Government seed money for the Canberra, Australia-based Institute, among the world’s most influential carbon capture and storage trade groups, is expected to expire in 2017. In an interview with GHG Monitor, General Manager for Policy and Membership at the Institute Barry Jones said the group is in the middle of a review process with its members about the direction of the organization’s future. At the Institute’s most recent members meeting earlier this month in Calgary, Alberta, stakeholders discussed a draft strategic plan that defines future priorities and, more broadly, a business model for the organization moving forward, he said. “What we’ve said in that draft plan is that we want to remain a member-based organization, but that probably means that we’ll need to introduce some sort of membership fee in the future,” Jones said. He added that the Institute’s leadership has been examining the organizational structures of similar trade groups as potential models moving forward.

Jones said that it is currently unclear whether any changes will need to be made in terms of the Institute’s scope or size. “It’s a bit early to tell exactly what changes we might have to make in the future, but what is obvious is that in general the members are quite happy with the strategic direction and broad span of objectives for the Institute we sketched out in the draft plan,” he said. “So we’re not envisioning huge changes in terms of the kinds of things we do. It’s more in the matter of working out the details of exactly what activities we might undertake in the future.” He added that the group is planning on finalizing its new strategic plan by the end of the year and will start implementing the blueprint early next year. “We still have a few years to go on the current funding arrangement with the Australian government, but we’re starting the work now to build for the future when that funding does run out and to have a continuing dialogue with members about what the future holds,” he said.

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Source: GHG news by Tamar Hallerman GHG Monitor 10/26/12