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Advanced Global Trading - AGT Arena #1

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AGT ARENA

WELCOME

01

Dear investors, I am proud to welcome you to the very first edition of AGT Arena - our new quarterly magazine offering you further insight into the world of AGT. AGT is the leading information portal and trading platform in the global Verified Carbon Market. We trade VCS approved Carbon Credits for discerning individuals, hedge funds and organisations alike whilst pioneering industry best practice wordwide. In addition, our corporate consulting arm advises industry-leading organisations who seek to offset their carbon footprint in their quest for competitive advantage, and higher share prices. The pages within this magazine will go some way to demonstrating how we achieve this and our objective is to help you learn and trade in comfort within the worlds fastest growing commodity market. However, the proof in our pedigree lies in the warmth, welcome and achievements of our team, available through all of our worldwide locations. Currently, the world is still feeling its way through the financial crisis and a cacophony of disasters abound. While the Eurozones debilitating fever reaches its peak and entire countries are being saved from bankruptcy, the renewable energy sector is enjoying an aggressive surge of funding successes - the green agenda is glowing under the spotlight. The extension of the Kyoto Protocol under the COP17 agreement last December has refuelled the Carbon Credit debate with corporates worldwide demanding more credits to help meet objectives and deliver on their CSR agendas. In response, billions of dollars are being funnelled into green projects worldwide to keep Planet Earth the way we like it, the way we need it to remain. Carbon Credits have become THE issue of the day. We look forward to receiving your thoughts and suggestions over the coming months. Best wishes,

Group Marketing Director

Contents

#05 All that Glitters


Traditionally a safe haven for investors, the price of gold has seen an almost unprecedented surge generated by demand driven by a variety of factors.

#19 The VCS


The VCS programme is the most widely used quality assurance system of accounting for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions.

#09 Lotus Formula 1 Team


As environmental issues are becoming increasingly important to consumers and businesses, the Lotus F1 Team always ahead of the pack, set itself the goal of becoming carbon neutral in 2012.

#20 Microsoft Goes Green


Last month saw the worlds largest software company declare war on carbon emissions by announcing it was becoming carbon neutral by 2013.

#13 Birth of a New Commodity


The international drive to lower greenhouse gas emissions has created a multi-billion dollar global market for Carbon Credits.

#22 Bumpy Skies Ahead


In perhaps one of the most ambitious attempts to curtail carbon emissions, the European Union has unilaterally sought to widen the scope of its Emissions Trading Scheme to cover the Aviation Industry.

#17 Q: Carbon
The markets have moved and financial engineering has reshaped the investor landscape.

#26 AGT Out and About


AGT at the South African Business Councils South Africa Freedom Day at The Westin Dubai. AGTs carbon neutral talk at the International Business Womens Group Dubai. AGTs day out with the children from Dubai Autism Centre.

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AGT ARENA

TOP NEWS
global carbon market value hits record $176 billion
Carbon market trading reached a record value of $176 billion in 2011, rising 11 percent spurred by secondary trading volumes which offset lower prices and slowing economies, the World Bank said last month. Companies and governments are turning to emissions trading as a tool for fighting climate change; with the European Union by far the most active since its cap-and-trade scheme began in 2005 under the Kyoto Protocol. Worldwide emissions trading volumes rose 17 percent year on year to 10.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, with permits in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) accounting for more than three quarters of the total. The rise in volume lifted the value of the EU market to $148 billion from a revised $134 billion in 2010, despite average EU carbon prices falling 4 percent year on year to $18.8 a metric ton. Carbon markets were not immune to the economic volatility, the World Bank report said, citing events such as the Arab Spring, Japans Fukushima disaster and the Eurozone debt crisis. A considerable portion of the trades are primarily motivated by hedging, portfolio adjustments, profit taking and arbitrage. Secondary trading volumes for international offsets regulated by the United Nations also soared in 2011, rising 43 percent year on year to 1.8 billion units valued at $23 billion. It suggested recent and emerging cap-and-trade schemes in Australia, California, Mexico, South Korea and Quebec could contribute to future growth in overall carbon trading. (Reuters.com)
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According to the World Bank

The main reason for this was a rise in demand for U.N.-backed emissions offsets, because a certain number of the credits can be used for compliance in markets such as the EU ETS.

