packets may contain control information (for example, addresses of clients and servers 1506, 1510, named ia / identifiers of applied computer programs 1504, 1508, etc.) and useful data (for example, data related to the calculation of GHG emissions, for example, request 1548 containing consumption data and output data 1562 that contain GHG emissions calculated in this way) .

Applied computer programs 1504 comprise one or more software implemented methods (e.g., a calculation method / means) executed in one or more memory devices 1518 of client 1506. Similarly, applied computer programs 1508 comprise one or more software implemented methods performed in one or more server storage devices 1510. Computer applications 1508 comprise one or more sets of instructions and / or and functionality that enables the 1510 server to calculate GHG emissions equivalents or GHG, UVI emission reductions to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and / or other related parameters. For example, as set forth in the description herein, computer program 1508 contains instructions for processing consumption data 1536a used to generate GHG emissions data 1536b and UVR data 1536c. In addition, in some embodiments of the invention, computer applications 1508 comprise one or more instruction sets and / or other functionality that may provide the server 1510 with the ability to control a guarantee tool (e.g., 16 in FIG. 1), a host computer / platform providing trade (for example, 18 in FIG. 1), a clearing settlement system (for example, 106 in FIG. 3) and other devices and systems described herein above with reference to FIGS. 1-14. Computer applications 1504, 1508 may be created using a combination of the built-in functionality of one or more commercially available application computer programs and / or in combination with one or more custom software modules. Although the functionality and / or operations of computer applications 1504, 1508 are described herein as being performed in a distributed manner (for example, operations are performed on a client and on servers 1506, 1510 connected to a network), it will be understood by ordinary persons skilled in the art that at least some of the operations of computer applications 1504, 1508 can be performed in one or more digital data processing devices that can be connected by a desired digital data channel s (e.g. point-to-point, network, data bus, etc.).

The digital data processing device 1506, 1510 includes, but not limited to, a personal computer, a computer workstation (e.g., Sun, Hewlett-Packard), a laptop, a server computer, a large general purpose computing machine, and a handheld device (e.g. , personal digital information device, handheld personal computer (PDA), cell phone, etc.), an information household appliance and / or a universal or specialized device of another type, controlled by a processor, which is capable of receiving b, process and / or transmit digital data. The term "processor 1514" refers to a logic circuit that processes and responds to commands that drive digital data processing devices, and comprises a central processor, an arithmetic logic device, a specialized integrated circuit, a task machine and / or combinations thereof, various arrangements or multiple of these components, but these listed components are not a limiting feature.

The instructions executed by the processor 1514 are, at a low level, a sequence of “0” and “1” that describe one or more physical operations of the digital data processing apparatus. These instructions may be preloaded into a programmable memory (e.g., an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)) that can be accessed by processor 1514 and / or can be dynamically loaded into one or more of one or a large number of volatile (which are, for example, random access memory (RAM), cache, etc.) and / or non-volatile (which are, for example, hard drive, etc.) an ominous device connected to the processor 1514 in a manner that provides communication between them. Teams may, for example, correspond to hardware initialization in digital data processing devices 1506, 1510, operating system 1516, which provides for hardware elements the ability to exchange information under program control and provides the ability to exchange information for other computer programs and / or computer applications 1504, 1508, which are designed in such a way that they perform operations for other computer programs, for example, operations associated with the calculation of GHG and UV radiation emissions, bespechivaet compliance. Operating system 1516 may provide support for single-threaded data processing and / or multi-threaded data processing, where the term "stream" refers to an independent flow of executable instructions executed in a multitasking operating environment. A system with single-threaded data processing is capable of processing a single stream at a time, while a system with multi-threaded data processing is able to provide support for many simultaneously executed threads and can simultaneously perform many tasks.

Local user 1502 can interact with client 1506, for example, by viewing a command line using a graphical and / or other user interface and entering commands through an input device such as a mouse, keyboard, touch sensitive touch screen, trackball, keypad, etc. The generation of the user interface can be implemented by the graphics subsystem 1522 of the client 1506, which displays the interface on the surface of the screen or outside it (for example, on the display device 1526 and / or in the video memory). Entered by the user 1502 data can be received through the subsystem 1524 input-output (I / O) and sent to the processor 1514 through the internal bus (for example, a system bus) for execution under the control of the operating system 1516.

Similarly, a remote user (not shown in the drawing) can communicate with digital data processing devices 1506, 1510 via a network 1512. The data entered by the remote user can be received and processed completely or partially by a remote digital data processing device located in the same place as the remote user. Alternatively and / or in combination with the aforementioned, the entered data can be transmitted back and processed by local client 1506 or another digital data processing device via one or more networks using, for example, thin client technology. The user interface of the local client 1506 can also be reproduced, in whole or in part, in a remote digital data processing device located in the same place as the remote user, by transmitting graphic information to a remote device and issuing imaging commands to the graphics subsystem of the remote device and displaying at least a portion of the interface for the remote user. A network communication system between two or more digital data processing devices may include a network subsystem 1520 (eg, a network interface card) for establishing a communication channel between devices. A communication channel that provides communication between digital data processing devices may contain elements of a data network, point-to-point connection, bus, and / or other type of digital data channel capable of transmitting data that can be read by a processor.

In one of the operations, which is given as an illustrative example, the processor 1514 of the client 1506 executes instructions associated with the application computer program 1504 (including, for example, executable instructions given at least partially by the local user 1502 and / or other an applied computer program, for example, a batch processing program), which can issue instructions to the processor 1514 that provide at least partial control over the operation of the graphics subsystem 1522 for image formation and output physical user interface (including, for example, one or more menus, windows and / or other visual objects) on the screen of the display device 1526.

