LONDON, December 12 /PRNewswire/ --

- "By 2020 the Global Carbon Market Could be Worth EUR 240-450 Billion" says Lord Nicholas Stern, Vice Chairman of IDEAGlobal Group, in the inaugural issue of CARBONfirst

The year-end in climate change is dominated by the Bali conference. In the inaugural issue of CARBONfirst, Lord Stern outlines his views on the impact of the summit on the global carbon market. "The main objective of the summit is to agree on a roadmap for a Kyoto successor by the end of 2009".

CARBONfirst is IDEAcarbon's strategic advice service. CARBONfirst provides timely, customised and forward-looking intelligence on carbon markets and climate change policy. Lord Stern is Vice Chairman our parent company, IDEAglobal Group. The launch issue of CARBONfirst also contains a feature article by IDEAcarbon Chairman Ian Johnson and an exclusive discussion with James L. Connaughton, Senior Environmental Advisor to US President George Bush.

Lord Nicholas Stern goes on to highlight the long-term importance of Bali. "Bali will set in motion a process that will define the structure of carbon markets for decades to come". He estimates that if the process is successful it could help to create a global carbon market worth EUR 240 - 450 billion by 2020. Up to 13 billion tons of CO2 could be traded each year.

In a Bali side-event on 12 December Lord Nicholas Stern will address a selected audience of IDEAcarbon clients and policy makers on "Forestry and the Global Deal".

The exclusive discussion with James L. Connaughton meanwhile shed some light on America's expectations for the post-Kyoto regime. "In terms of the Bali agenda we are hopeful that the building blocks will move forward on mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology", he says. Mr. Connaughton emphasises the big opportunities that will be created by the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to clean technology and technologies services. "There is a multi billion-dollar impediment to the free flow of the purchase of those technologies and services globally. That's something the President has called for", he comments.

For further information please contact: Mike Gallagher, mgallagher@ideaglobal.com, +44(0)207-664-0200 or +44(0)77-33323-908.

For further information please contact: Mike Gallagher, mgallagher@ideaglobal.com, +44(0)207-664-0200 or +44(0)77-33323-908.