TOP NEWS

03

A window into Microsofts quest to become carbon neutral


In May, Microsoft announced a commitment to achieve carbon neutrality for its energy use companywide during its upcoming fiscal year, beginning July 1st. Its a bold and somewhat unusual plan, but consistent with the software giants other recent sustainability initiatives, which favour sophisticated, IT-fuelled projects conducted in a transparent and accountable fashion. Whether or not it succeeds, the effort demonstrates the potential of pushing the responsibility for improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions and increasing use of renewable energy down to every business unit and operation across more than 100 countries, while creating economic incentives for them to do so. Those incentives come in the form of a carbon fee chargeback model to be administered by the companys CFO, which levies a fee for carbon emissions to the business groups responsible for incurring them. The fees will be used to build an investment fund with which Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) will purchase renewable energy and offsets. The company intends that those purchases will enable it to reduce net emissions and achieve carbon-neutral status. (Greenbiz.com)

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Omar Al Jaddou MA Group Special Projects Director

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GREEN


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ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GREEN

05

Traditionally a safe haven for investors, the price of gold has seen an almost unprecedented surge, with demand driven by a variety of factors, ranging from the increasing emergence of an affluent middle class in heavily populated countries such as China and India to the growing economic turmoil including most recent fears of instability in the Eurozone.

AGT ARENA

Economic uncertainty, particularly with regard to the finances of sovereign states, has engendered wariness in investors, demonstrated in the increasing cost of state borrowing, which will undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on countries whose national budget is reliant on debt to fund the shortfall between income and expenditure. This stark reality has ushered in what the pundits have labeled an age of austerity, this socio-economic reality has seen the rise of far-right/ultra-nationalist political parties in several European states. Tied to the fortunes of the currency exchange market, gold is far from immune from the economic forces which drive demand and determine prices in the commodities market, and as such has seen something of a marked decline over recent months. In the long term, limited supply and increasing demand will see the price of gold appreciate, but most investors are
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both risk-averse and keen to generate returns over the short and medium term rather than the long term. A diversified investment strategy represents one potential method of achieving these aims, given the old adage, with risk comes reward, allocating a proportion directly dependent on the term of your investment strategy to alternative or exotic investments is generally accepted wisdom within the world of finance. In other words, it would be wise to avoid gambling lifesavings on a risky stock tip the year before retirement in the same way it would be wise to save for retirement by putting some cash under the carpet every month for 20 years. The most sought after investments within the alternative investment bracket are those which are non-correlated, that is, not impacted by movements in traditional equity markets. One example of this is the Verified Carbon Market (VCM)

specifically through Verified Emission Reduction (VER) Carbon Credits, a market in which demand is driven and governed by the growing environmental movement and increasing pressure on companies and organisations to minimise and/or offset their carbon footprint. With investors seeing a return in excess of 25 percent in the past year, the Verified Carbon Market benefits projects which have been audited and accredited by the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) to generate VERs/ VCUs and demand is growing at an ever-increasing rate due to expectations from corporations to meet Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objectives. The relentless growth of the global environmental movement has sparked something of a paradigm shift in consumer values and behaviour, particularly in the West. VER Carbon Credits offer investors the opportunity to

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GREEN

07

60 Day Gold Price in USD/oz


High: 1685.50 Low: 1536.20 1700 1680 1660 1640 1620 1600 1580 1560 1540 1520
Monday, May 21, 2012

61.60 3.73%

April 12

May 12
Last Close: 1588.40

...With investors seeing a return in excess of 25 percent in the past year, the VER Carbon Credit market benefits from some of the same realities governing the long-term future of gold...
invest in, and profit from, the universally accepted reality that this planet we occupy will be mankinds only home for some time to come, a reality which will eventually drive companies to be more responsible for the one asset whose value cannot be measured Planet Earth. Click here to contact Omar