Network 1512 may comprise a number of network nodes (e.g., client and servers 1506, 1510) that can be connected to each other via network devices and wired and / or wireless communication lines (e.g., public lines, private lines, satellite links communications, etc.) that provide the ability to communicate between network nodes. The transmission of data (e.g., messages) between network nodes can be facilitated by network devices, such as, for example, routers, switches, multiplexers, bridges, gateways, etc., which can manipulate data and / or route data from a node from which they originate to the server node, regardless of differences in network topology (for example, a network with a bus topology, a star network, a ring network with token access), distances in space (for example, a local, city, global network), technol The nature of the transmission (e.g., via the Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), the System Network Architecture (SNA) protocol), the type of data (e.g. data, voice, video, multimedia information), the nature of the connection (e.g. dial-up , non-switched, with dialing, dedicated or virtual) and / or physical channel (which, for example, is optical fiber, coaxial cable, twisted pair cable, wireless connection, etc.) between the network node from which the data originates and the server network nodes. 15 shows procedures 1528, 1530, 1532 and 1550. The term “procedure” refers to the execution of instructions that interact with operating parameters, message data / parameters, network connection parameters / data, variables, constants, program libraries and / or other elements in the execution environment of the program in the storage device of the digital data processing device, which cause the processor to control the operations of the digital data processing device in accordance with the desired E features and / or operations of an operating system, software application programs and / or universal or dedicated application program of another type (or its components). For example, network connection procedure 1528, 1530 relates to a set of commands and / or other elements that allow digital data processing devices 1506, 1510 to respectively establish a communication channel and communicate with other digital data processing devices during one or more communication sessions. The term “communication session” refers to a sequence of transactions transmitted between two network nodes during a single network connection, where a communication session begins when a network connection is established and ends when the connection is completed. The database interaction procedure 1532 relates to a set of commands and other elements that allow a server 1510 to access a database 1534 and / or other types of data stores to gain access, for example, to user account data 1536, calculation rules 1542 and to the parameters of 1544 calculations. The information that has been accessed can be fed into an application computer program 1508 for subsequent processing and manipulation with it. The administrative control procedure 1550 refers to a set of commands and other functionalities that enable the server 1510 to monitor, control and / or otherwise administer the cash flow calculation. For example, the management process 1550 may: a) maintain and update the configuration, runtime, and / or session data for one or more digital data processing devices 1506, 1510 and / or computer applications 1504, 1508 running on devices 1506 , 1510, b) provide data buffering, multi-threaded processing services and / or data structure management, c) provide initialization parameters to digital data processing devices 1506, 1510 and / or computer applications programs 1504, 1508, d) manage groups of objects (for example, groups of data elements stored in digital data processing devices 1506, 1510 and / or stored or otherwise stored in the database 1534, groups of computer applications 1504, 1508, groups of members, having authorized access to computer applications 1504, 1508, license groups, etc.), e) manage communications between objects in response to messages transmitted between one or more digital data processing devices 1506, 1510, f) provide one or more auxiliary means (e.g., encryption / decryption, compression, routing, message parsing, message format processing, etc.) for digital data processing devices 1506, 1510 and / or g) provide load balancing based on, for example , processor usage / availability, network usage / availability, memory usage / availability, computer application usage / availability, message length and / or message size.

For ordinary specialists in this field of technology, the following is clear: although the illustrated procedures 1528, 1530, 1532 and 1550 and their functionality are described separately, the illustrated procedures and / or their functionality can be combined into one or more procedures. One or more illustrated procedures 1528, 1350, 1532, and 1550 may be implemented using a combination of the built-in functionality of one or more commercially available computer applications and / or in combination with one or more custom software modules.

Databases 1534 may be stored in a non-volatile storage medium or in a device that is known to those of ordinary skill in the art (e.g., on a compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), magnetic disk, internal hard drive disks, on an external hard drive, in random access memory (RAM), in an excessive array of independent disks (RAID), or in removable storage). As shown in FIG. 15, databases 1534 may be remote relative to client 1506. In some embodiments, databases 1534 may be local to client 1506 and / or may be embedded in client 1506. Databases 1534 may contain distributed databases. Databases 1534 may contain data with various types of content and / or various formats for storing data contents. For example, databases 1534 may contain tables and data structures of other types.

The member account data 1536 contains data identifying members of the system 1500, data related to the consumption of energy sources by the members, and data related to holdings of market members controlled by the system 1500. The data identifying the members may contain member names, contact details, information necessary for entering the system (for example, usernames and / or passwords), and / or other information of similar types, which is known to ordinary specialists in this field of technology. The data related to the consumption of energy sources by the members includes consumption data 1536a, GHG emissions data 1536b and UVR data 1536c. In most embodiments of the invention, this data is associated with time identifiers that identify their release date, that is, the time intervals to which they relate (for example, consumption data for 2000). In some of these embodiments, the data may be used, for example, by members, the exchange of which they are members, and / or another organization in which these members are involved, to monitor or otherwise monitor the energy consumption by members of energy sources their GHG emissions, etc. in time. Data associated with member holdings on the market may contain information on member holdings in the form of UVI and other related financial instruments described herein above with reference to the drawings of Figures 1-14.

Consumption data 1536a quantifies member consumption of energy sources. As described hereinafter, consumption data 1536a is defined and / or otherwise provided by members to the system 1500. Since energy sources may contain sources consumed during transportation and sources consumed independently of transportation, consumption data 1536a contains data related to transportation, and data not related to transportation.

Data related to transportation appears when a member (for example, an employee of a member’s company) travels from one place to another in a vehicle. The vehicle may include, but is not limited to, an aircraft (e.g., airplane, helicopter and balloon), a land vehicle (e.g., train, bus, car and motorcycle), a watercraft (e.g. boat and submarine), or a vehicle for many environments (e.g., hovercraft and amphibious vehicle). In some embodiments of the invention, the data associated with transportation are presented in units of the amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle during transportation. The amount of fuel consumed can be determined on the basis of receipts for fuel and / or other indicators that are known to ordinary specialists in this field of technology. Alternatively and / or in combination with the aforementioned, in some embodiments of the invention, the data associated with the transportation of goods are presented in units of the distance traveled by the vehicle. Such data related to transportation, can be converted into fuel consumption data based on the modification of data related to transportation, taking into account the fuel economy of the vehicle. The fuel economy of a vehicle can be a standard fuel economy of a vehicle (e.g., fuel economy published by the vehicle manufacturer) or fuel economy of a vehicle implemented according to individual customer requirements (e.g. fuel economy defined by a member, e.g. associate member).

