Climate Change Commitments Research Articles

Health impact of policies to reduce agriculture-related air pollutants in the UK: The relative contribution of change in PM2.5 exposure and diets to morbidity and mortality

Food systems can negatively impact health outcomes through unhealthy diets and indirectly through ammonia emissions originating from agricultural production, which contribute to air pollution and consequently cardiovascular and respiratory health outcomes. In the UK, ammonia emissions from agriculture have not declined in the same way as other air pollutants in recent years. We applied a novel integrated modelling framework to assess the health impacts from six ammonia reduction scenarios to 2030: two agriculture scenarios – a “Current trends” scenario projecting current mitigation measures to reflect a low ambition future, and “High ambition mitigation” based on measures included in the Climate Change Committee's Balanced Pathway to Net Zero; three dietary scenarios – a “Business as usual” based on past trajectories, “Fiscal” applying 20% tax on meat and dairy and 20% subsidy on fruit and vegetables, and “Innovation” applying a 30% switch to plant-based alternatives; one combination of “High ambition mitigation” and “Innovation”. Compared to “Current trends”, the “High ambition mitigation” scenario would result in a reduction in premature mortality of 13,000, increase life years by 90,000 and reduce incidence of respiratory diseases by 270,000 cases over a 30 year period. Compared to Business as Usual, the dietary scenarios would reduce the number of premature deaths by 65,000 and 550,000–600,000 life years gained over 30 years, with most of the benefits gained by reducing ischemic heart disease (incidence reduction: 190,000). The “High ambition combination” would lead to 67,000 deaths averted, 536,000 incidence reductions and 650,000 life-years gained. For all scenarios, older age groups and those living in lower income households would experience the greatest benefits, because of higher underlying mortality rates or higher levels of risk factors. Our study shows that combining mitigation policies targeting agricultural production systems with diet-related policies would lead to significant reductions in emissions and improvement in health outcomes.

Environmental impact assessment of different power generation strategies in Oman: A comparative life-cycle analysis

This paper presents a comparative environmental impact assessment considering different power generation strategies in Oman. The Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, and the OpenLCA tool, were employed in carrying out comprehensive analysis, and evaluation of the various environmental aspects in filling the research gap, by replacing conventional diesel generators with natural gas alternatives in Oman. The obtained results indicate that utilizing natural gas significantly reduces environmental impacts, including a decrease in global warming potential to 2.27 million kg CO2 eq, fossil fuel depletion to 34.5 million kg oil-eq, and ozone depletion to 0.13 kg CFC-11 eq. This study would help in policy decision-making to support a potential shift in power generation system, transitioning from the current use of diesel generator sets to flared produced Natural Gas across crude oil processing plants. Thus, mitigating operational cost, and improving efficiencies, for sustainable developments. Another salient part of this study is the implementation of more sustainable energy practices that supports the broader application of LCA in evaluating industrial environmental impacts. Furthermore, the results obtained in this work are in line with recent global climate change commitments and Oman's Vision 2040, in achieving cleaner energy sources to minimize environmental harm in the oil and gas sector.

The impact of renewable energy, eco-innovation, and GDP growth on CO2 emissions: Pathways to the UK's net zero target

In May 2019, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommended that the UK adopt a net-zero target, aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 100% from the 1990s baseline by 2050. The government accepted the recommendation, and the UK became the first major economy to establish a net-zero emissions law. To progress towards its climate objectives, the government took several initiatives, such as increasing its reliance on renewable energy sources and investing in climate mitigation technologies, which are commonly referred to as process eco-innovation. This study examines the impact of eco-innovation, process eco-innovation, renewable energy consumption, and economic growth on CO2 emissions in the UK using data from 1988 to 2020. We used the ARDL bound test with an error correction model (ECM) to examine the long-run and short-run cointegration between the variables of concern. We found that eco-innovation, process eco-innovation, and renewable energy consumption have significant roles in mitigating CO2 emissions, while economic growth contributes to environmental degradation in the UK. We also found that the effect of eco-innovation on CO2 emissions abatement is stronger than that of process eco-innovation in the short and long-run. Our robustness tests have confirmed the accuracy of those findings. In addition, the results from the Toda-Yamamoto causality revealed a one-way causality from process eco-innovation to CO2, renewable energy to CO2, and eco-innovation to CO2 emissions. Further, a bidirectional causality was found between GDP and CO2 emissions. The evidence presented in this paper provides great insight for shaping the energy policy in the UK and for establishing the climate budget in line with the country's net-zero target.

