Carbon Pricing and Policymaking Training and Exposure in Helsinki

Programme Overview

Carbon pricing is now a mainstream instrument of fiscal and climate policy. The World Bank’s State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2025 counts 80 carbon taxes and emissions trading systems in operation, covering about 28% of global greenhouse gas emissions, up from roughly 12% a decade earlier. Revenues from these instruments passed USD 100 billion in 2024, and more than half of the money reaching public budgets was earmarked for environmental, infrastructure and development spending.

The rules are also changing quickly. The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered its definitive period on 1 January 2026, with certificates for 2026 imports to be surrendered in 2027. The amended European Climate Law, formally adopted in March 2026, sets a 90% emissions cut by 2040 and moves the start of the new emissions trading system for buildings and road transport (ETS2) to 1 January 2028. At COP29 in Baku, parties completed the core operational rules for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, opening the way for international cooperation through traded mitigation outcomes.

For ministries of finance, environment, energy and trade, the practical questions are clear: which instrument suits the national economy, which sectors to cover, how to set and raise the price, how to measure, report and verify emissions, how to use the revenue, and how to protect low-income households and trade-exposed industries while keeping the policy credible.

This five-day Carbon Pricing and Policymaking Training and Exposure in Helsinki, designed by Risalat Consultants International, works through these questions in sequence. Finland is a natural host: it introduced the world’s first carbon tax in 1990, at EUR 1.19 per tonne of CO2, and has adjusted its design many times since, alongside participation in the EU Emissions Trading System.

Sessions draw on real reforms as case material: Finland’s CO2 tax, the EU ETS and CBAM, Kazakhstan’s emissions trading system (supported since 2025 by a USD 4.8 million World Bank Partnership for Market Implementation grant), South Africa’s Carbon Tax Act of 2019 and Brazil’s 2024 law creating a regulated emissions trading system. The final day combines an exposure visit with a capstone roadmap exercise.

The Programme Strengthens Institutional Capability

• Assessing the case for carbon pricing within national climate and fiscal strategies
• Choosing between carbon taxes, emissions trading systems and hybrid designs
• Defining scope, coverage thresholds and points of obligation
• Setting carbon tax rates and predictable rate paths
• Designing caps, allowance allocation and market stability features
• Building measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) systems
• Modelling economic, fiscal and distributional impacts
• Planning revenue use, including household compensation and earmarking
• Managing competitiveness and carbon leakage risks
• Responding to the EU CBAM as an exporting country
• Using Article 6 cooperative approaches and the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism
• Coordinating ministries, regulators, tax administrations and registries
• Preparing a phased national carbon pricing roadmap

Participants leave with templates, worked examples and a draft roadmap adapted to their own mandate.

The Growing Importance of Carbon Pricing and Policymaking

According to the World Bank, all large middle-income economies have now implemented or are considering direct carbon pricing, and emissions trading systems account for most new and planned instruments. Demand for carbon credits from compliance markets almost tripled in the latest reporting year, while growth from voluntary buyers was negligible.

The EU CBAM adds an external driver. From 2026 it applies to imports of iron and steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen. A simplification adopted in 2025 exempts importers below 50 tonnes a year, which the European Commission estimates removes about 90% of previously affected companies while keeping about 99% of covered emissions in scope. Exporting countries with their own carbon price can expect closer attention to how that price is set, paid and documented.

Organisations increasingly require professionals capable of:

• Explaining carbon pricing options to ministers and parliamentary committees
• Comparing tax and trading designs against national circumstances
• Estimating revenue and fiscal impacts under different rate paths
• Analysing effects on households, regions and key industries
• Designing MRV rules that are proportionate and enforceable
• Drafting legal and regulatory provisions for a pricing instrument
• Designing allowance allocation and benchmarking methods
• Assessing exposure of exports to the EU CBAM
• Preparing authorisation and reporting procedures under Article 6
• Setting quality criteria for offsets and carbon credits
• Running structured consultation with business and civil society
• Reporting on instrument performance to treasury and climate bodies

Strong carbon pricing systems help organisations:

• Reduce emissions at lower overall cost to the economy
• Raise predictable public revenue for priority spending
• Give investors a clear long-term price signal
• Protect vulnerable households through targeted compensation
• Limit carbon leakage in trade-exposed sectors
• Show credible climate action to trading partners
• Meet NDC commitments with measurable instruments
• Prepare for links with other markets and Article 6 cooperation
• Improve emissions data across government and industry

Countries that prepare early can design instruments on their own terms rather than reacting to external pressure.

Who Should Attend This Carbon Pricing Training?