Non-transportation data appears when a member consumes a source of energy in a different field of activity than transportation. Some examples of this activity include, but are not limited to, manufacturing products at a manufacturing plant and operating an office building. In some embodiments of the invention, data not related to transportation is presented in units of a consumed energy source (eg, coal, electricity, or natural gas consumed in manufacturing). The amount of energy source consumption can be quantified on the basis of receipts for the purchase of an energy source and / or other indicators that are known to ordinary specialists in this field of technology. Alternatively and / or in combination with the aforementioned in some embodiments of the invention, the data not related to transportation are presented in units of an intermediate indicator characterizing a specific activity, which, for example, is the amount of produced or consumed products, raw materials consumed in production time, and the size of the area of office space occupied by office equipment. For ordinary specialists in the art it is clear that such data, not related to transportation, can be converted to data on consumed energy sources based on the modification of data not related to transportation, taking into account the economy, which is similar to the fuel economy used in relation to data related to transportation. For example, the area of office space can be converted to the amount of electricity consumed based on the product of the area of office space and the weight coefficient (sometimes referred to here as the consumption coefficient), which is a statistical criterion for a typical amount of electricity consumed per unit area of office space. A statistical criterion may be related to geographic location (e.g., country (e.g., United States, Mexico, UK and Canada), state, region, etc.) and may be determined based on publicly available information, e.g., information described below in relation to emission factors.

It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that consumption data 1536a may not be readily available to members. For example, consumption data 1536a related to the operation of a building may not be readily available to members (e.g., tenants) who occupy a certain area of office space in the building under long-term lease agreements, rental agreements and / or other reasons. Therefore, as set forth in the description herein, in a preferred embodiment, the disclosed systems and methods create and / or otherwise use production emission factors, weighting factors and other statistical indicators by which energy consumption is expressed in units of measure, which are likely to be available to members, for example, in units of occupied area of office space, in units of distance traveled in transport mode (for example, in units of distance ETA on a plane or a jet), etc., but these examples are not units of measure limiting feature.

GHG emissions data 1536b contain GHG emissions data calculated by system 1500 based on consumption data 1536a. Typically, calculated GHG emissions are expressed in standard units of measure, for example, tons or metric tons of CO ₂ . However, in some embodiments, the calculated GHG emissions are expressed in non-standard units, for example, units selected and / or otherwise provided by a member. These custom units can usually be converted to standard units using standard conversion factors.

GHG emissions data 1536b also contain baseline levels of GHG emissions and target baseline emissions levels calculated by system 1500 based on consumption data 1536a. As described hereinabove with reference to the drawings of Figures 1-14, a rule (for example, an average value) can be applied to GHG emissions produced by a member for a first time period to determine a baseline level of the amount of GHG emissions produced by a member, and to a baseline Another rule can be applied (for example, the percentage reduction) to determine the target amount of GHG emissions for the second subsequent period of time.

In a preferred embodiment, the system also calculates emission reduction equivalents using natural resource efficiency factors for participants, for example, and especially for benefactors who contribute to environmental protection. This feature helps members determine whether additional UVRs are really needed to meet the emission reduction schedule. After calculating the equivalents of GHG emissions and reducing GHG emissions, the amount of emissions a member can still exceed its target amount of GHG emissions. Consequently, he may be required to purchase debits from other members or philanthropists who contribute to the environment in order to ensure compliance with his emission reduction schedule. In addition, the system provides any entity with the opportunity to earn a loan or a permit for emissions through environmentally beneficial activities, for example, philanthropists contributing to environmental protection, or even, including those voluntarily reducing emissions, to calculate a certain equivalent emission reduction for environmental activities, for example for planting trees or for reforestation, for the fact that the soil layer is not disturbed in a specific area of land, in a particular place, or sales e for cleaning or for reducing the degree of contamination in other areas. These loans can then be purchased by a member, which therefore further facilitates trade between participants, enabling participants who voluntarily reduce emissions to achieve their desired and declared targets for reducing pollution.

UVR data 1536c contains UVRs that meet regulatory requirements defined by system 1500 based on calculated GHG emissions and target GHG emissions.

Calculation Rules 1542 contain rules for calculating GHG emissions, rules for calculating baseline levels of GHG emissions, rules for target values for GHG emissions, and rules for calculating UVI to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. As described hereinafter, GHG emissions produced by a member are usually calculated based on the product of data 1536a on the member's consumption of each type of energy source consumed and the corresponding emission factor. The baseline emission levels and target emission values are calculated based on the application of the circuits described above with reference to the drawings of Figures 1-14.

Calculation parameters 1544 contain emission factors for various energy sources. Each emission factor in calculation parameters 1544 is usually associated with a type of energy source; each emission factor is also associated with a geographic location and / or energy supplier. Emission factors depend on the type of energy source consumed and on how the energy source was generated by its supplier. For example, the emission factor for a car trip depends on whether the fuel is gasoline, diesel, or electricity, and how efficiently the car uses fuel. In addition, emission factors for energy sources that are not fossil fuels (that is, energy sources that are not, for example, coal, gasoline or natural gas) depend on how this energy source was generated. For example, the emission factor for electricity generated using coal is different from the emission factor for electricity generated using natural gas. In addition, the emission factors for fossil fuels and non-fossil fuels depend on the technology used by the suppliers of the energy source (for example, the technology used at the power plant). As different suppliers of energy sources tend to use different technologies, and because different suppliers tend to serve different geographical regions, the emission factors for the energy source tend to vary depending on suppliers and geographical regions. Emission factors for countries, their territorial units (e.g., provinces, counties, and states) and energy suppliers are published by many different organizations, such as government agencies (e.g. the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)), non-governmental bodies (e.g., power plants ) and intergovernmental bodies (for example, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). For example, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a database of emission factors and provides other information for energy suppliers in the United States, which is commonly referred to as the electronic global resource database (E-GRID).

