Emissions trading and its potential impact on the Valley will be the subject of a public forum hosted by Loy Yang Power's Environment Review Committee tomorrow.

The forum will feature a presentation by head of Loy Yang Power's Emissions Trading Implementation Team, Richard Wrightson, followed by a panel discussion including Loy Yang Power CEO Ian Nethercote and Latrobe City CEO, Paul Buckley.

The Federal Government has announced plans to introduce an emissions trading scheme by 2010.

Mr Nethercote said economic modelling predicted the Latrobe Valley and the brown coal power industry would be severely impacted by the introduction of the government's `Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme'.

The forum will be held at Century Inn at 6pm. For catering purposes phone Loy Yang Power's Corporate Relations Group on 51732917.

Meanwhile the Institute for Regional Studies at Monash University Gippsland campus will hold a public lecture on Thursday that will look at the restructuring of the coal mining regions in Europe.

The lecture is taking place in light of discussions about the future of the coal mining industry in the Latrobe Valley.

The lecture will examine the changing profile of coal in the European energy system and analyse the policy responses in different national and regional contexts.

The lecture will conclude by speculating on the lessons of the European experience for Australia and in particular for Gippsland.

Professor John Tomaney will deliver the lecture.

``There are potential synergies between the European experience and the possible impacts on the Gippsland coal-based power industry, but the learning can be applied here to minimise any negative outcomes,'' he said.

The lecture will be held at Monash University Gippsland at 5.30pm.

A symposium will be held at Monash Gippsland the following day to address similar issues.