Climate Exchange plc

Climate Exchange plc is a holding company whose subsidiaries are principally engaged in owning, operating and developing exchanges to facilitate trading in environmental financial instruments including emissions reduction credits in both voluntary and mandatory markets.

The two main businesses are the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) which operates a voluntary but legally binding cap and trade system including an exchange for CO2 emissions as well as SOx and NOx contracts in the US and internationally, and the European Climate Exchange (ECX) which operates an exchange focussed on compliance certificates for the mandatory European Emissions Trading Scheme.

CCX is a financial institution whose objectives are to apply financial innovation and incentives to advance social, environmental and economic goals. CCX is the world's first and North America's only legally binding rules-based greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading system, as well as the world's only global system for emissions trading based on all six greenhouse gases. CCX members are leaders in greenhouse gas management and represent all sectors of the global economy, as well as public sector innovators. Reductions achieved through CCX are the only reductions in North America being achieved through a legally binding compliance regime, providing independent third party verification provided by NASD and price transparency. The founder, Chairman and CEO of CCX is economist and financial innovator Dr. Richard L. Sandor, who was named a Hero of the Planet by Time magazine for his founding of CCX.

CCX, a US corporation, launched its trading platform in 2003. In 2005, CCX launched the European Climate Exchange (ECX), now the leading exchange operating in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme. CCX also launched the Chicago Climate Futures Exchange (CCFE), a CFTC-regulated futures exchange for U.S. SO2 allowances and U.S. NOx Ozone Season allowances, the world's first environmental derivatives exchange. Since 2006, CCX, ECX and CCFE have been owned by Climate Exchange Plc, a publicly traded company listed on the AIM of the London Stock Exchange.

The European Climate Exchange (ECX) manages product development and marketing of Carbon Financial Instruments (CFI) futures and options contracts on CO2 EU allowances traded under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

ECX CFI contracts are listed and traded on the ICE Futures electronic platform, offering a central marketplace for emissions trading in Europe with standard contracts and clearing guarantees provided by LCH.Clearnet. ECX / ICE Futures is the most liquid, pan-European Exchange for carbon emissions trading. More than 80 leading global businesses have signed up for membership to trade ECX products. In addition, several hundred clients can access the market via banks and brokers.