Climate Change Mitigation Programs Research Articles

Is REDD+ effective, efficient, and equitable? Learning from a REDD+ project in Northern Cambodia

REDD+ is a global scale climate change mitigation program aiming at creating financial values for carbon stored in forests. According to the proponents, REDD+ is an effective, efficient, and equitable mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Some scholars question this assumption, and some call for further analysis to understand how REDD+ can contribute to economic, environmental, and social goals, and what are the synergies and trade-offs between them. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the debate about whether REDD+ projects can be brought to accommodate economic (efficiency), environmental (effectiveness), and social (equity) concerns at the same time by drawing on own field results from a REDD+ project in Cambodia. The paper follows three tracks. The first is to develop and explain the conceptual and analytical framework for our empirical investigations. The second is to explain the field results. The third track is to discuss what general lessons can be learnt. Our case illustrates some of the mechanisms that are likely to work against the willingness and ability of REDD+ projects to ensure local people’s net-gains, and the risk that effectiveness and equity will suffer if REDD+ projects rely solely on the private market. Our case thus indicates a tension between the objectives of creating financial value from carbon stored in trees through the private market, and environmental and social equity concerns. However, we call for more comparative studies of REDD+ projects, and hope our conceptual framework can assist such studies.

Industrial Assessment Centers: Kazakhstan Case Study

ABSTRACTThe government of Kazakhstan has set a new trajectory towards sustainable development, which includes 2020 targets to reduce energy intensity of GDP (gross domestic product) by at least 25%. To help reach these ambitious goals, Kazakhstan has adopted the Law on Energy Savings (2012) and the “Energy Saving 2020” program (2013) [1].Under these policies, businesses that consume more than 1500 ton of coal equivalent (tce) per year and all municipal buildings are required to conduct energy audits and implement identified energy-saving measures. Achieving these national goals and helping regulated companies comply with the law requires the services of experienced energy professionals.Thus, in 2014, the USAID Kazakhstan Climate Change Mitigation Program (KCCMP) helped launch the AEE Kazakhstan Chapter, and establish four Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs) based at leading Kazakhstani technical universities.Although the local model differs slightly from that of US-based IACs, the Centers provide on-the-...

Climate Change as a Critical Factor to Poverty Reduction in Indonesia

Poverty reduction has been the top priority of the Indonesian government’s developmental projects. At the age of climate change, however, the implementation of the policy faces greater challenges. Empirical observation gives rise to a question as to why do the climate change mitigation programs fail to bring about favorable effect to poverty reduction? The paper employs an intermestic approach to critically explaining the underlying problems concerning climate change and poverty reduction in Indonesia. The argument is that the political economy of climate change accelerates the existing structural factors which alienate the government from the poor people, and annihilates the moral relationships between the ruler and the ruled. To clarify this position, the discussion proceeds in two main parts. The first section outlines the significant use of the intermestic approach to analyzing the disconnection between climate change and the Indonesian government’s economic policy to reduce poverty. The second section goes on to discern the structural factors which exacerbate the circumstances under which poverty reduction becomes a trivial issue in the ostensibly development policy directed to achieve economic progress. The concluding section reflects what can be learnt from the ongoing situation; on how to bring the state back into the right direction.

Impacts of Mangrove Density on Surface Sediment Accretion, Belowground Biomass and Biogeochemistry in Puttalam Lagoon, Sri Lanka

Understanding the effects of seedling density on sediment accretion, biogeochemistry and belowground biomass in mangrove systems can help explain ecological functioning and inform appropriate planting densities during restoration or climate change mitigation programs. The objectives of this study were to examine: 1) impacts of mangrove seedling density on surface sediment accretion, texture, belowground biomass and biogeochemistry, and 2) origins of the carbon (C) supplied to the mangroves in Palakuda, Puttalam Lagoon, Sri Lanka. Rhizophora mucronata propagules were planted at densities of 6.96, 3.26, 1.93 and 0.95 seedlings m−2 along with an unplanted control (0 seedlings m−2). The highest seedling density generally had higher sediment accretion rates, finer sediments, higher belowground biomass, greatest number of fine roots and highest concentrations of C and nitrogen (N) (and the lowest C/N ratio). Sediment accretion rates, belowground biomass (over 1370 days), and C and N concentrations differed significantly between seedling densities. Fine roots were significantly greater compared to medium and coarse roots across all plantation densities. Sulphur and carbon stable isotopes did not vary significantly between different density treatments. Isotope signatures suggest surface sediment C (to a depth of 1 cm) is not derived predominantly from the trees, but from seagrass adjacent to the site.

