Carbon emitters in California are beginning to assess the likely impact of the state’s AB 32 programme. Etienne Gabel examines the factors likely to drive its carbon price

Rules designed to protect the environmental integrity of California’s carbon offset programme create unmanageable risks for investors that will reduce its efficiency, say Cameron Prell and Adam Raphaely

Effective and affordable risk management is vital to unlock investment into forest carbon, say Eron Bloomgarden and Claire Jahns

Trading is under way in California’s nascent carbon market – which could form a basis for EPA carbon regulation across the US, say Stephen MacKenzie and Thomas Cape

The lack of federal action on climate change means that the effort must come, once more, from the states. Shanna Brownstein examines the tools they are already putting to work

A climate bill may be on ice in Congress but, elsewhere in Washington, work is under way to build the infrastructure upon which markets for carbon – and other environmental commodities – will rely. Jeffrey Fort explains

The Kerry-Lieberman proposal for climate legislation provides a foundation for US climate policy – but needs improvement in key areas, says Lisa Jacobson

Paul Tesoriero considers the causes of and solutions to the collapse of the poster-child of environmental markets

The Environmental Protection Agency is likely to take the lead with greenhouse gas regulation in the US – but its recent history with emissions trading doesn’t bode well for those hoping it will pursue cap and trade, says Allison Wood

This may not be the year for comprehensive cap-and-trade legislation, but that gives US policy-makers pause to consider how to combine carbon capture with renewables targets, says Cameron Prell

Legislation for a federal US renewable energy target risks slowing existing state and voluntary efforts – unless it is properly designed, argues Gabe Petlin

As Congress grapples with the most complex emissions trading legislation ever tabled, the Environmental Markets Association has set out core principles that could help guide their deliberations, says Thaddeus Huetteman

With carbon offsets likely to be central to any US carbon cap-and-trade system, Kenneth Ivanic suggests what buyers should be looking for

The offset provisions of the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill provide a crucial means to lower its costs – but the Senate would do well to improve upon them, says Lisa Jacobson

An investment in carbon assets doesn’t just confer the right to emit greenhouse gases – it also offers potential hedges against inflation and the failure of technological innovation, says Gerrity Lansing

A federal renewable energy target – in the shape of a Renewable Portfolio Standard – is just around the corner. Congress can learn from the states when it comes to its design, say Peter Toomey and Eric Thumma

A federal renewable energy target – in the shape of a Renewable Portfolio Standard – is just around the corner. Congress can learn from the states when it comes to its design, say Peter Toomey and Eric Thumma

The US power sector stands ready to contribute to the nation’s efforts to slash greenhouse gas emissions – but any cap-and-trade programme must allocate, not auction allowances, says Thomas Kuhn

As climate change regulation rises up the US political agenda, public companies will face new disclosure obligations. Amy Freed and Jennie Ingram consider the issues

British Columbia is blazing a trail with its government’s pledge to go carbon neutral, and in the development of carbon offset standards. Barbara Hendrickson, Marty Venalainen and Rosanne Van Schie explain