A Comparative Study on the Implementation of CDM Projects in India

Since the Clean Development Mechanism(CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol was initiated,China and India have overwhelmingly led other developing countries regarding CDM projects development.A comparative study of the CDM in India and China is conducted as there are many similarities between both India and China with regard to the CDM implementation due to the fact that India is another major developing country with a large population and a potential source of GHG emissions rivaling China in the near future.Through examining the development of and legal issues for CDM projects in India,its experience and lessons regarding developing and managing CDM projects that China can critically learn are discussed.     

The clean development mechanism—catalyst for wide spread deployment of renewable energy technologies? or misnomer?

The (usually not professed) truth is that we are not destroying the planet due to lack of technology, but due to lack of application of technology. Indeed, opportunities exist for renewable energy technologies’ diffusion under the new climate change regime as they contribute to global sustainability through GHG mitigation and, they conform to national priorities by leading to the enhancement of local economic activity, capacities and infrastructure. The clean development mechanism (CDM), although is considered one of the global policy tools to contribute to sustainable development and technology transfer, has recently been criticised for its unequal distribution of projects across countries and for insufficiently being embedded in developing countries’ national energy context. In the above framework, this article presents the ENTTRANS approach, five indicative renewable energy technologies, and insights about a more effective application of CDM, which may be part of the international process striving towards sustainable development.     

China’s Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy:2006-2010

China achieved major progress in low-carbon development during the period of the 11th Five Year Plan (2006-2010). The increasing trend of energy intensity and carbon intensity of the economy as seen prior to 2005 was reversed to a sharp decreasing trend, leading to a 19% decrease in energy intensity and 21% decrease in carbon intensity in five years. The enhanced energy efficiency, mostly due to efficiency improvement in power and manufacturing sector, is the major driver of the decrease in carbon intensity of the economy. The development of renewable energy, despite its impressive growth rate, played a minor role because of its small share in the energy mix of the country. Energy con-sumption and energy-related carbon emissions per unit of area in building continued to grow at a lesser rate, which, combined with the fast growth of total building volume, led to fast growth in total energy consumption and carbon emissions in the sector. Similar trend is observed in the transportation sector whose total energy use and carbon emissions continued to grow fast despite slight improvement in energy efficiency. Agricultural energy use experienced a slight change and forestry made a major contribution to carbon sinks. Policy and institutional innovations helped build a solid system of rules for low-carbon development. Improving cost effectiveness of the system remains a major challenge for the next five year plan period.     

中国垃圾填埋气回收利用CDM项目现状与对策

根据最新数据,运用统计学方法,从总体情况、地理分布、国际比较、国外合作方和开发机构4个方面分析了当前我国垃圾填埋气回收利用CDM项目发展的现状：与其他类型CDM项目相比,垃圾填埋气回收利用项目规模小,估计年减排量少;项目签发量远少于设计估算的年减排量;年批准项目数增长快,项目主要分布在我国东部、中部地区及省会城市和计划单列市;相比其它类型的CDM项目,中国在垃圾填埋气回收利用CDM项目上位于全球第二位,而拉美国家占据优先;项目主要的国际合作方为欧盟国家。最后总结了项目开发发展中遇到的主要问题,并提出解决问题的多项政策建议     

China''''s CDM Policies and Their Development Implications:Major Concerns for CDM Implementation

Most CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) opportunities exist in some large industrializing developing countries. For instance, China is estimated to take 48% of the world potential for CDM project activities. In reality, however, the share by China over the CDM projects registered and CDM projects in the pipeline is less than 10% as of Auguest 2005. This paper will examine the reasons behind, as reflected in China's CDM policies. Further investigation will be made into the use of these policies to boost the country's sustainable development, the sustainable development implications and effects of these policies. In addition, it is noted that incompatibility of some other Chinese laws and policies can be responsible for the low level and slow pace of CDM implementation in China and some suggestions are offered for promoting CDM project activities in China. There also exist barriers at the international level that impedes implementation of CDM project activities. A conclusion is drawn that CDM policies in a developing country like China aim mainly at promotion of sustainable development and to a lesser extent the generation of CERs.     