Achieving decarbonization considering green hydrogen production: Case study of Oman

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method is employed to study and mitigate negative environmental impacts using various approaches via OpenLCA software. This paper investigates the LCA of green hydrogen gas production from produced water in Oman, using the Activated Sludge Method (ASM) and Fluidized-Bed Bioreactor (FBB), as treatment technologies. Different scenarios were considered, utilizing the ReCiPe midpoint impact method over 100 years, to evaluate global warming potential (GWP100), fossil depletion potential (FDP), and water depletion (WDP). The objective is to compare and evaluate the sustainability of Dark Fermentation (DF) and Electrolysis methods for hydrogen gas production from both treatment technologies to achieve Oman's Vision 2040. The DF method involves utilizing sludge from both primary and secondary treatment stages, while the Electrolysis method uses the tertiary treatment stage. Results show that using 50 % (15,000 m³/day) of the flow for hydrogen production, the DF yields 60,000 kg of H2/day, while the electrolysis method produces 833,333 kg of H2/day. This difference arises because the DF method depends on sludge production, impacting hydrogen gas production, whereas, the electrolysis method relies entirely on treated water. Both processes significantly impact GWP100. Incorporating solar power for ASM and FBB, as a green energy source, reduces CO2 emissions by 7560.28 kg CO2-eq for DF and 8245.18 kg CO2-eq for electrolysis. This study provides a novelty application, which contributes to advancing sustainability practices through evaluating the environmental impacts of using produced water for green hydrogen production in waste-to-energy and advocates for energy policy making regarding recent climate change commitments.

Determinants of companies' commitment to climate change: Evidence based on European listed companies

Climate change is a highly topical issue, and companies are increasingly required to report on their climate actions. This study assesses the influence of several factors affecting the companies' commitment towards climate change mitigation, adaptation, and transparency (i.e. CDP Integrtaed Performance Score). Therefore, by analysing the determinants of climate change commitment, the research aims to provide evidence and further insights on companies' responsiveness to climate challenges. Data are collected from Bloomberg's ESG database, and multiple linear regression analysis is performed on a sample of 3000 European‐listed companies responding to the carbon disclosure project (CDP) questionnaire. The results show that CDP Integrated Performance Score is associated with greenhouse gas emissions disclosure, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) compliance, the presence of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) committee and women on board, the number of employees, board and firm size. By contrast, assurance and ROE are non‐significant determinants for our sample. This study contributes to the existing research on climate change disclosure providing further insights on companies' climate change action. The findings are valuable for managers and regulators in promoting sustainability strategies and improving environmental performance and climate transparency.

Climate policy as social policy? A comprehensive assessment of the economic impact of climate action in the UK

AbstractCo-benefits are central to the case for climate action but are side-lined in many economic analyses. This paper presents an evaluation of three dimensions of the costs and benefits of climate change interventions in six urban regions of the UK. Findings indicate that meeting the UK’s 2033–2037 climate targets could yield £164 billion in total benefits. Notably, only 13% of these benefits are financial, in contrast to the 79% of which are social benefits. These social benefits include improvements in public health, reduced traffic congestion, and increased thermal comfort in homes. These results underscore the need for economic evaluations to expand their scope and move beyond the narrow financial cost–benefit analysis that predominates. Moreover, the magnitude of the social benefits underscores the need for integrating social and climate challenges in policymaking. Concurrently, the results demonstrate the sensitivity of the social benefits of climate actions to the normative aspects of empirical analysis. Determining whether emissions reductions in the transport sector, for example, should be achieved through the deployment of electric cars, expansion of public transport, and/or increases in walking and cycling requires both technical analysis and value-based decision making. Ensuring that decision-making processes are deliberate and transparent in empirical analysis is therefore critical. We conclude by suggesting that institutions such as the UK Climate Change Committee and Scottish Climate Intelligence Service should take the opportunity to be more explicit in the normative decisions embedded in their empirical work to demonstrate best practice for the wider research community.

