Profile: Jennifer Lauber Patterson

Frontier Carbon’s new Executive
Director Jennifer Lauber Patterson is heartened by the Durban outcome as for
the first time every county in the world is committed to cutting carbon. But
the “roadmap” is still too weak to stop temperatures rising above the
“danger point” of 2 degrees C because it does not set tough targets
for emissions cuts or a quick enough timetable.

We asked Jennifer Lauber Paterson
for her reaction to the Durban event which she has been attending. She is one
of Australia’s most informed carbon experts and climate change action advocates.
The former Head of Environmental Treasury Solutions at Australia’s National
Australia Bank (NAB), she has just joined Frontier Carbon as Executive
Director, Asia Pacific where she will be building the Advisory Services for rapidly
expanding global business.

Ken Hickson asked her a few
topical questions, which she responded to rapidly:

Question 1: Your observation of
the Durban event – how it was run and how did people feel about it?

The COP was an extremely well
organised event and we were well looked after.
Security was tight, but the five policeman on every corner ensured the
event ran very smoothly! The atmosphere had a feeling of goodwill and
cooperation and is a wonderful opportunity to network with leading experts in
the world in an open environment.

Question 2: What are your views
of the outcome…do you feel it could have achieved more? What’s missing? Was it
a waste of time?

Given the international political
and economic environment, the conference achieved a reasonable outcome.

The key highlights of the
“Durban Road map” include the extension of the Kyoto Protocol, the
commitment of all countries to commit to cutting carbon and the progress
towards the establishment of a Green Climate Fund.

Agreement to a second commitment
period of Kyoto was achieved. I see that the Kyoto Protocol and the associated
flexibility mechanism such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) are
critical in gaining practical experience in green project development that
leads to positive environmental, social and economic outcomes in developing
countries.

Traditionally, most of the CDM
projects have been based in Asia or South America. We are now starting to see
some momentum in CDM projects being developed in Africa where there are many
people need assistance to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Frontier
Carbon is developing a project that will replace kerosene lamps with solar
lights that will provide significant social, economic and health benefits to
the community. I am hoping that CDM will continue so important projects such as
this can continue beyond 2012.

The agreement in Durban now also
means that for the first time every county in the world is committed to cutting
carbon – although the legal wording remains vague and the treaty will not come
into force until 2020.  However, this is
a significant outcome as it will mean that
the world’s three biggest polluters – the US, China and India – who
account for almost half the world’s emissions, are now committed to cutting
carbon.

There was also the progress in the
establishment of the Green Climate Fund that is designed to raise US $100 billion
of funding per year by 2020 to assist developing nations to move to reduce
emissions. This has received strong support and will be important to mobilise
the technology, finance and resources to achieve the level of emission
reduction that is needed in developing countries.

One of the weaknesses of the
outcome is that it did not progress the immediate need to set tougher targets
by countries. The “Durban road map” is still too weak to stop
temperatures rising above the “danger point” of 2C because it does
not set tough targets for emissions cuts or a quick enough timetable.

Question 3:         Do you feel some countries will go away
from it determined to do more or less?

At the conference, I saw
countries determined to do more.  Whilst
the developing countries have not yet committed to a binding target, they are
moving down the path of a low carbon economy irrespective of whether there are binding
agreements. A key driver, for China, India and Brazil, is the economic
opportunity and strategic advantage for reducing emissions.

China has made it very clear,
that they see the Green Revolution as enabling them to achieve significant
prosperity and enable them to become the economic super power of the world. At
the conference, they discussed their plans for seven regional emissions trading
schemes as a precursor for a national scheme.
China already has the largest wind capacity in the world and are the
largest exporters of solar technology.
China may still be building coal fired plants but they are building the
most energy efficient power stations globally.

Question 4: Were there any
outstanding leaders – countries, NGOs, individuals you could point to?

