23rd March 2011 – Budget Day Event – Budget 2011: Delivering Low-Carbon Investment?

Portcullis House, London, UK
On 23rd March, Climate Strategies took part in a special meeting in the House of Parliament to examine issues relating to Low-Carbon Investment, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and a possible Carbon Price Floor. The meeting was hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Climate Change and chaired by Lord Larry Whitty, ex-Minister for Sustainable energy.

The meeting was opened by Karsten Neuhoff, Director of Climate Policy Initiative Berlin and Project Leader at Climate Strategies. Karsten presented the latest findings from his report “Carbon pricing for low-carbon investments” to a large audience of politicians, business, policy-makers, foreign embassies and NGOs.
Jeremy Nicholson, Director of the Energy Intensive Users Group, presented the views of large industrial energy users and his concerns about carbon price floor. Peter Ainsworth, former Conservative DEFRA spokesman, spoke about the broad UK political context. Finally, Professor Michael Grubb, one of the leading voices on climate change economics and Chair of Climate Strategies, spoke more widely about climate change policy at a global level.

There followed a high level of debate, with some challenging questions to the panellists – all against the background of the announcements made in the 2011 Budget earlier that day, including on a UK floor price. The meeting concluded with networking and a cup of tea.

Michael Grubb       Lord Whitty      Peter Ainsworth     Karsten Neuhoff

A thank you to the All-Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group for organising the event.