For ordinary specialists in the art it is clear that the closest in terms of location emission factor for the energy source tends to be the most accurate quantitative indicator of GHG emissions resulting from the consumption of this energy source. Therefore, in the preferred embodiment, in the disclosed systems and methods, the calculation of GHG emissions resulting from the consumption of an energy source is carried out on the basis of the closest available emission factor, while the closest emission factor is the emission factor associated with the supplier of the energy source .

It will also be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the emission factors for fossil fuels are constant, but the emission factors for non-fossil fuels tend to change over time. Essentially, in some embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods, one or more computer applications 1508 are configured to update the emission factors in the calculation parameters 1544 at some time intervals based on data exchange through the network 1512 with one or more databases (for example, with an electronic database of world resources (E-GRID)) and / or with other sources of information on emission factors.

In some embodiments of the invention, the disclosed systems and methods provide and / or otherwise utilize one or more emission factors of the types described below and other factors associated with the consumption of energy sources; (1) for US administrative buildings: (a) regional average electricity consumption per office area unit (e.g., coefficients for one or more states from fifty US states), (b) regional average natural gas consumption rates per unit office space and (c) regional emission factors for electricity; (2) for office buildings in Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom: (a) national average electricity and natural gas consumption per unit occupied office space, and (b) national emission factors for electricity.

As described above, consumption data can be expressed in various units of measure, including units of measure of the consumed energy source and units of measure of the distance traveled. For example, data quantifying the consumption of an energy source during transportation can include, but not limited to, gallons of spent fuel, liters of spent fuel, miles traveled, and kilometers traveled. Essentially, in some embodiments of the invention, calculation parameters 1544 contain emission factors expressed in standard units of measure (e.g., tons of CO ₂ generated per unit of energy consumed), and calculation rules 1542 contain one or more rules for converting standard units of measure to so that they are compatible with the units used for consumption data (or alternatively, one or more unit conversion rules and measurements were used for the consumption data to their compatibility with standard measurement units), i.e. to units of measure for the product of the emissions factor for consumption data were GHG emission units, e.g. tonnes generated CO _2. For example, calculation rules 1542 may contain one or more conversion rules between units in a metric system and units in a non-metric system (e.g. liters to gallons), conversion rules between units within a single system of units (e.g. kilowatts to megawatts) and / or conversion rules between units of measurement of a consumed energy source and units of measurement of an intermediate indicator characterizing a specific activity (for example, miles traveled and gallons of gasoline consumed). Transformation rules between units of measurement of a consumed energy source and units of measurement of an intermediate indicator characterizing a specific activity can be based on one or more values of economy, for example, values of fuel economy.

16 shows an illustrative example of a graphical user interface image displayed on a screen that facilitates the calculation of GHG and UV radiation emissions to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. For ordinary specialists in the art it is clear that this image displayed on the display screen should be construed as an illustrative example and that other images displayed on the display screen other than that shown in the drawing and described here may not be used. going beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, features that characterize the image displayed on the display screen, which is shown in the drawing, can be combined, divided, replaced with one another and / or rearranged to create other images displayed on the display screen. Also, for example, images displayed on the display screen that do not fall outside the scope of the present invention may contain one or more selectable screen buttons with independent latch, one or more screen response buttons, one or more screen lock buttons, one or more drop-down menus, one or more pictograms and / or one or more other visual objects to facilitate calculations. For ordinary specialists in the art it is also clear that the image displayed on the display screen, which is shown in the drawing, can be provided by a server (for example, an application computer program 1508 located in server 1510) to a client (for example, an application computer program 1504 located in client 1506) in system 1500. The image displayed on the display screen, which is shown in the drawing, is described in terms of interactions (eg, requests and responses) between client 1506 and server 1510 in system 1500.

As shown in FIG. 16, a display image 1600 (also referred to as an emission calculator window 1600 here) includes an identification area 1602, a certification area 1604, a location area 1605, a consumption data area 1606, a calculation area 1608, and a calculation area 1609 for more information. Identification area 1602 contains a request field 1610 for entering the member’s name and a drop-down menu 1612 for selecting the year of compliance with environmental emissions standards, for example, the year for which a member tries to calculate its GHG and / or UVI emissions to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements in order to comply with the established market rules, which are managed by the system 1500. The certification area 1604 contains a request field 1614 for entering a user signature and a time stamp 1616. The location region 1605 contains a drop-down menu for selecting the geographic location where the energy consumption occurred. The consumption data area 1606 contains drop-down menus 1620 for selecting consumption units (indicated as “reporting units” in FIG. 16) and query fields 1622 for providing consumption data in selected consumption units. The consumption data area 1606 also comprises a drop-down menu 1620a for selecting from the consumption data the methods for providing data for the vehicle, such as, for example, actual fuel receipts, distance traveled and standard fuel economy, or distance traveled and fuel economy implemented in accordance with with individual customer requirements. Calculation region 1608 contains response fields in which system 1500 provides emission factors (indicated in FIG. 16 as a “conversion factor”) from calculation parameters 1644, calculated GHG emissions (indicated in FIG. 16 as “CO ₂ emissions”), UVI compliance with regulatory requirements and other related parameters. Area 1609 for additional information contains query fields into which a member can enter additional data related to GHG emissions, for example, data on GHG emissions resulting from sources of energy other than those shown in area 1606 for consumption data. As shown in FIG. 16, an image 1600 displayed on a display screen is an image displayed on a single “screen” of a display for calculating CO ₂ emissions from various energy sources, including energy sources for office premises, but this example is not limiting. a sign. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that one or more of the functionality of the image 1600 displayed on a display screen may be presented on two or more “display screens”.

In one illustrative operation and with reference to FIG. 15, an application computer program running in client 156 memory 1518 can detect a request 1548 for calculating GHG emissions from member 1502, for example, receiving an indication from input / output subsystem 1524 that has detected click of a mouse-type manipulator, keyboard data input and / or other data input event initiated by user 1502. In response to a request 1548, an application computer program 1504 provides 1522 to the graphics subsystem (by processor 1514) command to display the window 1600 of the calculator. The parameters selected by member 1502 and the consumption data provided by them may be stored in memory 1518 of client 1506 before being transmitted to server 1510 via network 1512. Computer application 1504 may apply one or more data validation rules to parameters and / or to consumption data to reduce the incidence of erroneous data entry. One or more of these rules may be contained in memory 1518. Alternatively and / or in combination with the above, computer program 1504 may access one or more of these rules from database 1534 through network 1512.