When you are at a COP you meet
many thought leaders in business leaders, NGO’s, government etc. California’s
perseverance in establishing a carbon trading mechanism was applauded but
Australia received significant attention with the establishment of the Clean
Energy Package.

One of the countries that
motivated me most was the State of Lesotho, in Africa, although, there are many
countries in Africa starting to demonstrating significant leadership.  Lesotho, is a Least Developed Country that
has been significantly affected by climate change as weather patterns have not
only rendered farming hopeless, but also impacted negatively on the environment
in the area. Large tracts of land lie bare.
Lesotho aims to use green growth as the means for improving its economic
position and have a commitment to become a carbon neutral country.  To gear towards a Green Economy, the
government has established an incentive package which is encouraging Foreign
Direct Investment, joint ventures and local investment.  They have already established a micro-finance
cook stove initiative, significant wind and hydro power and are exploring
innovative technologies such as ocean wave electricity generation.

There are many great initiatives
happening and I left the conference inspired!

Australian Global Sustainability
Leader takes Director role at rapidly expanding UK Frontier Carbon

Announcement (29 November 2011)

Jennifer Lauber Patterson former
Head of Environmental Treasury Solutions at Australia’s National Australia Bank
(NAB), has commenced as Executive Director, Asia Pacific where she will be
building the Advisory Services at rapidly expanding Frontier Carbon.

One of Australia’s foremost
carbon market experts, Jennifer was named one of the most influential people in
sustainability by ABC carbon 100 Global Sustain Ability Leaders. With over 20
years of Carbon and Energy Trading experience, Jennifer set up both ANZ’s and
NAB’s environmental trading capabilities.

Jennifer Lauber Patterson held a
non Executive Director role at Frontier Carbon, advising the business on Carbon
Trading, Carbon Risk exposure, the development on Clean Development Mechanism
(CDM) projects.

Frontier Carbon an innovative
green asset developing business is transforming the business community and the
developing world. Standard Bank and Frontier Carbon recently joined forces to
benefit clean development through a financial platform with the single aim of
putting the carbon market in the hands of entrepreneurs, non-governmental
organisations and companies in Africa and Asia.

Through the distribution of low
cost solar lamps, Frontier Carbon is minimising the use of high carbon emitting
kerosene lamps. Not only do kerosene lamps have a high carbon footprint, they
are also unhealthy, potential fire hazards and are a high cost to fuel for the
world’s poorest people in Africa and Asia.

In her new role at Frontier
Carbon, as Executive Director, Jennifer will be developing Carbon Market
Advisory Services.  Jennifer will be assisting
carbon exposed businesses and governments in developing their carbon strategy,
managing their risk exposure, developing their trading capabilities and
identifying opportunities. Jennifer will also advise green asset businesses and
companies involved in the Carbon Farming Initiative and the UN’s Clean
Development Mechanism.

“With the rapid transition to a
carbon price economy in Australia, it is imperative that companies clearly
understand their risks and put in place management systems that assist in first
clarifying and then mitigating their carbon exposure”, advises Jennifer.

For the last decade, Jennifer has
been developing financial and risk management solutions around carbon reduction
in Australia and abroad; identifying opportunities that existed with a global
move towards a lower carbon economy. Passionate about creating sustainable
outcomes, Jennifer is also a non-executive director of Yarra Energy Foundation.

Sebastian Foot, Managing
Director, advised that “the carbon advisory services will complement
Frontier Carbon’s green asset management business and we are thrilled to have
Jennifer on board”

This week Jennifer heads to
Durban for the COP17/CMP7 United Nations Climate Change Conference and will
present on the Australian Carbon Market at the International Emissions Trading
Association (IETA) Event.  Jennifer will
also be providing summaries of proceeding and outcomes to clients.  Jennifer will also be speaking at a side
event at the conference on  “Next
Generation Low-Carbon Financial Instruments”.

Participation at COP 17 and CMP 7
is restricted to appropriately nominated representatives of Parties, observer
States, accredited observer organisations and accredited media.

Source: www.frontier-carbon.net