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LOTUS F1 TEAM PARTNERSHIP

09

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LOTUS F1 TEAM PARTNERSHIP

11

As environmental issues are becoming increasingly important to consumers and businesses, the Lotus F1 Team, always ahead of the pack, set itself the goal of becoming carbon neutral in 2012. In pursuit of a robust environmental strategy the team has chosen AGT to be its first official carbon neutral partner in what will be a multi-million dollar three year sponsorship deal.
Lotus F1 Teams CEO, Patrick Louis, said: Lotus F1 Team is proud of this new relationship with AGT, who are now another strong asset in our arsenal of partners and their abilities and experience in the Carbon Credit market gives us great confidence in achieving our environmental goals. We are scrutinising all aspects of our business - so to have the expertise of AGT on board, helping us minimise our environmental impact, is invaluable. AGT has calculated the Lotus F1 Teams carbon footprint and offset these emissions through the purchase of Carbon Credits on their behalf. Each Verified Carbon Credit equates to the permission to release one tonne of CO2. In turn each credit has a serial number, which is traceable back to the specific VCS verified environmental project for which it is providing funding. Additionally, AGT is developing sustainable strategies and a carbon management plan for the Lotus F1 Team to identify where greater efficiencies can be made. In return, the AGT logo is now displayed on the E20 car driven by former world champion Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. This has served to raise awareness of the verified Carbon Credit market and the invaluable projects it supports around the world among Formula 1 fans. The Lotus F1 marketing team has also achieved great success with this new sustainable initiative. The Lotus F1 Team based in the UK has embraced AGT corporate sustainability, which has also been very well received by the Formula 1 racing community. And heres something else worth noting the Lotus F1 Team knows a thing or two about winning, they have won 47 Grand Prixs to date!
Patrick Louis, CEO Lotus F1 Team

Remaining Races of the 2012 Season German Grand Prix - Hockenheim, 20-22 July Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring, 27-29 July Belgian Grand Prix - Spa-Francorchamps, 31 August - 2 September Italian Grand Prix - Monza, 7-9 September Singapore Grand Prix - Singapore, 21-23 September Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka, 5-7 October Korean Grand Prix - Yeongam, 12-14 October Indian Grand Prix - New Delhi, 26-28 October Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina, 2-4 November United States Grand Prix - Austin, 16-18 November Brazilian Grand Prix - Interlagos, 23-25 November

AGT ARENA

Leona Curtis-Oliver MBA Group Marketing Director

FROM CARBON EMISSIONS TO CARBON CREDITS;

the birth of a new commodity


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The international drive to lower greenhouse gas emissions has created a multi-billion-dollar global market for Carbon Credits.

THE BIRTH OF CARBON CREDITS

13

The humble Carbon Credit has come a long way in a short space of time. From Kyoto to COP17, the year thus far has seen a record number of articles and press releases across the media highlighting market growth. With the World Bank valuing the carbon market at $176 billion, its important to understand why and how we arrived here. Lets take a look back at how carbon became a tradable commodity. Carbon emissions have been tracked for 40 years. Scientists in the 1960s estimated that the effect of carbon

emissions would become apparent by the year 2000 and they were, more or less, correct. However, the scientists, the politicians and the concerned public at large were aware of the effect of carbon emissions before 2000. With the alarming statistic showing the top 10 countries in the world emit 67.07% of the world total, the Kyoto Protocol then introduced the cap-and-trade system and the concept of Carbon Credits. Anthropogenic factors are human activities that change the environment and influence the climate.

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Carbon Cre
In some cases the chain of causality is direct and unambiguous while in others it is less clear. In 1870, the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas in the atmosphere was 290 parts per million (ppm) and the mean global temperature was 13.6 degrees Celsius. Today, there are 396.18 parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere, according to CO2now.org. The upper safety level for atmospheric CO2 is 350 parts per million. The worlds most current data for atmospheric CO2 is measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, said that by 2080, 1.1-3.2 billion people would be experiencing water scarcity, 200-600 million hunger and 2-7 million coastal flooding every year. The global larder is running out of food. In May, Fatih Birol, International Energy Agencys Chief Economist, told Reuters: When I look at this data, the trend is perfectly in line with a temperature increase of 6 degrees Celsius (towards the end of this century), which would have devastating consequences for the planet.

