Global mitigation of non-CO2 greenhouse gases: marginal abatement costs curves and abatement potential through 2030

Abstract

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) other than carbon dioxide (CO2) play an important role in the effort to understand and address global climate change. Approximately 25% of Global warming potential-weighted GHG emissions in the year 2005 comprise the non-CO2 GHGs. The report, Global Mitigation of Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases: 2010–2030 provides a comprehensive global analysis and resulting data-set of marginal abatement cost curves that illustrate the abatement potential of non-CO2 GHGs by sector and by region. The basic methodology – a bottom-up, engineering cost approach – builds on the baseline non-CO2 emissions projections published by EPA, applying abatement options to the emissions baseline in each sector. The results of the analysis are MAC curves that reflect aggregated breakeven prices for implementing abatement options in a given sector and region. Among the key findings of the report is that significant, cost-effective abatement exists from non-CO2 sources with abatement options that are available today. Without a price signal (i.e. at $0/tCO2e), the global abatement potential is greater than 1800 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. Globally, the energy and agriculture sectors have the greatest potential for abatement. Among the non-CO2 GHGs, methane has the largest abatement potential. Despite the potential for project level cost savings and environmental benefits, barriers to mitigating non-CO2 emissions continue to exist. This paper will provide an overview of the methods and key findings of the report.