Whither the CDM? Investment outcomes and future prospects

Following an abrupt fall in carbon credit prices, 2012 has witnessed a disinterest on behalf of investors in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). In this paper, we aim to take a step back and provide an assessment of the CDM through a careful analysis of 6 instrument evaluation criteria. Our study indicates that, despite the important number of projects developed under the CDM, the initial ambition of a scheme that would contribute to sustainable development in developing countries has not materialised. Moreover, the environmental integrity of numerous projects is seriously questioned. Given the interaction of the mechanism with other national policies, notably in the renewable sector, the search of carbon reduction opportunities does not lead to cost-effective abatements. If the CDM governance does not score really well in terms of predictability, the mechanism’s transparency is an example for the development of future climate and development policies at a multilateral level. Finally, the lack of consideration for the demand side of the offset mechanism seriously jeopardises the persistence of this instrument. Therefore, we recommend that any CDM reform considers the demand side, for instance through the setting of a guaranteed minimum price coupled with an obligation of repurchase. One cannot expect progress in host countries if new sources of demand for carbon credits are not rapidly created in developed countries.     

Low-carbon transitions in world regions: comparison of technological mitigation potential and costs in 2020 and 2030 through bottom-up analyses

This study focuses on low-carbon transitions in the mid-term and analyzes mitigation potentials of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2020 and 2030 in a comparison based on bottom-up-type models. The study provides in-depth analyses of technological mitigation potentials and costs by sector and analyzes marginal abatement cost (MAC) curves from 0 to 200 US $/tCO₂ eq in major countries. An advantage of this study is that the technological feasibility of reducing GHG emissions is identified explicitly through looking at distinct technological options. However, the results of MAC curves using the bottom-up approach vary widely according to region and model due to the various differing assumptions. Thus, this study focuses on some comparable variables in order to analyze the differences between MAC curves. For example, reduction ratios relative to 2005 in Annex I range from 9 % to 31 % and 17 % to 34 % at 50 US $/tCO₂ eq in major countries. An advantage of this study is that the technological feasibility of reducing GHG emissions is identified explicitly through looking at distinct technological options. However, the results of MAC curves using the bottom-up approach vary widely according to region and model due to the various differing assumptions. Thus, this study focuses on some comparable variables in order to analyze the differences between MAC curves. For example, reduction ratios relative to 2005 in Annex I range from 9 % to 31 % and 17 % to 34 % at 50 US /tCO₂ eq in 2020 and 2030, respectively. In China and India, results of GHG emissions relative to 2005 vary very widely due to the difference in baseline emissions as well as the diffusion rate of mitigation technologies. Future portfolios of advanced technologies and energy resources, especially nuclear and renewable energies, are the most prominent reasons for the difference in MAC curves. Transitions toward a low-carbon society are not in line with current trends, and will require drastic GHG reductions, hence it is important to discuss how to overcome various existing barriers such as energy security constraints and technological restrictions.     

可持续发展目标下的清洁发展机制项目评价

清洁发展机制（CDM）是《京都议定书》规定的发达国家和发展中国家之间项目级的合作机制，CDM项目的目标之一是促进发展中国家的可持续发展。在京都议定书最终生效的背景下．CDM项目的开发与能力建设成为热点。本文基于多目标决革理论。讨论CDM促进可持续发展与否的评价方法。以国际最新的研究为基础。作者构建了CDM项目可持续评价的指标化体系。建立了评价过程。并将其应用刭具体的案例——内蒙古辉腾锡勒风电CDM项目的评价中。研究可以为中国的CDM潜在项目的选择、比较和批准等实践活动提供定量的方法和思路。这对于中国成为CDM国际合作中的重要参与者以及促进中国的可持续发展都具有重要的意义。     

