Until we can help corporations and cities see the dollars, sustainability won't make sense.

Today marks the opening of the Texas Climate & Carbon Exchange—an electronic, emissions offsets mercantile dedicated to global trading of carbon offsets and credits. Based in Austin and trading globally with over 145 members in 22 countries via affiliate networks, we're proud to offer a trusted and transparent electronic marketplace for buying and selling carbon credits. But why should you—and the companies you advise—care? Let me tell you.

If you are unfamiliar, a "carbon credit" represents one metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent that is removed, avoided or sequestered from the environment. Carbon credits are viewed by many as an existing, actionable answer to offsetting and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the generation and sale of carbon credits can fund carbon projects that would not have been feasible otherwise. Carbon credits also help lower the costs of renewable and low carbon technologies as well as assisting in green technology transfer to developing countries. And who doesn't like that?

So, who is trading carbon credits? The worldwide carbon market can be divided into two: the voluntary market and the regulatory (compliance) market. The voluntary system provides a means for businesses, utilities, and municipalities to quantify the true impact of their effect on our climate, while realizing the myriad advantages of adopting environmentally friendly business practices. Cap and trade has not been legislated yet in many markets; however, thanks to the efforts of those of you in the Austin EcoNetwork and your colleges around the world, the public is increasingly demanding environmental accountability and carbon footprint reduction—so being progressive just makes sense.

At Texas Climate & Carbon Exchange, our goal is to help businesses, industries, and municipalities understand, measure, and cope with their voluntary emissions reductions efforts—while preparing for potential regulation at the local, statewide, national, and international levels. This week, Austin welcomes, Nathan Rockliff—Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of our partner Carbon Trade Exchange—for our launch along with Mari Moritsugu, representing the municipality of Beppu (a sister-city of Austin) in the Japanese prefecture of Ōita—a flagship partner for TCCX. If you have the opportunity, let them know we appreciate their work.

Pam Reed, CXO

(Chief Exchange Officer)

Texas Climate & Carbon Exchange

Pam is a former Travis County Commissioner and was a Commissioner of the Texas Natural Resources Commission. She is a native Austinite with extensive expertise in the political, environmental and legal aspects of business operations, specifically addressing regulatory personnel and regimes on a local and national level.

• Americans on average: 20 tons CO2/year

• Typical U.S. house: 376 tons CO2/year

• 22 story, 411,000 sq ft bldg: 5,600 tons CO2/year

• Google: 1,500,000 tons CO2/year

• Houston: 18,625,000 tons CO2/year

• Apple: 23,100,000 (2% facilities) tons CO2/year

• U.S. burgers: 195,750,000 tons CO2/year

• The Internet: 300,000,000 tons CO2/year

• Texas: 676,750,000 tons CO2/year