1960s
Scientists predict the effect of carbon emissions will be seen by 2000

1988
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change established

1997
Kyoto Protocol sets targets to reduce emissions

2001
Year
1870 2012 2050 projected

Amount of CO2 parts per million


290 396 above the safe upper limit for humans 685 double the safe upper limit for humans

IPCC publish report stating global warming exists

2005
Kyoto Protocol comes into effect and Australia, Canada, Japan etc sign up

Data courtesy of Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii


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THE BIRTH OF CARBON CREDITS

15

edit Timeline
2005
The first Carbon Credit in the compliance market is created

2007
The first Carbon Credit is created in the verified market

Scientists say ensuring global average temperatures this century do not rise more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is needed to limit devastating climate effects like crop failure and melting glaciers.
(Reuters) Both renewable energy and carbon saving projects may generate Carbon Credits which can then be traded by institutions, traders and wholesalers. Companies looking to achieve CSR goals offset their carbon emissions to become carbon neutral by calculating their carbon footprint and purchasing the equivalent value of VCS approved Carbon Credits which are retired from the system on purchase. The reality: trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, store carbon in their trunks, release oxygen into the atmosphere and polluters may offset their emissions by paying for reforestation projects, wind farms and methane captures. Hence, the first Carbon Credit was traded in 2005, the first verified Carbon Credit was traded in 2007 and a new commodity was born. After pursuing countless generations of continuous growth, the human species is confronted with one of its greatest challenges; how to live sustainably on planet earth. In a just world, it would appear that profligacy has a price.

2012
Carbon dioxide levels exceed what is considered safe for humans

2050
CO2 pollution projected to be double what is safe for humans.

2080
Projected water scarcity, hunger and coastal flooding for 1-3 billion people

Click here to contact Leona

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Q: Carbon
Adham K Faris BSc (Hons) Senior Carbon Investment Consultant Not a day passes without news of market Armageddon affecting us all. Between Greeces all but bankrupt economy, coupled with the Eurozone crisis in the West, rising of prices related to Irans nuclear standoff in the Middle-East and China strengthening its puppet strings on the geo-political balance in the Far-East, there has never been a more volatile time in the financial markets. The markets have moved and financial engineering has reshaped the investors landscape. Forward to today, last quarter saw the demigods of the financial world including Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan amuse us with a BIG facebook IPO that turned out to be not be so big. Even the big boys can get it wrongstill! It doesnt matter what you know or which investment has performed for you, no one can ignore a growth market. Traditional asset classes have been hammered during the crisis. Real estate was replaced with gold during the last 24 months. Looking at the markets today, this shiny metal with once sparkling returns has lost its lustre. Gold is in decline and investors are second-guessing the market once again. Forex offers high rewards for higher risk and is essentially for gamblers, so if you can afford towhy not. But if you want to protect your money or dare I say even grow your money most investors dont know where to turn! Enter the carbon market. Carbon has not been immune to the financial turmoil yet news has spread to show investors an alternative does exist. According to Reuters, The World Bank has reported that Carbon market trading reached a record value of $176 billion in 2011, rising 11 percent spurred by secondary trading volumes which offset lower prices and slowing economies. Is double-digit growth still possible in such trying times? The report continues citing that a considerable portion of trades is primarily motivated by hedging, portfolio adjustments, profit taking and arbitrage. This suggests the bankers and money managers around the world are still making money in something seen as airy! Thats good news for institutional clients, but what about the individual investor? Where does that leave you and me? Interestingly, the report cites the verified market achieving a phenomenal 37 percent. If thats possible on ANY level, investors have to ask serious questions about their portfolio. It is this secondary, voluntary or verified market, which has seen the most traction in the last 12 even 24 months allowing individual investors to take advantage of the carbon market at bite-size levels. Advanced Global Trading (AGT) is the global leader in the Verified Carbon Market (VCM) and has become the largest trader for Verified Emission Reduction (VER) Carbon Credits worldwide. To correlate the above market figures, AGT has delivered 30.2 percent ROI to all investors worldwide in 2011. AGT is the first to offer high levels of liquidity and the first to deliver an online trading platform, offering investors complete control to enter and exit their carbon positions 24/7. If you would like to diversify your portfolio and enter the carbon market, call us to discuss your options with one of our Carbon Investment Consultants.

