Energy Risk Environmental Rankings 2011

Carbon prices have plunged in both Europe and the US recently as the fragile global economy takes its toll. However, interest in green markets remains relatively unscathed, with voluntary emissions and biomass markets ones to watch in 2012, writes Pauline McCallion

An economy in the doldrums has cast a long shadow across most markets this year and environmental markets are no exception. Carbon prices have plummeted in both Europe and the US. For the latter, the future of the only mandatory scheme in the US has been called into question and doubts have been further fuelled by the withdrawal of at least one member state so far. However, experts believe that in 2012, macroeconomic factors could be tempered by regulatory change. Schemes in both Europe and the