As before, with reference to FIG. 15, an application computer program 1504 may issue instructions so that, during a network connection procedure 1528 executed by the client 1506, parameters and consumption data provided by the user 1502 are transferred to a calculation procedure or otherwise a software-implemented procedure associated with an application computer program 1508 executed in a server 1510, for example, by encoding, encrypting and / or compressing a selected request 1548 into a stream of data packets that can be transmitted between the network subsystems 1520 of the devices 1506, 1510 digital data processing. The network connection procedure 1530 performed on the server 1510 may provide for the reception, decompression, decryption and / or decoding of information contained in the data packets and may ensure that these elements are stored in a memory accessible to the computer application 1508. Computer application 1508 may process received data, for example, storing received data in calculation data 1536a by applying one or more calculation rules 1542 to calculation data 1536 to calculate data x 1536b GHG emissions and / or data 1536c of the FIM, and to provide the calculated data in 1536 on emissions of GHG and / or calculated data 1536c member of UFI in 1502.

17 schematically depicts an embodiment of a method for calculating GHG emissions for a member of the system 1500. For ordinary specialists in the art it is clear that the disclosed systems and methods are not limited to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 17, and calculating GHG emissions for a member may be implemented on the basis of other functionalities than those shown in Fig.17, and / or additional functionality.

As shown in FIG. 17, a server (eg, server 1510) in system 1500 receives a request from a client (eg, client 1506 communicating with member 1502) to calculate GHG emissions based on energy source consumption (operation 1710 in FIG. 17) . Based on the received request, the server 1510 (for example, the application computer program 1508 located in the server 1510) provides the functionality of the location, which relates to the geographical location of energy consumption and / or the resulting GHG emissions and which is associated with possible location options for their choice by the client 1506 (operation 1720 of FIG. 17). For example, the server 1510 may provide location indicating functionality through the location area 1605 in the calculator window 1600 shown in FIG. 16. Possible location choices include, but are not limited to, geographic areas, such as countries and administrative units within countries (e.g., provinces, states, counties, etc.). Alternatively and / or in combination with the aforementioned, in some embodiments of the invention, the server 1510 provides such location indicating functionality that is related to the consumed energy sources and which corresponds to the possible choices of energy source supplier selected by client 1506. Vendor selection options may contain identifiers of energy suppliers, for example identifiers based on the electronic database of world resources (E-GRID).

Still referring to FIG. 17, based on a received request, server 1510 provides the characteristics of the energy source, with each characteristic of the energy source being associated with the type of energy source consumed (e.g., coal, electricity, natural gas or fuels for vehicles) and associated with consumption units for selection by client 1506 (operation 1730 of FIG. 17). For example, server 1510 may provide power source characteristics through an area 1606 for consumption data in the calculator window 1600 shown in FIG. 16. In general, server 1510 provides energy source characteristics that are associated with at least two types of energy sources. Energy sources may contain sources consumed during transportation and / or sources consumed independently of transportation. Units of measurement of consumption can contain various units of measurement, for example, units of measurement of the amount of energy consumed (for example, in watts of electricity) and units of measurement of an intermediate indicator that characterizes a specific activity (for example, kilometers of travel in a vehicle). In some embodiments, the units of the intermediate metric characterizing a particular activity are modified to be cost-effective. For example, the unit of measure of the source of consumption for transport may include a quantitative indicator of the source’s consumption based on receipts of the purchase of the source, a quantitative indicator of the source’s consumption based on the distance traveled in the vehicle and the standard fuel economy of the vehicle, and a quantitative indicator of the source’s consumption based on the distance traveled in the vehicle means and fuel efficiency of a vehicle sold in Compliant with individual customer requirements (e.g., fuel efficiency determined and / or otherwise provided by a member).

Still referring to FIG. 17, the server 1510 issues a request and / or in some other way asks the client 1506 to provide consumption data for each energy source in those units of consumption that were selected for that energy source (operation 1740 on Fig. 17). For example, the server 1510 may send a request to the client 1506 for providing consumption data via the consumption data area 1606 in the calculator window 1600 shown in FIG. 16. Consumption data can be obtained by member 1502 and provided to client 1506 based on the diagrams described above with reference to the drawings of Figures 1-14.

After that, the server 1510 determines the emission factor for each energy source based on the type of energy source, the selected geographical location and the selected units of consumption (operation 1750 in FIG. 17). In general, the server 1510 determines it based on a query data base 1534 (i.e., based on calculation parameters 1544) to determine if they contain an emission factor corresponding to the type of energy source and the selected location. Based on the fact that the emission factor is found, the server 1510 proceeds to the calculation of GHG emissions (operation 1760 in FIG. 17).

In some scenarios, an emission factor for a combination of the type of energy source and the selected location may not be available in the 1534 databases. Therefore, in some embodiments of the invention, server 1510 may search for an emission factor. For example, server 1510 may request an emission factor from a database that communicates with network 1512, such as a database maintained by a government agency, such as an electronic world resources database (E-GRID) hosted by the Protection Agency United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and / or may search for an emission factor in one or more networks that communicate with the 1512 network, based on patterns that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art hniki. Alternatively and / or in combination with the aforementioned in some embodiments of the invention, the server 1510 queries the databases 1534 to determine whether they contain an emission factor corresponding to the energy source and a location that is less accurate than the selected location (e.g. , country, instead of the administrative-territorial unit of the country). Based on the fact that such an emission factor is found, server 1510 proceeds to calculate GHG emissions (operation 1760 of FIG. 17).

In some embodiments, for example, in the embodiment of FIG. 16, server 1510 provides the detected emission factor to client 1506 through the calculation area 1608 in the calculator window 1600 shown in FIG. 16.

