To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must satisfy generic and specialist knowledge requirements relevant to the products and activities in which advice is given.
Generic knowledge
analyse and provide an overview of the economic environment including:
characteristics and impact of economic and business cycles
interest rates and exchange rates
inflation
government monetary and fiscal policy
analyse and provide a detailed explanation of the operation of financial markets including:
roles played by intermediaries and issuers
structure and interrelationships within the financial markets
interrelationship between industry sectors
outline financial products including:
concept of a financial product: general definition, and specific inclusions and exclusions
types of financial investment products
types of financial risk products.
Specialist knowledge
describe types of regulated emissions units, and their characteristics (encompassing carbon units, Australian carbon credit units (ACCU) and eligible international emissions units), including their status as personal property, and how they are typically derived from inception to the point of acquiring status as a financial product
analyse risks associated with each type of regulated emission unit, including restrictions on their use, transfer and bankability for future use
describe risk characteristics and mitigating strategies relative to regulated emissions including:
regulatory risk
documentation risk
market and pricing risk
fraud
emerging market risk
counterparty risk
explain processes for acquiring, transferring and surrendering regulated emissions units, including compliance with the requirements of the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units
analyse and summarise key features of the operation of carbon markets including:
geopolitical context of carbon markets
main participants in carbon markets, and their key objectives and participation behaviours as factors influencing market activity
emissions unit supply and demand factors and regulated price factors influencing market activity and prices
issue of carbon units via auction, and auction types
types of transactions in carbon markets, including transactions relating to the carbon pricing mechanism and in voluntary markets, and the function of financial markets facilitating such trading including internationally
potential trading strategies and their implementation in carbon markets including hedging and investment strategies
risks associated with carbon markets including liquidity, pricing, credit, operational and regulatory risks
carbon market transaction documentation including documentation used for different types of counterparties and transactions, their key terms and conditions, and advantages and disadvantages
discuss the legal environment including disclosure and compliance covering:
domestic regulatory framework for the carbon pricing mechanism, including the role of the Clean Energy Regulator and the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units
domestic regulatory framework for the Carbon Farming Initiative, including the role of the Clean Energy Regulator and the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units
international regulatory framework for carbon trading, including the Clean Development Mechanism
relevant legal principles including Corporations Act, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Act and Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act
relationship between ethics and regulatory requirements (good faith, utmost good faith, full disclosure of remuneration and/or fees and any other conflicts of interest that may influence the adviser’s recommendation), and application of these requirements in professional practice
elements of the Registered Representatives Examination (where relevant)
Chi-X Australia or Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Operating Rules (where relevant)
outline taxation issues in relation to carbon emissions products and markets in which they operate, and deductibility of costs associated with regulated emissions units
outline strategy development in an emissions marketplace including:
evaluation of client objectives against risks
concept development and evaluation
explain theories of investment, portfolio management and management of investment and risk:
investment concepts and strategies
identification of types of risk
client risk profile.