A geographical approach to the emission trading and its operation scales

Abstract

Taking to account a critical method, this research proposal aims at understanding the political economy of the emission trading, or carbon market, having in view the comprehension of its constitution, the interests at stake and its contradictions, through a detailed analysis of the legitimating agents of this new market. The intention here is to think upon the contemporary capitalism which faces new paradigms and includes a supposedly environmental concern that can be seen in the sustainable development discourse. In order to accomplish this, special attention will be given to the ideological aspect that involves the creation of a certain environmental discourse aimed at legitimating and valorizing the goods and services of environmental nature, as well as the production of economical analysis used as foundation for the organization of this market.Nowadays, the carbon trading represents one of the most disputed economical contexts, in which the payment for environmental services is traded for the excess of pollutants generated by the main polluting countries. This trade takes place through the Clean Development Mecanism (CDM), established at the Kyoto Protocol of 1997. (AU)