As described above, consumption data for an energy source can be expressed in various units of consumption. Therefore, in some embodiments of the invention, server 1510 applies one or more of the rules of calculation rules 1542 to modify standard units of measure for the emission factor so that they are compatible with the units used for consumption data. In some of these embodiments of the invention, for example, in those embodiments in which a specific emission factor is supplied to client portion 1506, server 1510 applies this one or more rules before calculating GHG emissions. Alternatively, server 1510 applies this one or more rules when calculating GHG emissions.

Still referring to FIG. 17, server 1510 calculates GHG emissions for each type of energy source based on a product of consumption data and an emission factor that corresponds to this type of energy source (operation 1760 in FIG. 17). As described above, server 1510 can apply one or more rules from calculation rules 1542 to emission factors and / or consumption data so that this product is expressed in units of GHG emissions, such as tons of CO ₂ , or have a different unit measurements, for example, a unit of measurement selected and / or otherwise provided by a member. In some embodiments, server 1510 calculates the total GHG emissions produced by a member based on the sum of GHG emissions for each type of energy source consumed (operation 1770 of FIG. 17). In addition, server 1510 can calculate the proportion of total GHG emissions that can be attributed to the consumption of each type of energy source. In some embodiments, for example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, server 1510 provides calculated GHG emissions data, for example GHG emissions data calculated for each type of energy source and the total amount of GHG emissions produced by a member, to a client 1506 through the area 1608 for calculations in the window 1600 of the calculator.

As described hereinabove with reference to the drawings of FIGS. 1-14, members can reimburse their GHG emissions by exchanging UVI and / or withdrawing them from circulation. (It is understood that the term “UVI” used below is a cumulative reference to compensation for an excess reduction of GHG emissions, including those compensation for an excess reduction of GHG emissions described above with reference to Figs. 1-14, but this example is not is a limiting feature.) FIG. 18 schematically shows an embodiment of a method for calculating the amount of UVI ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements for a member, that is, the amount of UVI that will compensate for GHG emissions produced by the member. For ordinary specialists in the art it is clear that the disclosed systems and methods are not limited to the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 18, and the calculation of UVI, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, can be carried out on the basis of other functionality than those shown in Fig, and / or additional functionality.

As shown in FIG. 18, a server (eg, server 1510) in system 1500 receives a request from a client (eg, client 1506 communicating with member 1502) to calculate UVIs that comply with regulatory requirements (operation 1810 in FIG. 18). Based on the received request, server 1510 issues a request and / or in some other way asks client 1506 to provide location data that displays the geographic location of member energy consumption and consumption data that quantifies member energy consumption (operation 1820 of FIG. 18 ) In general, the server 1510 issues a request and / or in any other way asks the client 1506 to provide location and consumption data based on the functionality described hereinabove with respect to operations 1720-1740 of FIG. 17. After that, the server 1510 calculates the resulting GHG emissions based on the functionality described above with respect to operations 1760-1770 of FIG. 17 (operation 1830 of FIG. 18).

As before, with reference to FIG. 18, server 1510 determines the UVRs that ensure regulatory compliance for the client based on a value characterizing the difference between (i) GHG emissions calculated in operation 1830 and (ii) the target GHG emissions (operation 1840 in FIG. 18). The value characterizing the difference may include, inter alia, the difference of squares, standard deviation, and / or other values characterizing the difference, which are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments of the invention, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, server 1510 provides the above defined UVIs for regulatory compliance to client 1506 via computation area 1608 in calculator window 1600.

As described above, server 1510 determines the UVIs that meet regulatory requirements based on the calculated GHG emissions and the target amount of GHG emissions for a member. In some embodiments of the invention, the target amount of GHG emissions is determined and / or otherwise provided by the client 1506 (that is, the member 1502 communicating with the client 1506) by feeding it to the server 1510. Alternatively, in some embodiments of the invention, the server 1510 calculates the target the amount of GHG emissions based on the schemes described here above with reference to FIGS. 1-14. For example, in one such embodiment, the server 1510 calculates a target amount of GHG emissions based on applying a rule (eg, an emission reduction rule) to a baseline level of GHG emissions for a member. The baseline level of GHG emissions can be determined and / or otherwise provided by client 1506 to server 1510. Alternatively, server 1510 can calculate the baseline amount based on the schemes described above with reference to FIGS. 1-14. For example, in one such embodiment, server 1510 calculates a baseline emission level based on applying a rule (e.g., an average value or an average weighted value) to consumption data over a period of time.

In some embodiments of the invention, the server 1510 provides the client 1506 with a time span characteristic, which is shown in FIG. 18 as operation 1820. The time span characteristic refers to the time span of a member’s energy consumption (for example, the year during which the environmental emission standards were observed) and is associated with selectable time span selection options. For example, server 1510 may provide a time span characteristic by an identification area 1602 in the calculator window 1600 shown in FIG. 16. In one such embodiment, the server 1510 provides a time span characteristic for receiving consumption data from client 1506 at various time intervals. Using this consumption data, server 1510 can calculate GHG emissions for each of different time periods based on the above schemes, a baseline level of GHG emissions based on these calculated GHG emissions, a target amount of GHG emissions for a later period of time, and UVI to ensure regulatory compliance requirements for this later period of time.

Advantageously, the systems and methods demonstrated and described herein with reference to FIGS. 15-18 can be used by a member to calculate its GHG and UV radiation emissions, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and therefore provide control over its consumption of energy sources. For example, an associate may use these options to calculate its direct GHG emissions (for example, emissions associated with the operation of its office equipment and emissions associated with the operation of vehicles that it owns, rents or leases for commercial activities ), its indirect GHG emissions (for example, emissions associated with its purchase of electricity and other sources not related to non-transportation, for commercial activities, and emissions associated with on business trips (e.g., on an airplane, on a city bus, on a suburban railway and on an intercity railway)), its associated GHG emissions (for example, emissions associated with its business events (for example, cultural and entertainment events conducted by companies to develop closer relationships between employees, annual meetings and holiday parties), and emissions associated with its non-profit activities (for example, commuter trips ransporte, with energy consumption for domestic purposes, to travel and material consumption)), and UVB, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, to compensate for these GHG emissions.