重庆市温室气体排放清单研究与核算

城市化进程所带来的大量能源消费和温室气体排放已成为制约城市健康快速发展的瓶颈因素,亟需进行定量核算和分析。开展温室气体清单研究对节能减排和低碳城市建设具有重要的理论和实践意义。本文以重庆市为案例,通过清单方法分析主要温室气体排放源和碳汇,考虑主要能源活动、工业、废弃物处置、农业、畜牧业、湿地过程和林业碳汇,核算排放总量和强度,剖析重庆温室气体排放结构和现状。结果显示:1997-2008年重庆市温室气体排放总量呈现出上升趋势,2008年比1997年增长了2.31倍,其中增长幅度较大的是一次能源消费过程、外购电力和工业非能源过程。此外,随着温室气体排放量的增加,单位产值温室气体排放量却呈现下降的趋势,反映重庆市温室气体排放控制取得了一定效果。最后根据重庆市温室气体排放结果进行分析,提出了改变能源结构和工业结构、提高能效和加强"森林重庆"建设等政策建议,为重庆市转型低碳经济发展提供参考。     

国际碳交易市场发展对中国的启示

中国是世界第二大温室气体排放国,是全世界核证减排量(CERs)一级市场上最大供应国,但在碳交易过程中却处在整个碳交易产业链的最低端,只是碳交易市场的参加者,碳交易市场规则的执行者.中国为全球碳交易市场创造的巨大减排量被发达国家以低价购买后,包装、开发成价格更高的金融产品在国外进行交易.作为世界上最大的排放权供应国之一,中国没有一个像欧美那样的国际碳交易市场,不利于争夺碳交易的定价权.本文具体阐述了国际主要的碳交易市场的交易主体、交易类型、交易数量、交易额等发展状况,通过分析归纳出现阶段国际碳交易市场的特点,并以此为基础将国内碳交易市场和国际碳交易市场进行比较得出中国碳交易市场现阶段存在的缺陷,相应的提出了完善中国碳交易市场的启示,即完善碳交易市场的制度建设,完善碳交易体系,加强对CDM项目开发的研究,调动金融机构参与碳交易的主动性,统一国内碳排放标准.     

A methodology for estimating health benefits of electricity generation using renewable technologies

At Copenhagen, the developed countries agreed to provide up to $100 bn per year to finance climate change mitigation and adaptation by developing countries. Projects aimed at cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will need to be evaluated against dual criteria: from the viewpoint of the developed countries they must cut emissions of GHGs at reasonable cost, while host countries will assess their contribution to development, or simply their overall economic benefits. Co-benefits of some types of project will also be of interest to host countries: for example some projects will contribute to reducing air pollution, thus improving the health of the local population.This paper uses a simple damage function methodology to quantify some of the health co-benefits of replacing coal-fired generation with wind or small hydro in China. We estimate the monetary value of these co-benefits and find that it is probably small compared to the added costs. We have not made a full cost-benefit analysis of renewable energy in China as some likely co-benefits are omitted from our calculations. Our results are subject to considerable uncertainty however, after careful consideration of their likely accuracy and comparisons with other studies, we believe that they provide a good first cut estimate of co-benefits and are sufficiently robust to stand as a guide for policy makers.In addition to these empirical results, a key contribution made by the paper is to demonstrate a simple and reasonably accurate methodology for health benefits estimation that applies the most recent academic research in the field to the solution of an increasingly important problem.     