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Q: CARBON

17

Click here to contact Adham

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THE VCS

19

The Verified Carbon Standard


The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) was established in 2009 by The Climate Group, The International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), The World Economic Forum and The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), with the aim of establishing a credible and authoritative standard for VER offsets. The VCS has consolidated its position as the market leader, with 58% of all VERs issued in 2011 accredited by it according to a new Bloomberg report. The VCS Association was incorporated as a non-profit in Washington, DC in 2009, with a professional staff to manage ongoing operations and development of the VCS Standard and Program. Today VCS is managed by staff with input and guidance from the board. The VCS relies on expert committees to ensure existing and new requirements reflect state of the art knowledge and global good practice. The VCS convenes new committees of global experts on a regular basis to guide the development of new requirements. With input from experts the VCS is steadily expanding the scope of the program to respond to the need for new innovative and trusted carbon accounting tools.
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Adham K Faris BSc (Hons) Senior Carbon Investment Consultant

Microsoft Goes Green


Last month saw the worlds largest software company declare war on carbon emissions by announcing it was becoming carbon neutral in 2013.
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MICROSOFT GOES GREEN

21

We will make more environmentally responsible choices by purchasing renewable energy and investigating investment options in renewable energy projects.
R Robert Bernard, Chief Environmental Strategist, Microsoft

The tech giant issued a 16-page infodoc citing a be lean be green be accountable theme reasserting its efforts since Steve Ballmers public statement on reducing the companys carbon emissions by at least 30 percent per unit of revenue by 2012; given the market effects of the financial crisis, this is welcome news - more so better late than never. Times have changed, markets have moved and companies are still finding money and allocating resources to go green. Microsoft is not the first commercial king to go carbon neutral, but is joining the growing list of tech companies trying to reduce their environmental footprint. Companies such as Samsung and Google have been pursuing carbon neutrality long enough, defining global green strategies and implementing initiatives to achieve this one objective. While the corporate world has been evangelising the green agenda for several years, it is only recently that this drive has stepped into fifth gear. Organisations such as the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) have helped galvanise the effort to push, even enforce, the green agenda at board level. Companies are getting serious about their

impact on the environment and the trend is only likely to continue as governments enforce their national agendas under last years COP17 agreement. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is finally a big issue with many blue-chip companies, global organisations and SMEs making changes to the way they operate to reduce their carbon emissions. The shift, driven at C-level, is purely voluntary with companies understanding the crucial role they now play in the global effort to tackle climate change. However, CSR is no longer just a PR exercise. It has moved from being a cost centre to becoming a profit centre with companies adopting new CSR models to boost the bottom line whilst putting ethical practice at the heart of the business plan. Higher profits mean only one thing a healthier share price and happier shareholders. The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) was setup to help address the voluntary requirements-come-demands by corporates to offset their carbon footprint, through Verified Emission Reduction (VER) Carbon Credits. The operational changes, including purchasing VCS VER credits known as Verified Carbon Units (VCUs), mean not only are companies on the right road to

becoming carbon neutral, but they are also preparing for what most feel will be the inevitable legislation to offset the majority of carbon emissions market-wide. This is known as pre-compliance and is becoming a major factor currently driving demand to purchase Carbon Credits voluntarily. While corporate agendas are governed by corporate budgets and the world is still suffering from the aftereffects of the global financial crisis, corporate spend on CSR has increased together with spend to purchase VER credits to offset their carbon footprint, in line with meeting corporate directives. This trend is set to continue based on reports from Bloomberg, Barclays Capital, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs and with demand growing strongly year-on-year, industry leaders like Microsoft will keep the momentum on carbon neutrality a real and viable objective. Microsoft may not be the first to go green, but it certainly wont be the last tech titan to take the initiative to deliver the go green message. Click here to contact Adham

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Omar Al Jaddou MA Group Special Projects Director

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BUMPY SKIES AHEAD

23

Bumpy Skies Ahead


In perhaps one of the most ambitious attempts to curtail carbon emissions, the European Union has unilaterally sought to widen the scope of its Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) to cover the Aviation industry. The scheme consists of a cap-and-trade policy, whereby all airlines would have their annual emissions capped at a stated limit, which if exceeded would obligate the purchase of Carbon Credits from other organisations whose emissions have been below the capped amount, creating an economic incentive to reduce emissions.