As described hereinabove with reference to FIGS. 1-14, members can trade UVIs on the market to reduce their GHG emissions and to produce so many UVIs (and / or other related financial instruments) that are at least equivalent to their number UFI, compliant with regulatory requirements. On Fig schematically shows an embodiment of a method of registering a member for trading UVI on the market. For ordinary specialists in the art it is clear that the disclosed systems and methods are not limited to the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 18, and that registration of a member for trading UVI on the market can be carried out on the basis of other functionalities than those shown in Fig, and / or additional functionality.

As shown in FIG. 19, a server (eg, server 1510) in system 1500 receives a request to trade UVI from a client (eg, client 1506 communicating with member 1502) (operation 1910 in FIG. 19). Based on the request received, server 1510 determines whether GHG and UVI emissions have been calculated for the member to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements (operation 1920 in FIG. 19), based on the schemes described with reference to the drawings of FIG. 17 and FIG. 18. In general, server 1510 determines this by looking at consumption data 1536a in databases 1534, GHG emissions data 1536b and UVI data 1536c associated with member 1502. Based on the determination that GHG emissions for a member have been calculated, the server 1510 registers a member for trading on the market with at least those UVIs that comply with regulatory requirements that were calculated in operation 1840 of FIG. 18 (operation 1940 in FIG. 19).

Based on the determination of the fact that GHG emissions for a member have not been calculated, server 1510 issues a request and / or in some other way asks client 1506 to provide data based on which it could calculate these emissions (operation 1930 in FIG. 19) . The server 1510 may issue a request and / or in any other way ask the client 1506 based on the functionality described above with respect to operations 1720-1740 of FIG. 17 and / or operation 1820 of FIG. 18. After that, the server 1510 calculates the GHG and UVI emissions ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements for a member (operation 1935 of FIG. 19), and proceeds to operation 1940 of FIG. 19.

Advantageously, the systems and methods demonstrated and described here with reference to FIG. 19 can be used for routine monitoring of GHG emissions produced by members and their compliance with established market rules. For example, a market administrator may use embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods to determine whether members are fulfilling their obligations to reduce GHG emissions and prohibit fraudulent members from trading unregistered UVs on the market. In addition, the requirement that members provide their consumption data to the market by submitting signed and dated information (for example, submitting the information in the form shown in FIG. 16) can increase the responsibility of members for their market behavior.

The systems and methods described herein are not limited to a hardware or software configuration; they can find application in many means of computer computing or data processing. These systems and methods may be implemented in hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software. Systems and methods may be implemented in the form of one or more computer programs, the computer program may be implemented in such a way that it contains one or more instructions executed by the processor. Computer programs can run in one or more programmable processors and can be stored on one or more storage media read by the processor, including volatile and nonvolatile memory devices and / or memory elements.

Computer programs can be implemented in a procedurally-oriented or in an object-oriented high-level programming language to provide communication with a computer system. Computer programs may also be implemented in assembly language or machine language. A language can be compiled or interpreted.

In some embodiments, computer programs may be implemented as one or more spreadsheets. For example, computer programs may be implemented in the form of one or more spreadsheets based on the Microsoft® Excel program, and may contain one or more macros and / or other functions.

Computer programs can be stored on a storage medium or in a storage device (for example, on a compact disc (CD), on a digital video disc (DVD), on a magnetic tape or on a magnetic disk, on an internal hard disk drive, on an external hard disk drive disks, in random access memory (RAM), in an excessive array of independent disks (RAID) or in removable storage device), which can be read by a universal or specialized programmable computer, for configuration and management our PC so as to perform methods described herein when the storage medium or computer memory is read.

Except where otherwise noted, references to the term “memory device” provided herein may include one or more processor-readable and accessible memory elements and / or components that may be internal to the processor-controlled device, external to the processor-controlled device, and / or providing the ability to access them through a wired or wireless network using one or more communication protocols, and, All other cases may be performed in such a way that they contain one or more external storage devices and / or one or more internal storage devices, and such a storage device can be continuous and / or partitioned based on the application tasks.

It is understood that, except as otherwise indicated, the references to the terms “processor” and “microprocessor” provided herein encompass one or more processors that can communicate in a stand-alone and / or distributed environment (in stand-alone and / or distributed environments) and can be performed in such a way that they communicate by wire and / or wireless communication with one or more of the other processors, moreover, one or more of these processors can be performed in such a way that Exposure to one or more processor-controlled devices that can include similar or different devices. It is understood that the use of terminology such as “processor” and “microprocessor” encompasses a central processor, an arithmetic logic device, a specialized integrated circuit and / or a means of performing tasks, these examples being given for illustrative purposes and are not limiting.

It is clear that, except as otherwise specifically indicated, the use of the indefinite articles here to modify the noun encompasses the concept of “one or more than one” as applied to the modified noun.

Although the systems and methods described herein have been demonstrated and described with reference to the illustrated embodiments of the invention, ordinary experts in the art will recognize or are able to establish the existence of many equivalent embodiments of the present invention described here using no more than ordinary experimentation . Such equivalents fall within the scope of the patent claims of the present invention and the appended claims.

For example, other embodiments of the invention may contain various additional market rules, or fewer thereof, to facilitate the functioning and recognition of the GHG emissions trading market.

Therefore, the systems and methods described herein should not be limited to the embodiments described herein, they may contain other options for practical implementation than those described, and they should be construed as broadly as the current law allows.