Social cost of environmental pollution and application of counter measures through clean development mechanism: in the context of developing countries

The developing countries i.e., the non-Annex-I countries (parties to the Kyoto Protocol but not responsible to any reduction target yet) in the Kyoto Protocol whose economies are in transition are also allowed to reduce GHG emissions. Among these, the countries that have accepted the Kyoto Protocol may be benefited from CDM projects to promote sustainable development. The developed countries i.e., the Annex-I countries (that have signed the Kyoto Protocol & are responsible to have specific GHG emission reduction target) or the investing countries, in return, have privilege to purchase CER credits (in units equivalent to one tonne of CO₂ gas emission reduction) to meet the emission target as specified in the Kyoto Protocol. The key step in understanding about CDM is to grasp the concept of “baseline” and “additionality”. The “Baseline” is the emissions level that would have existed if a CDM project had not happened. The feature of an approved CDM project is that the planned reductions would not occur without the additional incentive provided by emission reduction credits; this concept is known as “Additionality”. According to environmental additionality concept, baseline emission minus project emission is equal to emissions reduction. “Investment Additionality,” ultimately rejected during negotiation of the “Marrakech Accords” and “Financial Additionality,” are the two important concepts. The concept of trading of CER matches to the idea of Pigovian tax (equal to the negative externality and which is considered one of the “traditional” means of bringing a modicum of market forces) in Economics, making pollution more costly to the polluter, as the polluters have negative cost since they save money by polluting; hence, there are supposed negative externalities associated with the market activity. Economic theory predicts that in an economy where the cost of reaching mutual agreement between parties is high and where pollution is diffuse, Pigovian tax will be an efficient way to promote the public interest and will lead to an improvement of the quality of life measured by the Genuine Progress Indicator and other human economic indicators, as well as higher gross domestic product growth. We can seek a level of pollution such that the marginal savings (MS) to one polluting unit from pollution (−MC) is equal to marginal damage (MD) from pollution over the entire population, since pollution is a public bad i.e., MS (x*) = ∑MD_i (x*) where ∑D_i (x) is the total damage. Though the responsibility of reduction in emission does not lie on the non-Annex-I countries, still effort of maintaining global emission balance can be expected equally from developed and developing countries. The responsibilities of Kyoto Protocol are (a) to reduce global GHG emissions, (b) to bring about sustainable development in the developing countries lie on above two groups since its effect on February 16, 2005. Different polluters have different costs of pollution control. The least costly way of controlling pollution from various sources that reflects different costs of pollution control making the set of environmental regulations to achieve the emission target at the lowest cost makes the regulation cost-effective. Though efficiency is not attainable for many regulations, cost-effectiveness is attainable.     

城市产业部门CO2排放三层次核算研究

城市是人类生产和生活的中心,超过75%的温室气体从城市产生,其中又以城市产业部门能源消费和工业过程非能源产生的CO2为主。本文基于投入产出模型,评价城市产业部门3个不同层次的CO2排放。以重庆为案例,核算其2002-2008年产业部门三个层次的CO2排放,包括能源消费直接排放、购买电力间接排放和全生命周期排放,并进行多层次对比。结果显示传统能源消耗和购买电力为对象的核算方法低估了产业部门CO2排放水平。2002-2008年,重庆各产业部门排放量逐年增加,碳排放强度整体呈现下降趋势。煤炭开采和洗选业、非金属矿采选业、非金属矿物制品业、电力、热力的生产和供应业,化学工业、金属冶炼及压延加工业、交通运输、仓储及邮电通讯业部门共7大行业是重庆碳排放的重点行业。部门交通设备制造业是重庆的优势产业,排放总量大,但是排放强度却相对较小,因此应大力发展该产业以促进重庆市低碳经济的发展。     

A test of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) for carbon emission and potential of renewable energy to reduce green house gases (GHG) in Malaysia

This study investigates the presence of environmental kuznets curve (EKC) for green house gases (GHG) measured by CO₂ emission in Malaysia for the period 1970 to 2011. The study also examines the potential of the renewable source of energy to contain GHG. The long-run significant positive coefficient of GDP indicates that the GHG are increasing with economic growth while the insignificant coefficient on GDP square rejects the EKC transition. These results indicate a high GDP level for the EKC turning point for Malaysia. Therefore, it can be stated that only economic growth cannot reverse the environmental degradation in Malaysia. The government should have to come up with some policy measures to achieve CO₂ emission reduction targets that Malaysia has pledged to achieve in Paris Submit (2015). The renewable energy production is found to have significant negative effect on CO₂ emission. So government should focus on the renewable source of energy production and should frame a special policy for renewable energy production.     

