Reducing black carbon emissions from diesel vehicles in Russia: An assessment and policy recommendations

The paper assesses options and challenges of reducing black carbon emissions from diesel vehicles in Russia. Black carbon is a product of incomplete diesel combustion and is a component of fine particulate matter. Particulate matter emissions have adverse health impacts, causing cardiopulmonary disease and lung cancer; black carbon is also a large climate forcer. Black carbon emissions from Russian diesel sources affect not only the Russian territory but also contribute to overall pollution. This paper analyzes current ecological standards for vehicles and fuel, evaluates policies for emission reductions from existing diesel vehicle fleet, and assesses Russia's attempts to encourage the use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel. Based on best practices of black carbon emission reductions, this paper provides a number of policy recommendations for Russia.     

Migrants,land markets and carbon emissions in Jambi,Indonesia: Land tenure change and the prospect of emission reduction

Policies designed to reduce land-based carbon emissions require a good understanding of the complex connections between state-sanctioned concessions, forest conversion, informal land markets and migrants. Our case study in the peat forests of the Tanjung Jabung Barat (TanJaBar) regency of Jambi, Indonesia aimed to explore relations between four key stakeholder groups: the state, local communities, migrants, and state-sanctioned concessions. We hypothesized that current land use patterns are shaped by insecurity in formal forest tenure alongside informal land tenure arrangements with migrants. In analyzing the six two-way relationships between the four stakeholder groups, we found that interactions between the stakeholders have changed local norms and practice, causing land conflicts and contested claims that need to be explicitly addressed in efforts to reduce carbon emissions in TanJaBar. Relational concepts of land rights between migrants and local community leaders are informed by social identity, expectations of investment opportunities, insecure customary forest tenure and competing land use policies. Migrants act as intermediaries in shaping the land tenure system and shift the balance of power between local communities, the state, and business concessions. We conclude that effective and equitable implementation of national Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation+ (REDD+) programs will need to recognize underlying land ownership dynamics, power struggles and strategic positioning among stakeholders across scales. Obtaining free and prior informed consent (FPIC) from all relevant stakeholders is a major challenge given this complexity. Low emission development strategies will require recognition of a reality beyond large-scale concessions and traditional local communities.     

CO2 emissions from tropical drained peat in Sumatra,Indonesia

With the increasing use of tropical peatland for agricultural development, documentation of the rate of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions is becoming important for national greenhouse gas inventories. The objective of this study was to evaluate soil-surface CO₂ fluxes from drained peat under different land-use systems in Riau and Jambi Provinces, Sumatra, Indonesia. Increase of CO₂ concentration was tracked in measurement chambers using an Infrared Gas Analyzer (IRGA, LI-COR 820 model). The results showed that CO₂ flux under oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations ranged from 34?±?16 and 45?±?25 Mg CO₂ ha^–1 year^–1 in two locations in Jambi province to 66?±?25 Mg CO₂ ha^–1 year^–1 for a site in Riau. For adjacent plots within 3.2 km in the Kampar Peninsula, Riau, CO₂ fluxes from an oil palm plantation, an Acacia plantation, a secondary forest and a rubber plantation were 66?±?25, 59?±?19, 61?±?25, 52?±?17 Mg ha^–1 year^–1, respectively, while on bare land sites it was between 56?±?30 and 67?±?24 Mg CO₂ ha^–1 year^–1, indicating no significant differences among the different land-use systems in the same landscape. Unexplained site variation seems to dominate over land use in influencing CO₂ flux. CO₂ fluxes varied with time of day (p?<?0.001) with the noon flux as the highest, suggesting an overestimate of the mean flux values with the absence of night-time measurements. In general, CO₂ flux increased with the depth of water table, suggesting the importance of keeping the peat as wet as possible.     

Spatial and temporal variability of greenhouse gas emissions from rural development land use operations

Climate change objectives of mitigation and adaptation are being mainstreamed into many policies and strategies around the world. In Europe, this has included the Rural Development Programme, which aims to tackle multiple social, economic and environmental objectives in rural areas, and the integration of climate change objectives adds another strand of complexity to the decision making process. When formulating policies determining the likely effectiveness of any particular measure can be challenging, especially with respect to the spatial and temporal variability of greenhouse gas emissions. This is a challenge faced by all countries and regions around the world. This study uses Europe as an example to explore this issue. It highlights the variability in emissions from land use operations that may be encountered under different conditions and time horizons and considers this in the context of policy formulation. The Optimal Strategies for Climate change Action in Rural Areas software has been adapted to derive net greenhouse gas emissions for rural development operations for all regions in Europe. Operations have been classified into five categories based on their benefit/burden over different time horizons. The analysis shows that it is important to understand the time period over which benefits or burdens are realised and determine how this fits with policy instruments, such as land management agreements and the permanency of actions. It also shows that in some regions an operation can have benefits, but in other regions it has burdens; thus, location can be critical. Finally, in the context of developing operations to meet multiple social, economic and environmental objectives, it is important to acknowledge that seeking options that only reduce emissions may not always be practical or possible. In some instances, we may have to accept an increase in emissions in order to meet other objectives. It is important that we evaluate the net greenhouse gas emissions of all operations, not just those aimed at climate change mitigation. We can then select those with the least burden in the process of developing optimal solutions to meet multiple objectives.     