A perspective on the significance of reporting climate change adaptation information to the united nations framework convention on climate change

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the centre of the global policy response to climate change. The Paris Agreement, a legally binding treaty under the UNFCCC, has located climate change adaptation as a critical component of the global response to climate change. The Paris Agreement also establishes an enhanced transparency framework to track progress towards Parties climate change commitments. However, the UNFCCC has consistently maintained a marked difference in provisions for reporting climate change adaptation and climate change mitigation. Consequently, reporting on climate change adaptation lags far behind in detail when compared to that for reporting on climate change mitigation. Using literature review as the main method of analysis, this paper aims to understand the underlying factors that have resulted in the lack of specificity of reporting provisions of the UNFCCC for climate change adaptation and the consequences of non-mandatory provisions for reporting on climate change adaptation on national and global adaptation practice. The paper then highlights the benefits of regular reporting of climate change adaptation to the UNFCCC. It makes important contribution to the growing literature on global environmental governance, especially on national reporting of adaptation information, an under-studied and a poorly understood field.

The impact of banks’ climate engagement on systemic risk. Does committing a little or a lot make a difference?

We investigate the relationship between climate change commitment and systemic risk using a sample of 211 international banks over the period 2011–2020. We hypothesize that banks that are more committed to climate change, which is measured by a score scale provided by the Carbon Disclosure Project, contribute less to systemic risk. Furthermore, we expect that banks that slip into the lowest score category by not even providing sufficient information on their climate change activity (“worst rating”), and banks that reduce their commitment along the climate change score scale will increase their exposure to systemic risk (“downgrade” effect). The results confirm all our hypotheses. Banks’ commitment to climate change is an important driver of systemic risk, and the level of this commitment also matters. We demonstrate the effectiveness of climate change management in reducing a bank’s contribution to the overall financial crisis and thereby increasing financial stability. Our study confirms the importance of the efforts to combat climate change for the benefit of financial stability.

CEO gender and climate change commitment: The mediating effect of environmental regulation perception

AbstractThis study delves into the influence of CEO gender on climate change commitment within SMEs in the Mediterranean region. Utilizing data from the sixth wave of the BEEPS survey (2018–2020), we explore the mediating role of environmental regulation perception in this context. Our findings align with social role theory, indicating that women demonstrate heightened ecological and communal behavior, driven by their perception of environmental regulations. We reveal a full mediation link within the EU Mediterranean region, where environmental regulation perception explains women's commitment to environmental causes. However, in the EU neighborhood, we identify a direct significant effect of CEO gender on SMEs' engagement with climate change, particularly in terms of controlling CO2 emissions. Our study sheds light on the limited presence of women in top management positions in the Mediterranean region. Additionally, we highlight the scarcity of environmental regulations for SMEs in the EU neighborhood, with the perception of these regulations as barriers hindering proactive climate change strategies. Therefore, governmental authorities need to develop more stringent environmental regulations while taking into account the financial capacities of SMEs. Providing ecological business education before implementing new regulations could also be beneficial. The study carries significant managerial and social implications, emphasizing the necessity of diverse leadership to promote sustainability and underscoring the importance of tailored regulatory initiatives for effective climate action.

Women, Climate Change and the Law: Lessons for Tanzania from an Analysis of African Nationally Determined Contributions

AbstractWomen experience climate change in different ways to men and are often disproportionately affected, highlighting the need for gender-focused climate initiatives. Strengthening laws and policies to address women's and gender issues is one way forward. Yet, less research attention has been given to women and gender in climate change law than in other issues. This article seeks to advance the field by exploring the relevant law, policy and governance commitments made by all African nations under the Paris Agreement. The findings indicate that most African nations include some gender-related commitments, but only a few include detailed legal initiatives ready for implementation. These more detailed initiatives are synthesized to identify a toolbox of options, which are then applied to Tanzania as a case study. This article contributes to the literature by comprehensively analysing the African climate change commitments and by making tangible recommendations for Tanzania.

