Data Services and Standards

Communications Standards for Environmental Projects and Financial Instruments

APX has deployed two new communications and messaging standards for global environmental markets:

• APX Universal Project Number™ (APX UPN), and the
• APX Environmental Instrument Number™ (APX EIN).

The APX UPN provides a globally distinct identifier for carbon and renewable energy certificate projects, while the APX EIN uniquely identifies tradable environmental instruments, including carbon credits, emission allowances, and renewable energy certificates. The approach is designed to allow additional environmental projects and commodity instruments to be added in the future.

Those familiar with U.S. financial securities markets will be familiar with the CUSIP number, where CUSIP stands for Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures. A CUSIP number identifies most securities, including stocks of all registered U.S. and Canadian companies, and U.S. government and municipal bonds. The CUSIP system facilitates the clearing and settlement process of securities and is essential to a well functioning market.

Outside the US, the International Securities Identification Number (ISIN) uniquely identifies a security, as defined by ISO 6166. Securities for which ISINs are issued include bonds, commercial paper, stocks, options, derivatives, and futures. The ISIN code serves for the uniform identification of a security in trading and settlement. Another analogous identifier used in the UK and Ireland is SEDOL (Stock Exchange Daily Official List), a list of security identifiers used for clearing purposes, and embedded in the security’s ISIN.

Think of APX EIN as the CUSIP or ISIN/SEDOL number for environmental instruments markets.

These standards provide a necessary and additional level of detail in financial and transactional communications and transparency, which will facilitate greater efficiency in environmental markets. For more on UPNs and EINs download our FAQ document.

To learn more about APX Environmental Management Account™, using APX UPNs and APX EINs, please visit www.emaccount.com.

SWIFT Supported

The standards are supported by SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication), the leader in standards and messaging for the financial services industry. SWIFT is a member-owned cooperative that provides the communications platform, products and services to connect over 8,500 banking organizations, securities institutions and corporate customers in more than 200 countries.

SWIFT enables its users to exchange automated, standardized financial information securely and reliably, thereby lowering costs, reducing operational risk and eliminating operational inefficiencies. SWIFT also brings the financial community together to work collaboratively to shape market practice, define standards and debate issues of mutual interest.