Climate policy integration in the land use sector: Mitigation,adaptation and sustainable development linkages

This article re-conceptualizes Climate Policy Integration (CPI) in the land use sector to highlight the need to assess the level of integration of mitigation and adaptation objectives and policies to minimize trade-offs and to exploit synergies. It suggests that effective CPI in the land use sector requires i) internal climate policy coherence between mitigation and adaptation objectives and policies; ii) external climate policy coherence between climate change and development objectives; iii) vertical policy integration to mainstream climate change into sectoral policies and; iv) horizontal policy integration by overarching governance structures for cross-sectoral coordination. This framework is used to examine CPI in the land use sector of Indonesia. The findings indicate that adaptation actors and policies are the main advocates of internal policy coherence. External policy coherence between mitigation and development planning is called for, but remains to be operationalized. Bureaucratic politics has in turn undermined vertical and horizontal policy integration. Under these circumstances it is unlikely that the Indonesian bureaucracy can deliver strong coordinated action addressing climate change in the land use sector, unless sectoral ministries internalize a strong mandate on internal and external climate policy coherence and find ways to coordinate policy action effectively.     

Linking the emissions trading schemes of Europe and China - Combining climate and energy policy instruments

Both Europe and China have announced targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction and renewable energy development. To achieve their emissions targets, Europe has introduced emissions trading scheme (ETS) since 2005 and China has planned to establish a national ETS in 2015. We assess the impact of a joint Europe-China ETS when both climate and energy policy instruments are simulated in a multiregional general equilibrium model. Our results show that a joint ETS markedly increases total carbon emissions from fossil fuels even though global mitigation costs are reduced. Moreover, a joint ETS helps China achieve its renewable energy target, but for Europe, it works opposite. While the renewable energy target does not help Europe achieve additional abatement, the renewable energy target in China reduces mitigation costs and emissions, and increases renewable energy consumption and sales of carbon allowances. Financial transfer through a joint ETS remains marginal compared to China’s demand for renewable energy subsidies. We conclude that as long as an absolute emissions cap is missing in China, a joint ETS is not attractive for mitigation and China’s renewable energy target can reduce emissions.     

Impacts of agri-environmental policy on land use and nitrogen leaching in Finland

Agri-environmental policies are challenging to be evaluated since they are often implemented in combination with other policies and regulations affecting agriculture. Also input and output markets affect agriculture. We provide impact assessment of agri-environmental scheme implemented in Finland 2007–2013 based on integrated economic and hydrological modelling and counterfactual scenarios. Development of crop specific fertilisation and land use changes, simulated using a multi-regional economic sector model, is included in a nutrient leaching model implemented in a typical agricultural region. Our results on agricultural production, land use, and nitrogen leaching show that the agri-environmental policy successfully mitigates nutrient leaching in intensive production regions but some mitigation potential is lost in less intensive regions.     

Gender influences decisions to change land use practices in the tropical forest margins of Jambi,Indonesia

This study explores the role of gender as a factor in decision making about alternative land use options and in responses to new investment opportunities, which has received little attention to date. An observational study to determine the different factors affecting male and female decisions to change land use at the individual level in a forest margin landscape in Jambi (Sumatra, Indonesia) was combined with a set of role playing games (RPGs) designed to assess participant responses in a simulated social setting of women-only and men-only groups. The RPG included simulated agents offering new opportunities to convert or conserve agroforest. In the study area, rubber (Hevea braziliensis) agroforests that support high biodiversity and carbon storage are giving way to monoculture rubber and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations. When women from both the upland and lowland villages played the RPGs, external investors proposing logging or oil palm conversion were approached very positively and the resulting land use change was more dynamic and extensive than in the equivalent men-only groups. Consequently, women outperformed men in achieving income targets. In lowland areas gender is strongly associated with land use change, while in the uplands the level of conservation awareness plays a more crucial role in the maintenance of rubber agroforests. Based on the data, and contrary to expectations and gender stereotypes, it is expected that the greater involvement of women in landscape level decision making will increase emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in the area, posing further challenges to efforts to reduce such emissions.     

