Im a college student in my sophmore year. I know zero trading but Carbon trading is definitely the thing I want to get really good at. I wanna get a job at one of the big boys - so my question to you is how best I can prepare for a job like this. Im studying economics currently but can switch to finance if necessary. I guess I should try learning futures and do some commodity trading? I want to know enough before senior year about this field , that recruiting me becomes a no brainer.
Neither of those subjects relate much to Carbon Trading. A legal degree is more appropriate, particularly international law, if you're aiming at Carbon credits set up by Kyoto treaty. Some finance is useful in evaluating projects finance. If you're really interested, I suggest you start educating yourself and take an entrepreneurial approach. It's still a relatively new field and you're young. Get some smart classmates and start a company.
I do wonder how the Carbon Trading industry is doing in Europe these days? Not long ago the Wall St. Journal caught the Chinese red handed in a scam wereby several electric utilities in Europe were required by law to offset their carbon release from newly constructed power plants. These Utilities agreeed to finance the demolotion of several old coal fired plants in China and help finance new efficient ones. The EU agreed that this was a laudable approach in trimming carbon emmisions. After the Chinese dismantled the old coal plants they simply moved them to another location not far away-after recieving several hundread million euros in carbon credtis! After relocating the old coal plants they simply fired them up again. They then offered to shutter the plants in leiu of more carbon payola. This scam went on several times before the sharp journalist at the Wall St. Journal caught on. If the USA buys-in to the cap-and -trade regimin it will be the end of the USA as an industrial power. China will simply not participate.
Due to global slowdown, the demand & hence prices for CO2 credits have declined significantly. Lack of bank financing also makes it harder to do a project.