This programme is designed for:

• Ministry of finance tax policy and fiscal analysis teams
• Ministry of environment and climate change officials
• Ministry of energy and industry policy staff
• Trade ministry and export promotion officials dealing with CBAM
• Revenue authority and customs officials
• Climate change units and NDC coordination teams
• Emissions trading system regulators and registry administrators
• MRV and greenhouse gas inventory specialists
• Parliamentary researchers and committee advisers
• Public utility and state-owned enterprise strategy managers
• Corporate sustainability and carbon managers in energy-intensive industries
• Exporters of steel, aluminium, cement and fertilisers
• Development partner and project implementation unit (PIU) staff on climate operations
• NGO and civil society climate policy specialists

Mixed delegations from finance, environment and trade ministries gain the most, because carbon pricing decisions cut across all three mandates.

Carbon Pricing Training Objectives

Upon successful completion of this Carbon Pricing Training, participants will be able to:

• Explain how carbon taxes, emissions trading systems and crediting mechanisms work
• Compare instrument options against national economic and institutional conditions
• Set out scope, coverage and points of obligation for a chosen instrument
• Design a carbon tax rate path or an ETS cap and allocation approach
• Outline an MRV system and its institutional responsibilities
• Estimate fiscal revenue and assess distributional effects
• Propose revenue recycling and compensation measures
• Assess competitiveness and leakage risks, including EU CBAM exposure
• Explain the Article 6 rules agreed at COP29 and their implications for host countries
• Plan stakeholder consultation and communication for a pricing reform
• Draft a phased carbon pricing roadmap for their institution or country

Each objective is linked to a session, a workshop and a template so that learning can be applied directly after the programme.

Programme Contents and Structure

Carbon Pricing Training Methodology

The programme follows adult-learning principles: short expert inputs, followed by practice on real reform material and group work that mirrors the decisions participants face at home.

The programme combines:

• Expert presentations on current instruments and rules
• Case studies of real reforms in Finland, the EU, Kazakhstan, South Africa and Brazil
• Group workshops using country data supplied by participants
• A role-based emissions trading simulation
• Spreadsheet exercises on revenue and distributional impacts
• Policy drafting practice for briefs and notes to ministers
• Peer review between country teams
• Structured discussion with practitioners during the exposure visit
• Templates and checklists for use after the programme
• Action planning and a capstone roadmap presentation

Participants are invited to bring basic data on their country’s emissions, energy taxes and relevant policies. Facilitators adapt examples to the mix of countries in the room.

Before the programme, institutions can use the Risalat training needs assessment to identify the topics their teams most need.

Technical Visits and Site Programme

The exposure component gives participants direct contact with Finnish practice. Visits are confirmed with host organisations closer to the programme dates and may include a public body involved in energy and environmental taxation, an institution working on climate policy or emissions data, or an energy company operating under the EU ETS. Each visit includes a briefing, questions and a structured debrief.

Expected Outcomes

Upon completion of this Carbon Pricing Training, participants will be able to:

• Advise decision-makers on the most suitable carbon pricing instrument
• Prepare design parameters for a carbon tax or ETS
• Estimate revenue and distributional effects with simple tools
• Recommend revenue use and compensation measures
• Identify CBAM exposure and response options for exporters
• Explain Article 6 authorisation and reporting duties
• Set out MRV responsibilities across institutions
• Plan consultation and communication for reform
• Present a phased, costed carbon pricing roadmap

These outcomes give institutions a stronger basis for decisions and a shared language across ministries.

Institutional Application of Carbon Pricing Training

This programme supports organisations in strengthening:

• Climate and fiscal policy coordination
• Tax policy analysis and revenue forecasting
• Emissions data and MRV systems
• Regulatory design for pricing instruments
• Registry and market oversight functions
• Trade policy responses to border carbon measures
• Article 6 governance and authorisation procedures
• Social protection links to energy price reform
• Industry engagement and consultation processes
• Monitoring and evaluation of climate policies

Participants return with practical tools to improve:

• Instrument selection and option appraisal
• Carbon tax rate path planning
• ETS cap and allocation design
• Distributional impact analysis
• CBAM exposure screening
• Article 6 authorisation checklists
• Stakeholder engagement planning
• Reform roadmaps and risk registers

Institutions can review their readiness with the free Risalat institutional capacity assessment and use the results to plan follow-up support.

Regional Relevance & Application

Europe

EU member states are preparing for ETS2 from 2028, with allowance auctions starting in 2027, while the CBAM definitive period is changing trade with neighbouring economies. Candidate and neighbouring countries face questions about aligning their own pricing with EU rules.

Africa

South Africa has applied a carbon tax under its Carbon Tax Act of 2019, offering a regional example of phased design with allowances. Exporters of steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers and electricity across the continent need to understand CBAM documentation and the value of a domestic carbon price.

Middle East

Producers of aluminium, fertilisers and steel in the region are directly affected by CBAM obligations on EU importers. Ministries and state-owned companies are assessing emissions data, verification and the role of carbon credits within national strategies.

Asia

Kazakhstan operates an emissions trading system and in 2025 launched a World Bank-supported Partnership for Market Implementation project, backed by a USD 4.8 million grant, to strengthen the ETS and build a domestic credit market. Other Asian middle-income economies are adopting or considering direct carbon pricing, according to the World Bank.