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BUMPY SKIES AHEAD

25

Airlines would be forced to pay around 1 bn Euros for the carbon emissions they cause.
The furor this measure has engendered among developing and developed countries has signaled something of a water-shed moment for climate change policy-making. It is clear that the EU ETS would punish pollutants in one of the worst CO2 emitting industries on our planet today, whilst encouraging greater focus on cutting emissions and being environmentally friendly. Global politics and the new realities emerging from the ongoing economic crisis have helped to shape the context of this debate, there are never any black and white arguments in international trade agreements, only shades of grey. A recent analysis of the potential impact of the EU ETS carried out by Thomson Reuters Point Carbon, found that Airlines would be forced to pay around 500m Euros for the carbon emissions they cause. This figure might seem steep but when put in the context that according to the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, 9.7m flights are expected to fly in European Airspace in 2012 it does beg for a more pragmatic analysis of the slight disparity between the Public Relations campaign being forcefully engaged in by the Airline Industry and reality. Understandably, unilateral decision making doesnt make you many friends, and this is no different with the EUs attempt to be at the forefront of the climate change issue. Engaging with stakeholders, creating a consensus and moving forward in a group, something which world leaders have tried and failed to do at almost every single Climate Change summit in recent history, is a more favorable option. The EU, known to be more left-leaning and welfare conscious, appears motivated by this lack of concerted action in dealing with the continued increase in pollution, and whilst environmentalists look with horror at the associated and expected increases in emissions from economic development in the developing world, the developing world can perceive an unjust hypocrisy in these same environmental measures as stalling the economic growth they may see as key to lifting their people out of poverty and into prosperity. With key states such as the United States, Russia, China and India banning their airlines from taking part in the EU ETS, it is clear that this unilateral approach which the EU has adopted may have an utterly negative affect on consensus building for environmental and climate change policy globally. The potential scenarios in the event of non-adherence has been said to include the impounding of aircraft, withdrawal from Open Skies agreements and other measures that may degenerate into an unprecedented 21st Century Trade War, ironically the biggest loss will be felt in areas supposedly championed by the most vocal supporters on either sideinternational trade and the environment.

Click here to contact Omar

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AGT OUT & ABOUT

South African Business Council VIP competition winners


Since becoming the first official carbon neutral partner to the Lotus F1 Team, the request we hear the most is - have you got any tickets to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix? So it comes as no surprise that - at an event for the UAE South African Business Council to celebrate South African Freedom Day - AGT hosted a competition to win 2 VIP tickets to the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to celebrate their new partnership with the Lotus Formula 1 Team. The event was held at The Westin Hotel, Dubai - surrounded by tall buildings, we traded Group HQ for a balmy breezy beach setting complete with ubiquitous swaying palm trees. AGTs Commercial Director Dean Arden commented Thirteen year old Braden Thompson and his Dad will be VIP guests of AGT at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November. Bradens Mum Nikki Thompson said The big question is, who is going? My husband and I are fighting for pole position! AGT proves again that glamour and green are compatible as they will offset all the carbon emissions produced by the Lotus Formula 1 Team.

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AGT OUT & ABOUT

27

Sue Sharyn Ward IBWG Founding Committee Member, Karly Edwards, Wealth Manager PIC and Franklin Connellan, Head of Investments AGT.

Are you carbon neutral?