Increasing the value of climate finance in an uncertain environment: Diaspora financial resources as a source of climate finance for Sub-Saharan Africa

Climate change may create and increase world inequality and social conflicts. Moreover, regardless of the various developments in science and technology, there are still uncertainties regarding the precise extent and consequences of climate change. Additionally, financial resources to support climate change mitigation, adaptation and capacity building programmes in Africa may be considered to be far from satisfactory in terms of their size, source and distribution. Global policymakers are therefore keen to discover how climate finance resources can be mobilised from a wide variety of sources, instruments and channels to complement public sources. To address this knowledge gap, this paper undertook an analysis of project reports, policy reviews, policy briefs, and academic literature reviews on the barriers and opportunities for private investments in climate change programmes. The paper highlights that Sub-Saharan Africa has the potential to mobilise over US $100 billion annually from its diaspora population, and these funds can be channelled towards climate change investments and programmes or leveraged with other conventional climate finance modalities. This paper therefore provides insights into the measures that can be undertaken in order to enable Africa’s diaspora to become important financiers of climate change programmes.

Carbon profiles of remote Australian Indigenous communities: A base for opportunities

A decision-making model was constructed to assist remote Australian Indigenous communities select appropriate climate change mitigation programs. The Resilient Community and Livelihood Asset Integration Model (ReCLAIM) comprises six steps that focus on community assets and aspirations. The second of these steps is to determine the baseline carbon profiles of communities based on six sources of carbon emissions: materials, construction processes, stationary energy, transport, water systems and waste. The methodology employed an annualised lifecycle analysis of housing materials and construction, and an annual inventory of other emission sources. Profiles were calculated for two remote communities and compared to the Australian average and also average electricity consumption by remote communities in the Northern Territory.The results, expressed in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2-e), showed that average household carbon profiles of the two communities (6.3 and 4.1tCO2-e/capita/yr) were generally lower than the Australian average (7.3tCO2-e/capita/yr). The stationary energy results revealed that infrastructure and building design could raise fuel consumption and costs, and therefore carbon emissions, despite modest lifestyles. The carbon emission categories differed between the two communities highlighting the need for an individualised approach to understanding the drivers of carbon emissions and mitigation responses.

Making cities resilient to climate change: identifying “win–win” interventions

ABSTRACTUrbanisation is truly a global phenomenon. Starting at 39% in 1980, the urbanisation level rose to 52% in 2011. Ongoing rapid urbanisation has led to increase in urban greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Urban climate change risks have also increased with increase in climate-induced extreme weather events and more low-income urban dwellers living in climate sensitive locations. Despite increased emissions, including GHGs and heightened climate change vulnerability, climate mitigation and adaptation actions are rare in the cities of developing countries. Cities are overwhelmed with worsening congestion, air pollution, crime, waste management, and unemployment problems. Lack of resources and capacity constraints are other factors that discourage cities from embarking on climate change mitigation and adaptation pathways. Given the multitude of problems faced, there is simply no appetite for stand-alone urban climate change mitigation and adaptation policies and programmes. Urban mitigation and adaptation goals will have to be achieved as co-benefits of interventions targeted at solving pressing urban problems and challenges. The paper identifies administratively simple urban interventions that can help cities solve some of their pressing service delivery and urban environmental problems, while simultaneously mitigating rising urban GHG emissions and vulnerability to climate change.

