SmarterMarkets™ Catching Up On Climate 2026 Episode 1 | Dirk Forrister, President & CEO, International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)
Sep 19, 2026
Dirk Forrister, President and CEO of the International Emissions Trading Association, is a leading voice on carbon markets and climate policy. He explores tightening emissions rules, carbon border adjustments, linked regional markets, and the race to expand international trading under Article 6. He also examines aviation’s Corsia challenge, climate urgency, and the future of carbon-market cooperation.
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Carbon Markets Enter Their Expansion Phase
- Carbon policy is entering a tougher implementation phase as major markets extend programs toward net zero.
- The EU, California, Brazil, Indonesia, India, China, and Corsia are simultaneously expanding compliance systems and carbon accounting.
Climate Targets Meet Affordability Reality
- Affordability pressures are testing ambitious climate targets, making emissions markets' flexibility increasingly valuable.
- Dirk Forrister argues targets should be legally embedded and achievable rather than aspirational numbers that governments casually miss.
Carbon Clubs And Hubs Can Work Together
- Regional clubs and UN hubs offer complementary paths for linking carbon markets.
- California and Quebec illustrate co-designed systems, while Article 6.2 enables faster bilateral cooperation with safeguards against double counting.