基于NPP-VIIRS夜间灯光的长株潭地区县域土地利用碳排放空间分异研究

从县域尺度开展土地利用碳排放空间分异研究,对指导区域实现碳达峰及碳中和目标具有重要意义.基于2013-2019年NPP-VIIRS夜间灯光数据测算长株潭地区县域土地利用碳排放,并运用探索性空间数据分析和地理探测器,对长株潭地区县域土地利用碳排放空间分异特征及影响因素进行分析.结果 显示:①2013-2019年,长株潭地...     

Regulating carbon emissions from indirect land use change (ILUC): U.S. and California case studies

As lifecycle emissions accounting becomes more widely used in policy, it is important to understand how it has been applied. This paper analyses policy-making for two U.S. fuel regulations—the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS)—that were pioneering not only in using life cycle assessment (LCA) in performance-based environmental regulations, but especially for including emissions from indirect land use change (ILUC). The case studies in this paper focus, in particular, on the decision to include ILUC in lifecycle emissions accounting. Tracing the development of these policies shows the key role of environmental policy entrepreneurs in advocating for ILUC emissions accounting during policy formulation. Moreover, it highlights a paradox in the use of science: although ILUC policy proponents were motivated by best available research, they were also politically enabled by scientific uncertainty and lack of understanding. Understanding this political dimension of decision-making is valuable for scholars as well as practitioners facing similar decisions.     

Relationships of ozone formation sensitivity with precursors emissions, meteorology and land use types, in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, China

Due to the influences of precursors emissions, meteorology, geography and other factors, ozone formation sensitivity(OFS) is generally spatially and temporally heterogeneous. This study characterized detailed spatial and temporal variations of OFS in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area(GBA) from 2012 to 2016 based on OMI satellite data, and analyzed the relationships of OFS with precursors emissions, meteorology and land use types(LUTs). From 2012 to 2016, the OFS tended to be NO x-limite...     

Reducing emissions from in-use vehicles: an evaluation of the Phoenix inspection and maintenance program using test results and independent emissions measurements

Various federal regulations require states to evaluate the effectiveness of their vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs in reducing in-use emissions. One method to evaluate program effectiveness is to compare initial and final program test results of individual vehicles. Unscheduled emissions measurements, from remote sensing measurement or roadside pullover testing, can also be used to provide an independent assessment of program effectiveness. We compared emissions reductions from the Arizona IM240 program measured by program data and a large set of remote sensing measurements. Remote sensing measurements indicate smaller emission reductions from the program than those calculated directly from program test results. We discuss some possible causes of the differences obtained from the two sets of measurements.     

Social dilemmas,policy instruments,and climate adaptation measures: the case of green roofs

Green roofs contribute to both climate change adaptation and mitigation. Promoting green roofs is thus a key element in urban strategies to address climate change. How to actually promote green roofs, however, has so far proven elusive: attempts to link specific policy instruments to a more or less successful diffusion of green roofs have been few and far between. The present paper relies on institutional economics to advance the present understanding of the link between policy instruments and green roofs. It argues that different green roofs are confronted with different social dilemmas, and thus require different policy instruments. Specifically, small green roofs face a free-rider problem, which is best addressed through regulations and incentives. Large green roofs face instead a collective action problem, which is best addressed through communications and network-building. This perspective is tested empirically through a comparative analysis of 18 global cities on the forefront in the promotion of green roofs. The policy instruments observed in these cities match with the theoretical expectations laid down in the paper. Implications emerge for both policy and research.

     

Greenhouse gas emissions from nitrogen fertilizer use in China

The use of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizers is an important driver of energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in China. This paper develops a GHG emission factor for synthetic N fertilizer application in China. Using this emission factor, we estimate the scale of GHG emissions from synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use in Chinese agriculture and explore the potential for GHG emission reductions from efficiency improvements in N fertilizer production and use. The paper concludes with a discussion on costs and financing for a large-scale fertilizer efficiency improvement program in China, and how a GHG mitigation framework might contribute to program design.     