Constrained Choice and Climate Change Mitigation in US Agriculture: Structural Barriers to a Climate Change Ethic

This paper examines structural barriers to the adoption of climate change mitigation practices and the evolution of a climate change ethic among American farmers. It examines how seed corn contracts in Michigan constrain the choices of farmers and allow farmers to rationalize the over-application of fertilizer and associated water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Seed corn contracts use a competitive “tournament” system where farmers are rewarded for maximizing yields. Interviews and a focus group were used to understand fertilizer over-application and barriers to participating in a climate change mitigation program. Results indicate that farmers agree that they over-apply fertilizer but would be unlikely to participate in a mitigation program due to their contracts and lack of support from seed corn companies. Because only a few companies control access to the seed corn market, farmers feel they have few choices. Farmers rationalized their practices as their only option given the competitive nature of their contracts and blamed other sources of pollution. Despite increasing efforts to educate farmers about climate change, structural barriers will continue to constrain participation in mitigation efforts and the development of a climate change ethic.

Energy Efficiency Policies for Local Communities (SSA)

With a tight growing national budget in developing countries and the rising demand for electricity, policymakers are seeking for private capital as a key source for funding energy efficiency and climate change related infrastructure. Developing countries seek to target energy efficiency programs as means of saving significant energy from such programs to distributed to the large number of communities living without access to modern energy for lighting and cooking. Designing Institutional framework to achieving these targets are prime recommendations from several preachers. These institutional frameworks must target institutional investors such as the Global energy fund (GEF), insurance companies and other long term investors whose $71 trillion in assets form one of the largest pools of private capital in the world. These funds can be used to address developing (SSA) country’s energy needs through energy efficiency and climate change mitigation programs. Empirical evidence by several researchers on Climate Policy state that, various attractive investment opportunities exist, if nations could reduce institutional barriers to attract investors for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Other investor groups recommended by researchers are the Global Investor Coalition on Climate Change (GIC) and UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) together represent global institutional investors responsible for over $22 trillion in assets. Thus, the question becomes whether developing countries are prepared to enact and align policies to bridge the financing gap in attracting institutional investments to address their energy shortfalls and climate change challenges?

A review of forest and tree plantation biomass equations in Indonesia

AbstractKey messageWe compiled 2,458 biomass equations from 168 destructive sampling studies in Indonesia. Unpublished academic theses contributed the largest share of the biomass equations. The availability of the biomass equations was skewed to certain regions, forest types, and species. Further research is necessary to fill the data gaps in emission factors and to enhance the implementation of climate change mitigation projects and programs.ContextLocally derived allometric equations contribute to reducing the uncertainty in the estimation of biomass, which may be useful in the implementation of climate change mitigation projects and programs in the forestry sector. Many regional and global efforts are underway to compile allometric equations.AimsThe present study compiles the available allometric equations in Indonesia and evaluates their adequacy in estimating biomass in the different types of forest across the archipelago.MethodsA systematic survey of the scientific literature was conducted to compile the biomass equations, including ISI publications, national journals, conference proceedings, scientific reports, and academic theses. The data collected were overlaid on a land use/land cover map to assess the spatial distribution with respect to different regions and land cover types. The validation of the equations for selected forest types was carried out using independent destructive sampling data.ResultsA total of 2,458 biomass equations from 168 destructive sampling studies were compiled. Unpublished academic theses contributed the majority of the biomass equations. Twenty-one habitat types and 65 species were studied in detail. Diameter was the most widely used single predictor in all allometric equations. The cumulative number of individual trees cut was 5,207. The islands of Java, Kalimantan, and Sumatra were the most studied, while other regions were underexplored or unexplored. More than half of the biomass equations were for just seven species. The majority of the studies were carried out in plantation forests and secondary forests, while primary forests remain largely understudied. Validation using independent data showed that the allometric models for peat swamp forest had lower error departure, while the models for lowland dipterocarp forest had higher error departure.ConclusionAlthough biomass studies are a major research activity in Indonesia due to its high forest cover, the majority of such activities are limited to certain regions, forest types, and species. More research is required to cover underrepresented regions, forest types, particular growth forms, and very large tree diameter classes.

ROLE OF REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM TO ANALYZE THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FOREST ECOSYSTEMS

Climate change is an inevitable process impacting the forest ecosystem. Various impacts like treeline shift, forest fires, and Species distribution are due to the effect of climate change. Green House Gases concentration in the atmosphere is increasing day by day due to anthropogenic activities. The pace of climate change is very alarming which will have the substantial impact on the forest ecosystem. Role of remote sensing and geographic information system in observing the forest ecosystem was reviewed. Spatio-temporal analysis of change in forest structure can be proficiently done with the help of remote sensing and geographic information system. Climate Change Mitigation programmes like Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD-plus) can be implemented with the help of remote sensing and geographic information system. Baseline data generation using remote sensing and geographic information system can be useful in designing the policies for forest management and monitoring.