Actors participation and power relations of REDD+ implementation in Bale Eco Region, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The study focuses on actor participation and power dynamics in the REDD+ project within the Bale eco-region, a vital facet of global climate policy for sustainable forest resource management. The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) of the World Bank supports developing countries in preparing for international REDD+ policy implementation, emphasizing the necessity of effective actor participation. The study uses text documents, Socio metric survey, and interviews with project actors and participants. This study employs both qualitative framework and social network analysis (SNA). While SNA looks at power dynamics and interactions between actors, the qualitative framework allows for a comprehensive evaluation of actor participation. The social network data was analyzed using an open source software called NodeXL. Results show that Bale eco-region REDD+ involves actors from different groups. Actors contribute to national strategies, funding, capacity building, and knowledge sharing. However, local communities have limited involvement in decision-making, lack knowledge sharing and capacity building. This hinders the implementation process and contributes to unequal power dynamics and lack the comprehensive input needed for effective and tailored strategies in the region. Calculated centrality values highlight a strong alliance among Ethiopia's national government entity overseeing REDD+ Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission (EFCCC), and the regional entities Oromiya Forest and Wildlife Enterprise (OFWI), as well as Farm Africa, indicating significant institutional power across national and local levels. EFCCC holds influence in decision-making and strategy development, while OFWI wields substantial regional institutional power in information control and collaboration. Thus, climate policies must prioritize involvement of local communities in decision-making, capacity development, and resource accessibility. This helps to tackle power imbalances through collaborative governance structures. It also enables stakeholders to actively manage forests through imparting skills, knowledge and share benefits equally.

Development of ambitious and realistic targets to reduce short-lived climate pollutant emissions in nationally determined contributions: case study for Colombia

Limiting global temperature increases to below 1.5 °C requires reductions in Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs), like methane, black carbon, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which is rarely reflected in targets within Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Colombia’s 2020 NDC is explored as a case study for how Governments can integrate SLCP mitigation targets into climate change commitments. Methane and HFC mitigation contribute approximately 9% of Colombia’s GHG reduction commitment, and a separate target is included to reduce black carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 2014 levels. These targets are shown to be ambitious, due to the inclusion of a new black carbon target, realistic due to the identification of mitigation measures to achieve them, and additional to CO2 mitigation. Analysis of the planning process establishing these targets emphasises the importance of long-term planning to obtain agreement between coordinating institutions and implementing institutions on the utility of SLCP targets, and capacity-building within national institutions.

Decarbonising the power sector of the Dominican Republic: An approach from electric mobility transition

The electrical power and land transportation systems of the Dominican Republic are facing significant challenges due to growing demand in both sectors. These two systems are responsible for around 62% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. With the deployment of electric mobility, the power and transport sectors can synergise and contribute significantly to long-term sustainable planning. This article analyses the impact of the penetration of electric mobility programmed by the Dominican Republic's National Institute of Transit and Land Transport (INTRANT), the country's goal of reducing GHG emissions by 27% by 2030 and the decarbonisation process. Using the open-source modelling system OSeMOSYS, four scenarios are built to explore strategies that contribute to sustainable development in the long term. Meeting climate change commitments necessitates that all coal-fired plants in the country will be closed or transformed by 2040. Despite the positive role of electric mobility in reducing GHG, decarbonising the electricity sector while facing the energy crisis requires investments totalling around 16 billion USD. Failing to make these investments will incur expenses of approximately 6 billion USD on the user's side in the period from 2024 to 2030 to cover energy needs; this figure represents more than 270% of the amount that should be invested in the electrical power system to supply these users' needs.

