Features, September 2000 WEATHER REPORT: CAPITAL MARKETS THE BANKERS ARE COMING The past few months have seen investment banks gearing up to trade weather derivatives. Mark Nicholls asks what impact their arrival will have on the growth of the market, and how their approach to weather risk differs from existing dealers. More... REPORTING THE TRUTH ABOUT VERIFICATION The 'verification' of companies' environmental and social reports can be a lucrative business for those making the statements - but are the goods being diversified? Paul Scott looks beyond the 'greenwash' and finds all is not well. More... HOW I SEE IT THE US AND EU: CLOSER THAN YOU THINK Richard Sandor argues that despite public disagreements on Kyoto, macro trends and the growing acceptance of trading will bring the EU and US closer together REPORTING ADDING UP EMISSIONS A growing number companies are attempting to measure their greenhouse gas emissions - which is no mean feat. Mark Nicholls reports on two initiatives that aim to make the job easier WEATHER REPORT: ONLINE DEALING SURFING FOR SWAPS For every much-hyped retail website that fails, it seems there's a new site dedicated to weather derivatives. Dealers are hopeful that internet-based trading will boost activity, but Emily Saunderson finds that end-users still need to be convinced to go online. WEATHER REPORT: HEDGING ENERGISING THE WEATHER MARKET The US utility sector may have been the crucible of the weather market, but a significant increase in activity will have to wait for wider deregulation. In the meantime, price concerns and still - patchy transparency are discouraging those end-users that have dipped into weather hedging from going the whole nine yards. WEATHER REPORT: PRECIPITATION SEEDING A RAIN MARKET A growing number of companies are expressing interest in hedging against the effect of precipitation - whether rain, snow or hail - on their revenues. Bob Dischel suggests some radical proposals to develop an active market in precipitation derivatives. INSURANCE WHY THE INSURERS SHOULD WAKE UP Julian Salt argues that the insurance society could pay a decisive role at COP 6, should it choose to address its unique exposure to the effects of climate change, and accept its unique ability to change investment behaviour. MARKET VIEW NO2 AND SO2 EMISSIONS TRADING IN ONTARIO Erik Haite outlines an unusual emissions trading programme due to begin next year. PROFILE DIEGO WAUTERS Diego Wauters helped pioneer the convergence between insurance and derivative products - and has placed investment bank SG at the forefront of the weather derivatives market FOR THE FULL STORY EVERY MONTH, SUBSCRIBE TO ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE, OR CONTACT info@environmental-finance.com FOR OUR BACK ISSUES SERVICE