Regional cooperation in widening energy access and also mitigating climate change: Current programs and future potential

Access to energy can significantly contribute to the development of the living standards of the energy poor. Also if the provision of access to energy is sustainable, i.e. via renewable energy sources, there is an added benefit of contributing to mitigation of climate change. Currently, the percentage of population with access to energy varies significantly between countries and across regions. This is due to the nature of national socio-economic situations and energy resource availability in differing settings. This article addresses issues and hindrances to energy access in regional contexts and also examines, in particular, the prospects of how regional cooperation initiatives linked with climate change mitigation objectives could assist in widening energy access. Existing relevant regional cooperation initiatives that may be upscaled or used as models to widen access to modern energy services are evaluated. Findings are that regional cooperation initiatives linked with climate change mitigation can potentially facilitate widening energy access. However, in order to realise such potential, synergies from regional cooperation that are indirectly linked to energy and wider climate change mitigation programs should be harnessed. Recommendations are made for development of sustainable energy programs in energy deprived regions that will also mitigate climate change impacts.

Carbon concentration in structures of Arctostaphylos pungens HBK: An alternative CO2 sink in forests

Arctostaphylos pungens HBK is a dominant species with increasing abundance and distribution in chaparral ecosystems as a result of range management and, possibly, changes in climate. The value of this species for carbon (C) sequestration is unknown, and the standard 50% C out of total tree biomass is used as an approximate value. In this study, we aim to determine the C concentration of the primary components of A. pungens. The total C expressed as a percentage of biomass was determined with a Solids TOC Analyzer. We found the C concentration to vary among components. Leaves exhibited the highest C concentration (51.70%). Roots (46.11%), stems (47.30%), fruits (47.89%) and twigs (48.40%) had similar C concentration. These results provided superior estimates of C concentration, and reliable information concerning the potential use of A. pungens in climate-change mitigation programs.

The economic impact of climate change on food security in Malaysia

This study estimates the economic impact of climate change on food security in Malaysia. The contingent valuation technique is employed on 456 randomly selected households in the vicinities of Selangor Darul Ehsan. The study finds that climate change mitigation programmes to ensure food security are important. The public is willing to pay extra rice price in substitution of a rice subsidy reduction impact for the mitigation programmes. More specifically, the study ascertains that households on average are willing to pay 25% more for rice in replace of the subsidy reduction impact. This value conveys a total economic value of MYR557 million per annum, based on the total annual rice consumption of Malaysians who are willing to pay for the rice subsidy reduction impact. This substantial value may help give directions to the policy makers to draft more responsible food security and climate change mitigation bills in the future.

Above ground biomass estimation in an African tropical forest with lidar and hyperspectral data

The estimation of above ground biomass in forests is critical for carbon cycle modeling and climate change mitigation programs. Small footprint lidar provides accurate biomass estimates, but its application in tropical forests has been limited, particularly in Africa. Hyperspectral data record canopy spectral information that is potentially related to forest biomass. To assess lidar ability to retrieve biomass in an African forest and the usefulness of including hyperspectral information, we modeled biomass using small footprint lidar metrics as well as airborne hyperspectral bands and derived vegetation indexes. Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) was adopted to cope with multiple inputs and multicollinearity issues; the Variable of Importance in the Projection was calculated to evaluate importance of individual predictors for biomass. Our findings showed that the integration of hyperspectral bands (R2=0.70) improved the model based on lidar alone (R2=0.64), this encouraging result call for additional research to clarify the possible role of hyperspectral data in tropical regions. Replacing the hyperspectral bands with vegetation indexes resulted in a smaller improvement (R2=0.67). Hyperspectral bands had limited predictive power (R2=0.36) when used alone. This analysis proves the efficiency of using PLSR with small-footprint lidar and high resolution hyperspectral data in tropical forests for biomass estimation. Results also suggest that high quality ground truth data is crucial for lidar-based AGB estimates in tropical African forests, especially if airborne lidar is used as an intermediate step of upscaling field-measured AGB to a larger area.