Claims (18)

1. A computer-implemented method for reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) by setting limits and trading equivalents of emission reductions among participants, comprising the computer system performing a number of steps, including: establishing a reduction plan for a specified future period of time for participants who produce GHG emissions (emission contributors);
the establishment of commercially available financial instruments representing emission reduction equivalents containing one or more of: emission permits, compensation for emissions and credits for early actions;
issuing to participants who carry out actions leading to the reduction of GHG emissions into the atmosphere or removing already emitted GHGs from the atmosphere (benefactors contributing to the protection of the environment) commercially viable emission reduction equivalents representing GHG values that are actually removed or reduced;
establishing member accounts that contain commercially viable emission reduction equivalents issued to the participants, the accounts and their updates being recorded in the register of participants' accounts in one or more computer databases;
transferring emission reduction equivalents corresponding to tenders between participants on an Internet-accessible trading platform by reducing the amount in the register of one participant in the register and increasing the amount in the register of the other participant in the register, and the emission reduction equivalents of each participant making emissions are sufficient to cover the actual emissions of this participant during the mentioned period of time, and are recorded on the account of each participant in the database (s) found Xia (Party or) in the registry, the changes in the values of emission reduction equivalents, based on the purchase or sale of that party emission reduction equivalents or financial instruments such
thus allowing participants to comply with the mentioned reduction plan and reduce GHGs in the atmosphere. 2. The method according to claim 1, in which financial instruments are carbon financial instruments, which are measured in carbon dioxide emissions. 3. The method according to claim 1, in which each equivalent emission reduction has a release date and is used by emission contributors to comply with the reduction plan only during or after the release date. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the commercially available financial instruments are future emission reduction equivalent contracts, whereby bidders enter an agreed price bid for a number of commercially available financial instruments representing emission reduction equivalents to be transferred at the date of the future. 5. The method according to claim 1, in which the determination of actual emissions for the emission-producing participants is determined by calculations made in relation to information on the activities provided by the emission-producing participants. 6. The method according to claim 1, in which the method includes periodically withdrawing the number of emission reduction equivalents in the register account of the emission-producing participant, the removal amount corresponding to the amount of actual emissions during a given period of time covered by the reduction plan by removing these equivalents reducing emissions from this member's account or by deactivating these emission reduction equivalents. 7. The method according to claim 1, in which there are limits on the recognized amounts of emission reduction equivalents or those amounts of emission reduction equivalents that a participant must collect in order to comply, or can collect, use, combine, remove or dispose of during a period, are limited through predefined boundaries to facilitate proper bidding. 8. The method according to claim 1, in which the trade is carried out through a computer-implemented platform related to the possibility of exchanging with one or more participants, which performs steps including: conducting one or more trades in financial instruments or equivalents to reduce emissions,
storing data describing one or more trades in a trades history database, and
updating the accounts of bidders to indicate disposals or acquisitions of commercial financial instruments or equivalent emission reductions. 9. The method according to claim 1, in which the obligations arising from transactions carried out by the auction platform or the trading support platform are guaranteed by a third party that executes them if the buyer is unable to pay or the supplier cannot transfer the emission reduction equivalents. 10. The method according to claim 1, in which the issue or purchase and sale of emission reduction equivalents further comprises establishing an auction platform, the auction being an auction at a single clearing price or an auction with different prices, and the results of this auction are publicly available. 11. The method according to claim 1, in which the emission-producing participants are industrial enterprises that must comply with the reduction plan mentioned, and in which benefactors contributing to the protection of the environment are non-industrial entities containing: (a) forestry workers, farmers or others who cultivate land in ways that help prevent GHG emissions, or in ways that capture and conserve or destroy carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, or (b) enterprises, including law firms, advertising agencies, banks, shopping centers or other commercial enterprises, which are capable of exerting control over the use associated with the use or transportation, to reduce or conserve such use, in order to reduce GHG emissions caused by energy or electricity production . 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying the greenhouse gas emissions of the emission-generating participants and that these emissions are covered by emission reduction equivalents supported by the emission-generating participants. 13. A computer system that contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) through the establishment of restrictions and bidding for emission permits among participants, containing many components, including:
a system component to establish a reduction plan for an established future period of time for participants that emit GHGs (emission contributors);
a system component for establishing commercially available financial instruments representing the amount of emission reduction equivalents containing one or more of: emission permits, emissions compensation and early action loans; a system component for issuing to participants who are carrying out actions leading to the reduction of GHG emissions into the atmosphere or removing already emitted GHGs from the atmosphere (benefactors contributing to environmental protection) commercially viable emission reduction equivalents representing GHG values that are actually removed or reduced;
a system component, including a database component, for establishing accounts that contain commercially available emission reduction equivalents, the accounts and updates to them being recorded in a member’s account in one or more computer databases located in the registry;
a system component for transferring emission reduction equivalents corresponding to tenders between participants on an Internet-accessible trading platform by reducing the amount in the register account of one participant and increasing the amount in the register account of another participant, the emission reduction equivalents of each participant making emissions are sufficient to cover the actual emissions of this member for the said period of time, and
a system component for recording in the register database (s) the changes in the values of emission reduction equivalents to each member’s account based on the purchase or sale by this member of emission reduction equivalents or such financial instruments, thereby allowing participants to comply the mentioned plan to reduce and reduce GHGs in the atmosphere. 14. The system according to item 13, in which one or more of these components contain computer instructions stored in memory, to force the programmable device to perform the associated step. 15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a trading platform system that comprises a plurality of components including:
system component associated with the ability to exchange with one or more
participants for one or more trades in financial instruments or emission reduction equivalents;
a system component for storing data describing one or more trades in a trades history database, and
a system component associated with the possibility of exchanging with databases located in the registry to update the accounts of bidders, to indicate the disposal or acquisition of commercially available financial instruments or equivalent emission reductions. 16. The system of claim 13, wherein the bidding platform includes one or more components for performing one or more of: automatically issuing a transaction confirmation at the time of bidding, sending such confirmation to the participant, displaying this transaction confirmation to the buyer and seller in real time time, at the same time allowing anonymous bidding, and the issuance of messages about all daily transactions. 17. The system of claim 13, wherein the system component for issuing or buying and selling emission reduction equivalents includes an auction platform, the auction being an auction at a single clearing price or an auction with different prices, and the results of this auction are publicly available. 18. The system according to item 13, additionally containing a system component for receiving operational data from emission-generating participants and determining from them actual GHG emissions produced by the emission-producing participant, while actual GHG emissions are used, in particular, to assess the compliance of this participant with the mentioned plan reductions.

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