The impacts of land use policy on the soil erosion risk: a case study in central Belgium

Set-aside programs of the European government have a double impact on the regional soil erosion risk in agricultural regions: (1) there is less area susceptible to soil erosion and (2) fields with a high erosion rate are preferably taken out of production resulting in a decrease of the average erosion risk. In order to quantify this double effect an inquiry among farmers in central Belgium was set up to find out which fields are preferably taken out of production. A statistical analysis pointed out that fields with a weak slope gradient, a loamy topsoil and good soil drainage have a low probability of being taken out of production. The results of the questionnaire were used to construct a transition probability map representing for each field the probability that it will be taken out of production. These transition probabilities were used to simulate the decrease in regional erosion risk for different scenarios. The outcome of these simulations suggests that there is a negative power relation between the set-aside percentage and the regional soil erosion risk.     

Livestock-related greenhouse gas emissions: impacts and options for policy makers

Research shows that livestock account for a significant proportion of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and global consumption of livestock products is growing rapidly. This paper reviews the life cycle analysis (LCA) approach to quantifying these emissions and argues that, given the dynamic complexity of our food system, it offers a limited understanding of livestock's GHG impacts. It is argued that LCA's conclusions need rather to be considered within a broader conceptual framework that incorporates three key additional perspectives. The first is an understanding of the indirect second order effects of livestock production on land use change and associated CO₂ emissions. The second compares the opportunity cost of using land and resources to rear animals with their use for other food or non-food purposes. The third perspective is need—the paper considers how far people need livestock products at all. These perspectives are used as lenses through which to explore both the impacts of livestock production and the mitigation approaches that are being proposed. The discussion is then broadened to consider whether it is possible to substantially reduce livestock emissions through technological measures alone, or whether reductions in livestock consumption will additionally be required. The paper argues for policy strategies that explicitly combine GHG mitigation with measures to improve food security and concludes with suggestions for further research.     

Can integrated control strategies for multiple emissions enhance cost-efficiency in environmental policy?: Evidence from Sweden

The aim of this paper is to clarify the magnitude of the sub-optimization cost associated with separate control strategies for compliance with the Swedish environmental quality objectives. The marginal reduction costs are estimated using a separate and an integrated version of a deterministic linear programming model. To investigate whether the accuracy of the data is decisive for the result of this study, an extensive sensitivity analysis that deals with both the disparity in discount rates in data and the different types of measures, is carried out in four steps. It can be concluded that the results are robust for possible and probable faults in data. The main findings are that there are no substantial sub-optimization costs for separate control strategies for CO₂, NO_X and SO₂, but an integrated action strategy could imply enhanced cost-efficiency in reductions of VOC and particles.     

鄂南4种典型土地利用方式红壤CO2排放及其影响因素

以湖北省咸宁地区分布的红壤为研究对象,采用静态箱法对4种典型土地利用方式（水稻-油菜轮作田,旱地,林地,果园）土壤CO₂的排放特征及其相关影响因子进行了观测研究.结果表明,4种利用方式土壤CO₂的年排放总量从高到低分别为水稻-油菜轮作田1 129 g/(m²·a),果园828 g/(m²·a),旱地632 g/(m²·a),林地533 g/(m²·a).土壤CO₂排放通量呈现明显的季节性变异,水田夏季淹水期排放低,而其它3种土壤都是夏季最高,春秋次之,冬季最低,并与对应的大气温度、土壤温度变化趋势基本一致.其中5 cm地温与4种土壤CO₂排放通量均成极显著的相关关系,且以林地的相关性最大.除水田外,其它土壤CO₂排放通量与大气温度均呈显著正相关关系.根据5 cm地温与CO₂排放通量的相关方程计算得出,4种利用方式红壤的Q₁₀分别为水田1.51,果园1.88,林地2.08,旱地2.7.土壤CO₂排放通量与土壤WFPS之间并没有明显的相关关系.土壤可溶性有机碳（DOC）含量与CO₂排放通量的变化趋势基本一致,且DOC在降水或淹水的情况下显著增大.     

Monitoring catchment scale agricultural pollution in Norway: policy instruments,implementation of mitigation methods and trends in nutrient and sediment losses

Agricultural management and losses of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and suspended sediments (SS) from eight small (85–2830 ha) catchments in Norway were analysed. The catchments represent areas with different agricultural production systems, soils and climate. Results from the long-term (9–16 years) in-stream monitoring show (i) large differences in levels of losses between the catchments, (ii) large interannual variability and (iii) few time-trends in losses. These results are discussed in relation to changes in agricultural policies and the implementation of soil management practices, such as reduced autumn-ploughing, catch crops, constructed wetlands and changes in nutrient application. Overall, these data demonstrate changes in farmer behaviour driven by economic incentives in combination with active extension services stimulating environmental friendly management practices. However, despite the increased implementation of mitigation methods by farmers, improvements in water quality at the catchment scale can be attenuated. More long-term monitoring programmes are clearly required.