Given the UAEs commitment to reducing the countrys carbon footprint by 20 percent by 2015, AGT employees are encouraged to promote carbon neutral awareness amongst the local community. We believe that empowering the wider community to understand sustainable initiatives is an essential part of global citizenship. This month we were invited to give a lecture to the International Business Womens Group. We are always keen to explain the difference we can make and AGT has an enviable number of achievements to date too, which include being the first Sustainable Investment Group with locations across four continents; the first with the technology to permit investors to trade online and the first official carbon neutral partner to the Lotus F1 Team! IBWG committee member Sue-Sharyn Ward, commented that feedback from IBWG Members after the lunch was very positive, indicating an enthusiasm to learn more and become involved in this initiative. We have forwarded website connections to everyone so they can calculate their own carbon footprint. The draw for 2 VIP Experience Tickets to the Grand Prix attracted a great deal of interest and IBWG Member Karly Edwards was thrilled to win this wonderful prize.

Charitable work with Dubai Autism Centre


At AGT, we want to work with individuals and companies who care about the world they inhabit and are willing to use their talents for the benefit of people less privileged and fortunate than themselves; Engagement with charitable causes is, therefore, a key part of the AGT philosophy. AGT has an impressive commitment to raising awareness about the environment and the increasing number of VCS quality assured sustainable projects around the world. So when we heard that an increase in the number of children developing autism has been empirically linked to pollution in the environment we were first in the queue to offer to help out the Dubai Autism Centre. To foster a spirit of active concern we arranged a day out at Childrens City at Creek Park where the children were engaged in LEGO learning at the Bricks Academy followed by a tour of the play facilities and a healthy lunch packed by the AGT Charities Committee. The next step is for AGT to make the new centre, which is still under construction, carbon neutral.

AGT Charities Committee Dunia Fakhouri, Peter Doyle and Chantal Brocca with Dubai Autism Centre children, April 23rd, Childrens City, Dubai.

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LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
Leona Curtis-Oliver MBA Group Marketing Director

Dear investors, As this is the first issue we thought we would share with you a small number of testimonials from our clients. Please email l.curtis-oliver@advancedglobaltrading.com with questions you may have regarding the verified Carbon Market. Likewise, if you want to comment on one of our stories or just want to give us your views, this is your space to open the debate.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

29

Very good company, good investment, extensive and personalized service, great follow up and updates, and finally professional team.
Jihad AL Hajjar - Manager Branch & Operations - Dubai

I was first introduced to the potential benefits of carbon investment back in early 2010 through a friend.
AGT caught my eye due to certain key strengths I saw in the company from the outset, strong leadership, integrity, good regulation, and transparency of communication through my account manager. I had access to an online trading platform that empowered me with decision making on my account, and mobile access through the iPhone app. Not only have I achieved personal goals of ensuring my investments are benefiting others and the environment, the lifetime returns on my account have stood around 30% which I would find very hard to beat on other markets right now. The whole experience with AGT has been an incredibly satisfying one. JH, Business Owner. UAE.

When I first noticed AGT and the carbon market, it was from reading The National newspaper here in Abu Dhabi. To be honest, I did not know what to expect, but I knew the fundamentals were sound for the carbon market. Overall, AGT has been gracious in handling my requirements, and were very transparent when it came to their dealings or the state of the carbon market. The performance of this asset class was nothing short of amazing in 2011. While other parts of my portfolio were either breaking even or experiencing outright losses, my allocation to carbon managed to obtain a 30 percent return in six months! If you consider the fundamentals of the industry, youll know that this was not a fluke! Expectations are high for carbons performance in 2012, but I am sure that it will not disappoint. And with AGT taking care of me, with their high standards of integrity and their keen insights into the carbon market, I know I am in good hands. F.B.R. - Internal Audit Manager Abu Dhabi

Exceptional team of staff who look after the clients needs.


H.P. Gulf FX Trading - Dubai

Click here to contact Leona

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ABOUT
ISSUE #01 |

AGT
Employee focus

AGT was founded in 2010 and its transition into one of the worlds first Sustainable Investment Groups with the technology to empower you to trade on the move, is nothing short of remarkable. The brainchild of a group of elite high net worth individuals, AGT is on track to achieve its goal of 14 offices worldwide by the end of 2012. Their pioneering beliefs in the value of technology within the traders space has determined many of AGTs distinguishing characteristics: that investors should be able to monitor their positions on the move; that investors should have high liquidity and that clients should be able to trade 24/7 has made investing in Carbon Credits accessible to everyone. With ROIs of 38 percent over the last 18 months you can be certain that they have happy customers who continue to increase their positions.