Air pollutant emissions and sources in Lao People’s Democratic Republic: a provincial scale analysis for years 2013-2019

Recent rapid economic development in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) has increased national fuel consumption, vehicle fleet, industrial output, waste generation, and agricultural production. This has contributed to national average ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollutant levels that are four times higher than World Health Organisation guidelines. Emission inventories are a key tool in understanding the major sources to these air pollution levels, and provide a starting point to identify where mitigation action can be targeted. A national air pollutant emission inventory has not been developed in Lao PDR and, combined with a limited air quality monitoring network means there is limited capacity to develop and track the effectiveness of mitigation actions. This study describes the first air pollutant emission inventory at the national and provincial scale for Lao PDR, covering 2013–2019. Emissions of nine air pollutants, and two greenhouse gases, were quantified using national statistics and international default emission factors. In 2019, national total PM2.5, Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Black Carbon (BC), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Non-Methane Volatile Organic Carbons (NMVOCs), and Ammonia (NH3) were 125, 83, 9.7, 26, 219, and 99 thousand tonnes respectively. Key source sectors include forest fires, residential cooking, agriculture, electricity generation, and transport. However, the contribution of different sources varies across provinces. Forest fires are the primary source determining the spatial trend of particulate air pollution while residential and agricultural emissions contribute more significantly to rural provinces such as Savannakhet. Key sectors in major urban provinces (Vientiane Capital and Xayaboury) are industry, transport and electricity generation. These sectors are also significant sources of greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4), demonstrating the potential for identification, evaluation and prioritisation of actions that simultaneously improve air quality and achieve Lao PDR’s international climate change commitments.

Investment Performance in Green Finance: Assessing the Impact of Environmental Social and Governance Integration

Stakeholder groups raise concerns regarding corporate commitment to climate change issues, as climate change is a big global problem. The impact of eco-innovation and climate governance on business climate change commitment is examined in this research. The pressure on manufacturing companies to become more ecologically conscious or "greener" is growing. This study investigates the function of comprehensive quality management and its impact on corporate sustainability, drawing on the resource-based view and sustainable development theory. This research also concentrated on the function of green innovation as a mediator. The intensity of eco-innovation, determined by dividing environmental expenses over revenues, is a score derived from the Eikon database indicating a company's ability to cut environmental costs. We also discover a positive correlation between climate change commitment and governance. We contend that businesses can mitigate climate change risks and possibilities by incorporating climate change problems into governance. According to our empirical research, managers and politicians should encourage the deployment of eco-innovative technology and include climate change issues in governance to increase business commitment to climate change.

Embedding deliberation: guiding the use of deliberative mini-publics in climate policy-making

ABSTRACT The use of deliberative mini-publics (DMPs), such as citizens’ assemblies, is becoming more common in climate policy-making across many countries. The upsurge of these methods reflects an acknowledgement of the need to engage the publics in policy choices that significantly impact their lives. Many DMPs to date have focused on the general challenge of decarbonization, across a range of policy areas. In this article, we first situate DMPs within the wider field of public engagement methods. We then draw from deliberative democratic theory and practice to argue that the next step for climate DMPs is to focus them on specific climate policy challenges and to embed and routinize their use in existing policy-making institutions. We present a case study of the targeted use of a climate DMP, which we designed and ran in partnership with the UK Climate Change Committee, focused on home energy decarbonization. We use this case study to explore barriers and challenges to embedding such an approach in climate policy-making institutions. Finally, we suggest ways that such challenges can be overcome and identify a number of tensions that must be navigated as DMPs become embedded in climate policy-making.

Net Zero requires ambitious greenhouse gas emission reductions on beef and sheep farms coordinated with afforestation and other land use change measures