崇明岛中长期碳排放预测及其影响因素分析

为更好地推动崇明低碳生态岛的建设,在应用以自下而上的部门法为基础的区域范围温室气体排放评估核算方法,全面核算崇明岛能源消费及温室气体排放现状的基础上,应用LEAP模型,通过情景分析预测崇明岛中长期能源消费需求以及温室气体排放水平,并进一步应用对数平均指数法(LMDI)对影响崇明岛未来温室气体排放的主要因素进行了定量分析。研究表明:参考情景下,崇明岛能源消费总量从2010年的101万吨标煤增加到2050年的533万吨标煤,净碳足迹从2010年的238万吨CO2e增加到2050年的579万吨CO2e。崇明岛能源消费需求和碳排放增加的主要驱动因素是未来的经济发展、人口增长和生活水平的提高,但是通过一系列的优化,尤其是能源结构的变化和能耗强度的下降,减排情景下,崇明岛能源消费总量有可能在2039年左右达到峰值,并有望在2050年左右实现"零碳岛"的长期发展目标。结合定量分析的结论,进一步提出了实现崇明岛低碳发展中长期目标的可能性和重点发展领域。     

江苏省交通运输业能源消费碳排放及脱钩效应

通过自上而下的计算方法,测算了江苏省1995～2010年交通运输行业能源消费碳排放量和人均碳排放量,并结合行业自身发展特点,扩展了Kaya恒等式,运用LMDI分解法进行分解分析。同时,在上述基础上采用Tapio模型对江苏省交通碳排放与交通运输业经济发展的脱钩关系进行了探讨。研究发现:(1)江苏省交通碳排放量与人均碳排量均呈明显上升趋势,其中石油制品类能源消费碳排放表现突出;(2)正向驱动交通碳排放量增加的因素为经济产出、人口规模和产业结构,负向驱动因素为交通能源结构和交通能源强度。其中,拉动碳排放量增长的决定性因素是经济产出规模的扩大,而促使碳排放减少的主要因素是交通能源强度的降低,相对于正向驱动因素,负向驱动因素抑制交通碳排放增加作用有限;(3)交通碳排放量变化与运输业经济发展之间的脱钩状态以扩张负连接、扩张负脱钩和弱脱钩为主,脱钩关系总体呈先恶化后改善的趋势,但要完全实现两者的绝对脱钩,依然任重道远     

The impacts of local farming system development trajectories on greenhouse gas emissions in the northern mountains of Vietnam

The northern mountain region of Vietnam (NMR) is dominated by swidden/fallow farming systems. The fallow land of these systems is populated by small trees and bushes. Since the 1960s the government of Vietnam has tried to limit or stop swiddening and replace it with permanent upland agricultural fields, paddy, fruit trees and animal husbandry. Discussion in the policy debate and literature focuses on the impacts these changes have on local people’s livelihoods. There have been no attempts to evaluate the impact of these changes on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper examines the realities of current farming system changes taking place at the hamlet level and other changes that could take place due to government land use policies and extension programs. The paper answers the following questions: How could farming system changes influence net GHGs? Which farming system changes in the NMR, the trajectories of changes that are currently observed or those that would be followed if farmers adhere strictly to government policies and programs, will have a greater affect on the GHG contributions from agriculture in the region? Could ‘clean development mechanism’ (CDM) projects make a difference in the profitability of the pathways mentioned? Results show: (1) if farming systems in the NMR continue along currently observed change trajectories there will be increases in GHG emissions; (2) if the NMR farming systems change according to government policies and programs there will be a net sequestration of carbon in regrowing vegetation during the initial 20 years; (3) over the longer term, in areas where systems change to fit government policies, increased GHG emissions from other changes in the farming systems (e.g. increased paddy and increased pig raising in sties) will overtake the amounts of carbon sequestered in vegetation; (4) CMD projects only make a difference if (a) maximum biomass potential of regrowing fallow can be reached; (b) a favourable baseline is chosen; (c) timing and length of the accounting period is correct; and (d) farmers do not take compensatory action in response to government policies. Given these conditions it does not appear that currently envisioned clean development mechanisms would be beneficial to farmers in the NMR.     