Franklin Connellan
<< Franklin playing Scrum Half at Rugby, Dublin, 2011. AGT Head of Investments, Franklin Connellan was born in September 1977, Dublin, Ireland. Between 2005 and 2010 Franklin was the Managing Partner of an Investment company specialising in Food & Beverage Investments. In his native Ireland, he successfully opened a chain of Asian Fusion restaurants which he later sold. He has over 13 years of experience in consumer and commercial businesses around the world more notably Ireland, Australia, Belgium and lately the United Arab Emirates. An MBA Graduate from the University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Business School in Ireland; his studies led him to realise the future global significance of sustainability and the shared burden of responsibility. Franklin continues to enact sustainable changes in his latest role for the Consulting arm of the sustainable investment group AGT at their global headquarters in Dubai. AGT is a growing company with fantastic ambitions and I am privileged to be a part of this professional team. Franklin Connellan, Head of Investments AGT Group HQ, Dubai. Click here to contact Franklin

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ABOUT AGT

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$14.50 $14.00

AGT VCU Trading July 2011 - June 2012


$14.14 $13.79

$13.50
$13.45

$13.00 $12.50 $12.00


$11.90 $12.26 $12.00 $12.64

$13.02

$13.02

$11.50 $11.00 $10.50

$11.56

$10.00 Jul-11

Aug-11

Sep-11

Oct-11

Nov-11 Dec-11

Jan-12 Feb-12 Mar-12 Apr-12 Jun-12

Jul-12

Carbon Credit Tracker Graph


This graph demonstrates the significant growth in demand for verified Carbon Credits over the past twelve months.

Door-to-door service
The new carbon neutral AGT S-Class Mercedes made its debut this month amid a fanfare of approval. The AGT doorto-door service offers clients the privilege of being chauffer driven to and from AGTs flagship office in Emaar Square and an unforgettable travel experience. This will save time and reduce exposure to the balmy summer heat. The luxury long wheel base saloon and its chauffeur will be made available to clients visiting AGTs group headquarters in Dubai. The spacious car is equipped with leather upholstery and air conditioning to ensure you arrive in style.

AGT ARENA

AGT AROUND THE WORLD


Beverly Hills

Toronto New York

Benelux Zurich

Operational Opening 2012

ISSUE #01

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AGT AROUND THE WORLD

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Kazakhstan

Doha Dubai (Group Headquarters) Abu Dhabi

Singapore

Johannesburg Sydney

Stay connected

The new AGT iPhone App


Now its even easier to invest in the worlds fastest growing commodity... ...from only $25,000

Our investors achieved a return of 30.2% in 2011.


View your account history Buy or transfer credits View todays trading price Contact customer support

For more information regarding AGT and Carbon Credits please visit www.advancedglobaltrading.com Or call +971 (0) 4435 8100 to speak with one of our representatives.
Group Headquarters: 7th Floor, Barclays Building, Emaar Square, Downtown Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE PO BOX 283437.

OFFICE LOCATIONS

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Office locations and contact details


Dubai (Headquarters) 7th Floor, Building 6, Emaar Square, Downtown Burj Khalifa, Dubai, U.A.E PO Box 283437 | Telephone: +971 (0) 4435 8100

Abu Dhabi 15th Floor, Khalidiya Tower, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E PO Box 113306 Telephone: +971 (0) 2441 1544

Johannesburg Unit 1, 1 Melrose Boulevard, Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, South Africa 2193 Telephone: +27 11 6841185

Doha Level 12, Commercial Bank Plaza, Doha, Qatar PO Box 27111 Telephone: +974 (0) 4452 8976

Zurich zurich@advancedglobaltrading.com Telephone: +971 (0) 4435 8100

AGT ARENA

Media Contacts
Leona Curtis-Oliver Group Marketing Director +971 5022 74954 l.curtis-oliver@advancedglobaltrading.com Ian Hainey Public Relations +971 5046 61368 i.hainey@advancedglobaltrading.com Franklin Connellan Head of Investments +971 5088 52230 f.connellan@advancedglobaltrading.com

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