Carbon markets

Five questions for Vilsack: What will be different in return to USDA?

When Tom Vilsack began his first term as agriculture secretary in 2009, IATP lifted up a series of challenges and opportunities for the department, urging him to follow in the path of another Iowan at USDA, Henry Wallace. We wrote: “the central challenges once again are markets run amok and the unsustainable farming practices they promote.” We pointed out “the real winners in the system are a tiny handful of agribusiness companies, who profit from the boom bust cycle and whose anti-competitive control of the market hurts farmers an

New Report by Financial Industry on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets Has Potential To Delay Direct Financing of Ambitious Climate Action

MINNEAPOLIS—Today, the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets, led by Mark Carney, United Nations Special Envoy for Climate Action and former Bank of England governor, launched its new report on the financial industry’s engagement with voluntary carbon markets.

Making carbon trading globally legitimate: the road show has begun

When companies seek to attract investors, they go on “road shows” to pitch their goods, services and projected Return on Investment (RoI).

A roadmap for the Biden-Harris administration: Re-designing farm systems for the climate crisis

As the Biden-Harris transition team rapidly fills key cabinet positions and senior leadership, it also is setting priorities for the first 100 days. If the “Build Back Better” mantra is to become reality, particularly in advancing equitable solutions to the climate crisis, the transition team will have to think systemically — not just agency by agency.

Why agricultural carbon offsets can’t play a role in international climate action

Today, governments at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are discussing the role of carbon markets in international climate action. The “Article 6” 

Carbon Markets and Agriculture

Climate mitigation projects in the agriculture sector, particularly those focused on storing carbon in soils, are increasingly being tied to carbon markets. But the impact of these initiatives is highly questionable.

An unexpected coalition offers expected policy recommendations

There is growing consensus that we need to support farmers to be part of the climate solution.

[WATCH] Cimpatico Studios Interview on the Growing Climate Solutions Act

On October 15, 2020, IATP's Dr. Steve Suppan participated in an interview with Cimpatico Studios. Dr. Suppan unpackeded key features of the 2020 Growing Climate Solutions Act, discussed the bill’s climate and economic goals, and provided analysis of the legislation’s ability to meet those goals through currently drafted provisions. 

Senate releases climate policy report — what does it say about agriculture?

Earlier this summer, the House of Representatives released a long-awaited report charting a policy path on climate change. Last week, the Senate released its own set of ideas.

House climate report sets path for 2021 — but is it enough?

With special thanks to Tara Ritter, Karen Hansen-Kuhn and Steve Suppan, who contributed to this article.