Sustainability indicators for clean development mechanism projects in Vietnam

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is one of the flexible instruments of the Kyoto Protocol designed to combat climate change so as to bring advantages to developing countries and developed countries alike. Indeed, CDM projects have a two-fold objective: to offset greenhouse gas emissions and to contribute to sustainable development in the host country. However in many cases, the latter objective appears to be marginalized. This is at least partly due to the difficulties surrounding the definition and the measurement of sustainability, in particular in a developing country context. To assess CDM projects’ contribution to sustainable development in the host country, scholars and practitioners need adapted indicator sets. A set of indicators were developed by way of an iterative Delphi approach amongst selected Vietnamese experts. The Delphi approach allowed a systematic collection of the experts’ judgements on the sustainability indicators through a set of sequentially applied questionnaires, interspersed with feedback from earlier responses. This exercise resulted in the selection of a set of 36 indicators, which emphasise economic efficiency, public health and pollution issues. The exercise yielded a locally supported and context-specific set of sustainability indicators that will allow Vietnamese decision-makers to enhance the sustainability of the approved CDM projects. In the future this set should be continually improved through real-life application and further participation from local stakeholders. This study is a first step in a long-term process towards developing an adapted toolkit for sustainability assessment of CDM projects in Vietnam.     

CDM Projects under the Kyoto Protocol: A Methodology for Sustainability Assessment – Experiences from South Africa and Uruguay

Under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol, industrialised countries may finance greenhouse gases mitigation projects in developing countries. The Kyoto Protocol explicitly requires that the CDM shall assist developing countries to achieve sustainable development. However, a clear definition of sustainability for CDM projects is still debatable. MATA-CDM (Multi-Attributive Assessment of CDM Projects) is an approach that facilitates a quantitative assessment of potential projects regarding their contribution to sustainable development. This paper presents applications of MATA-CDM in two different countries. In South Africa, the application was done mainly for academic and demonstrative purposes, whereas in Uruguay it was implemented together with the responsible Designated National Authority (DNA). The work in both countries included the selection of sustainability criteria and measurable indicators. Experts weighted the criteria using personal interviews and a multi-stakeholder workshop. This method was applied to three potential CDM projects in South Africa and one in Uruguay. Results show that under the conditions of this study, the MATA-CDM approach yet fails to yield a perfect quantitative overall sustainability assessment of CDM projects but that several findings could be useful to further develop the approach with the aim to translate the vague term sustainable development to a mainstream project level. Valuable experience was in particular collected with different stakeholder processes to perform criteria weighting.     

CDM Project Activities in China＇s Iron and Steel Industry：Current Status,Barriers and Development Strategies

China is now facing huge pressure from both the domestic concern of energy security and the global community's call for emission reduction commitment. As one of the major energy consumers and greenhouse gas emitters, China's iron and steel industry has a huge clean development mechanism (CDM) potential. This article both quantitatively and qualitatively analyzes the current status of CDM project activities in the iron and steel industry in China, including characteristics of approved project types, applicable methodologies, and potential technology fields. From the perspective of project implementation, the article summarizes development barriers such as high investment risk, difficulty in project identification, strict requirements on PPDs, long registration waiting time, and etc. Policy suggestions are also put forwarded to help better promote the development of CDM projects in the iron and steel industry.