Latin America

Brazil’s Law 15.042 of December 2024 created the Brazilian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading System (SBCE), and implementing regulation is under way. Countries across the region are weighing carbon taxes, trading systems and Article 6 cooperation.

Across all regions, the common needs are reliable emissions data, clear legal mandates and a realistic sequence of reform steps.

Host Country Profile – Finland

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is a compact and well-organised city with modern conference facilities and strong public institutions. It offers a calm setting for policy work, with easy access to ministries, agencies, research institutes and energy companies.

Finland is a benchmark for carbon pricing. It introduced the first carbon tax in 1990, and its fuel taxation now combines an energy content tax, a CO2 tax and a strategic stockpile fee. The Climate Change Act, in force since 1 July 2022, sets a legally binding target of carbon neutrality by 2035 and covers the land use sector. A Nordic Council of Ministers review notes that the EU ETS covers about 40% of Finland’s CO2 emissions, so the country offers lessons on how a national tax and an EU-wide trading system work side by side.

Finland is part of the Schengen Area, and Helsinki Airport has wide international connections. Participants who need a Schengen visa should apply early through the relevant Finnish mission or visa centre; Risalat provides invitation letters and visa guidance. Winter conditions can be cold, so warm clothing is advised for the exposure visit.

Carbon Pricing Training Deliverables

Every participant receives a complete package of preparation, learning and follow-up support.

Before the Programme

• Participant Pre-Assessment
• Carbon Pricing Readiness Assessment
• Carbon Pricing Resource Pack
• Preparatory Reading Materials
• Complimentary Visa Support & Advisory

During the Programme

• Airport Pickup & Welcome Assistance
• Accommodation with Breakfast
• Welcome Networking Dinner
• Risalat Training Kit (Bag, Bottle, Mug, T-Shirt, Cap, Passport Cover, Pens, Notebook, Magnet & Keychain)
• Comprehensive Carbon Pricing Training Manual
• Carbon Pricing Instrument Selection Matrix
• Carbon Tax Rate Path and Revenue Estimation Template
• ETS Cap and Allocation Design Worksheet
• MRV System Design Checklist
• Distributional Impact and Revenue Recycling Template
• CBAM Exposure Screening Tool
• Article 6 Authorisation and Reporting Checklist
• Practical Workshops & Simulations
• Group Discussions & Peer Learning
• Daily Lunch and Refreshments
• Full Access to Training Venue Facilities
• Mini Pad / Tablet with Digital Learning Materials
• Field Visit (where applicable)
• Entertaining City Tour

After the Programme

• Certificate of Completion
• Risalat Programme Participation Recognition Award
• Post-Training Reference Materials
• National Carbon Pricing Roadmap Template
• Stakeholder Engagement Plan for Pricing Reform
• Post-Training Support & Follow-Up Guidance
• Programme Report

Institutions that wish to train a full team can request a tailored in-house version of this programme, adapted to their country’s emissions profile and policy agenda, through the Risalat proposal request form.

Common Challenges in Carbon Pricing, And How This Training Helps

How can we choose between a carbon tax and an emissions trading system?

Day 1 sets out the criteria and the instrument options workshop helps teams score each design against their own institutions, data and political conditions.

How can we set a carbon price that is credible but politically workable?

Day 2 covers rate paths, phase-ins and stability features, and the Finland case study shows how a price can rise gradually over decades.

How can we protect low-income households from higher energy costs?

Day 3 focuses on distributional analysis and revenue recycling, with a workshop that tests transfers, tax shifts and earmarking.

How can we build MRV when emissions data are weak?

Day 2 sessions on MRV design and Day 5 sequencing show how to start with thresholds and reporting before introducing a price.

How can exporters respond to the EU CBAM?

Day 4 explains CBAM scope, certificate obligations and the role of carbon prices paid at origin, supported by an exposure screening tool.

How can we take part in Article 6 without risking our NDC?

Day 4 reviews the COP29 rules on authorisation, corresponding adjustments and registries, with a checklist for national procedures.

How can we win support from industry and the public?

Day 3 communication sessions, the simulation on Day 4 and the consultation plan in the capstone roadmap address stakeholder concerns directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this carbon pricing training for?

Officials from finance, environment, energy and trade ministries, revenue authorities, ETS regulators, MRV specialists, energy-intensive companies and development partners working on climate policy.

Does the programme cover the EU CBAM?

Yes. Day 4 covers the CBAM definitive period that began on 1 January 2026, the goods in scope, certificate obligations and how exporting countries can respond.

What is the exposure visit?

On Day 5, participants visit a Finnish institution working on carbon pricing, taxation or climate policy. Visits are confirmed with host organisations closer to the programme dates.

Do participants need economics or modelling experience?

No. Exercises use simple spreadsheet tools and are guided by facilitators. Basic familiarity with policy or tax work is helpful.

Can this programme be delivered in-house?

Yes. Institutions can request a tailored version for their team, adapted to their country's emissions profile and policy priorities, through the Risalat proposal request form.

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