DNV has established a Climate Change Academy and Network that will address the shortage of competence and people within the carbon market.

“We are currently experiencing an increased demand of our services and our largest limiting factor of handling this growth is hiring and retaining qualified personnel,” says Luc Larmuseau.

In response to the shortage of competence being felt by many of our customers, DNV has decided to develop the DNV Climate Change Academy & Network.

"The Climate Change Academy and Network is a result of an accelerated product development process run in DNV Industry in the first few of months of 2008," says Christer Farstad.

"We are excited to have launched this innovative concept and received such a positive reception from the leading players in the industry," says Miguel Rescalvo.

“The DNV Climate Change Academy and Network is a unique concept created to build knowledge and competence for leading players in the carbon market. It is designed to provide the industry with the technical, operational and strategic competencies that are in short supply," says Christer Farstad, Director Strategy and Business Development in Climate Change Services in DNV Industry.

Established in response to the shortage of competence being felt by many of its customers, DNV decided to develop the DNV Climate Change Academy and Network concept in close partnership with the leading players in the carbon markets.

According to Christer Farstad the DNV Climate Change Academy is “all about competence building”. Its course portfolio mirrors the current carbon market competence needs and includes:

• Climate change foundation training & certification
• Company specific training
• Climate change executive training

“At the same time, the DNV Climate Change Network is about building partnerships,” says Farstad. Membership is by invitation only and its aim is to become a professional network building and sharing knowledge on key issues in the carbon market value chain. It features:

• CxO exclusive events
• Exclusive network events
• Community infrastructure

Innovative concept
"We launced the innovative concept at the recent CARBON EXPO in Cologne and we received a very positive reception from the leading players in the industry," says Miguel Rescalvo, who is the service responsible for the DNV Climate Change Academy and Network.

He explains, "The primary aim of the launch was to develop a dialogue with the key players in the market about the common challenges that we face, as an industry, in the area of competence. Moreover it was to initiate joint responses to this challenge. Based on the response we will go on to a partnership oriented development and delivery of the DNV Climate Change Academy and Network," says Miguel Rescalvo.

Rapid market growth
New figures from the World Bank show that the international emissions market continues its rapid growth. It was announced at CARBON EXPO that the global market doubled in 2007 and now totals US$ 64 billion. EU emission rights trading amounts to US$ 50 billion.

DNV is currently one of the market leading DOE's (designated operational entity) of the Kyoto Protocols flexible mechanism Clean Development Mechanism delivering climate change services world wide.

Luc Larmuseau, the global director of Climate Change Services in DNV Industry says: “We are currently experiencing an increasing demand for our services and our largest limiting factor to handle this growth is hiring and retaining qualified personnel. We therefore intend to beef up our organisation with 50 to 60 people during this year.”