CONTEXTThe UK Climate Change Committee has recommended a 64% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture and land-use sector to meet the 2050 Net Zero target in the UK. However, it is unclear how this reduction can be achieved at a farm level. OBJECTIVEUsing detailed real farm data and novel modelling approaches, we investigated the management interventions and afforestation that would be required to deliver Net Zero within the farm boundary. METHODSBaseline carbon footprints were calculated for twenty Welsh beef and sheep farms using the Agrecalc carbon calculator, whilst carbon sequestration was estimated using Bangor University's Carbon Footprinting Tool. Scenarios were created to determine the emissions reductions achievable on each farm through implementation of cost-effective mitigation measures. Mitigation measures and their abatement potentials were sourced from the most recent UK Marginal Abatement Cost Curve, which allow emissions to be reduced mostly through improvements in efficiency thus maintaining the production of the system. Area footprints were calculated for production, with and without offset (afforested) areas needed to achieve Net Zero. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONEmission reductions following the implementation of cost-effective mitigation measures averaged 28% across all farms, ranging from 19 to 35%. The woodland needed to offset the remaining emissions to achieve Net Zero ranged from 8 to 85% of the farm area, with an average 38%. This offset area was equivalent to on average 17.4 m2.yr kg−1 deadweight (carcass weight). Apparent area efficiency decreased when the offset area was accounted for, however, the ranking of farms in terms of efficiency was largely unaffected. Mitigation scenarios rely on several assumptions and these need to be refined to accurately inform Net Zero pathways. SIGNIFICANCEBased on the results for these study farms, our modelling indicates that even after implementation of ambitious mitigation across beef and sheep farms, large-scale land use change will be required to achieve Net Zero at an individual farm-level. However, this reform could lead to the unintended consequence of displacing production to less efficient systems and increase overall emissions.Instead, we advocate a combined approach of carbon and land footprints that could help to identify farms on which either food production or carbon removals should be prioritised to move the industry towards achieving Net Zero at a sectoral, regional or national level.

Treatment of uncertainty in determining the UK's path to Net Zero

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommended the UK's 2050 Net Zero target in 2019 and then the emissions pathway to this as part of its advice on the Sixth Carbon Budget at the end of 2020. As part of this, the CCC's analysis included development of five pathways to Net Zero, incorporating a number of judgements and framings regarding uncertainty and decision points, to highlight key choices for Government and wider society on the path to Net Zero. This paper explores how the analysis, and its presentation, framed these choices and uncertainties, in order to highlight where decisions are required and what the trade-offs and potential contingency options might be. It concludes with reflections on the effectiveness of this approach and on the future challenges on decision-making and uncertainty toward Net Zero.

Green electoral performance and national climate change commitment: The conditional effect of EU membership

Does Green party electoral success lead to increased climate change commitment, and if so how? Drawing on a new OECD database on climate change outlays, we probe indirect influence from Green electoral success as mediated by inter-party competition, and direct mechanisms of influence from elected Green representatives. Our headline finding is that EU membership functions as a contextual catalyst for inter-party competition, with EU governing parties responding to Greens’ strong electoral performance by increasing climate change outlays to appeal to environmentally motivated voters. We also find evidence that, both across the OECD cohort and the EU sub-grouping, Green coalition presence is associated with increased climate spending over a political cycle. While direct Green influence through coalition presence is widespread, indirect influence mediated by inter-party competition is conditional on EU membership. Findings fit with literature highlighting systematic difference between EU members’ climate performance, and that of other advanced-industrialised states.

Review of climate change adaptation and mitigation implementation in Canada's forest ecosystems part II: successes and barriers to effective implementation

With its northern location, the exposure and vulnerability of Canada's forest ecosystems to climate change impacts are all too glaring. While there is now an extensive body of literature describing expected climate change impacts and potential responses, studies characterizing the implementation of adaptation and mitigation practices in forest management remain rare in the Canadian forest sector. Using a systematic literature review, we examined reports on forest management practices implemented in response to climate change, specifically focusing on governance and institutional arrangements that either support or limit climate change adaptation and mitigation responses. Our literature sample size of 24 documents suggests that the body of literature reporting on adaptation and mitigation practices in forest management is scarce. Governments remain the dominant actors providing funding and leading the implementation and reporting of climate change adaptation practices, primarily in response to national or international climate change commitments. Forest practices such as enhanced silviculture, assisted migration, and nature-based solutions were the most frequently reported. However, given the scarcity of literature, it is difficult to conclude the scope of climate change adaptation practice uptake in Canada. Barriers such as lack of information/data, inter-jurisdictional knowledge transfer, policy conflicts, forest tenure models, technical capacity gaps, and economic barriers to adaptation need to be overcome to strengthen climate change response in forest management. Better coordination of reporting at the provincial and national levels and improved information flows between private sector organizations and governments are needed.