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation – The Centrality Of Carbon Clusters And Creativity In Climate Change Adaptation And Mitigation: A Linguistic Perspective

The notion of carbon is quite central to climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes. Although carbon is one of the harmful gases that drive the climate change scourge, it is the lexical creativity around the word carbon that brings out some comic reliefs in a seemingly complex and confusing situation. The word carbon may be modeled around several clusters such as the Moral and Religious Cluster (carbon sinner, carbon guilty or carbon criminal), Dietary Cluster (low-carbon diet, carbon calories), the Financial Cluster (carbon trading, carbon finance or carbon markets) and the Political cluster (carbon neutrality, carbon battle, carbon war).Climate change documents, texts, pamphlets and briefings fall under the descriptive survey (qualitative methodology). Approaches such as Document Analysis, Critical Discourse Analysis and Text Analysis will be used to find the Communicative Functions of these carbon clusters. Interview techniques will be used to probe the policy makers and environmental officials on the contribution of these clusters in adaptation and mitigation programmes. The analytic approaches will be used in relation to ethnography of communication in order to evaluate the socioeconomic status, cultural and ethical implications of the society. The ideological orientations of the climate change carbon clusters will be analyzed in relation to the major emitting nations.

Termination Theory and National Climate Change Mitigation Programs: The Case of New Zealand

AbstractIn 2008 New Zealand (NZ) changed from a Labour‐led to a National‐led government, and this resulted in a shift to government's carbon emission mitigation strategy, including the abandonment of the Communities for Climate Protection (CCP) and the Carbon Neutral Public Service (CNPS) programs. Using deLeon's seminal model for program termination, the objective of this research is to determine why NZ's newly elected government discontinued these initiatives. This empirical research is investigative and probing, and comprises a series of semi‐structured interviews with senior managers responsible for the delivery of the respective program within their organization. The architects of each program are also investigated. In the end, this study finds that while economic constraints and programmatic inefficiencies may have played a contributing role, political ideology is the primary rationale for the termination of the CNPS and the CCP‐NZ programs.

Quantifying climate change mitigation potential in the United States Great Plains wetlands for three greenhouse gas emission scenarios

We examined opportunities for avoided loss of wetland carbon stocks in the Great Plains of the United States in the context of future agricultural expansion through analysis of land-use land-cover (LULC) change scenarios, baseline carbon datasets and biogeochemical model outputs. A wetland map that classifies wetlands according to carbon pools was created to describe future patterns of carbon loss and potential carbon savings. Wetland avoided loss scenarios, superimposed upon LULC change scenarios, quantified carbon stocks preserved under criteria of carbon densities or land value plus cropland suitability. Up to 3420 km2 of wetlands may be lost in the region by 2050, mainly due to conversion of herbaceous wetlands in the Temperate Prairies where soil organic carbon (SOC) is highest. SOC loss would be approximately 0.20 ± 0.15 megagrams of carbon per hectare per year (MgC ha−1 yr−1), depending upon tillage practices on converted wetlands, and total ecosystem carbon loss in woody wetlands would be approximately 0.81 ± 0.41 MgC ha−1 yr−1, based on biogeochemical model results. Among wetlands vulnerable to conversion, wetlands in the Northern Glaciated Plains and Lake Agassiz Plains ecoregions exhibit very high mean SOC and on average, relatively low land values, potentially creating economically competitive opportunities for avoided carbon loss. This mitigation scenarios approach may be adapted by managers using their own preferred criteria to select sites that best meet their objectives. Results can help prioritize field-based assessments, where site-level investigations of carbon stocks, land value, and consideration of local priorities for climate change mitigation programs are needed.

Forecasting deforestation and carbon emissions in tropical developing countries facing demographic expansion: a case study in Madagascar.

Anthropogenic deforestation in tropical countries is responsible for a significant part of global carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. To plan efficient climate change mitigation programs (such as REDD+, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation), reliable forecasts of deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions are necessary. Although population density has been recognized as a key factor in tropical deforestation, current methods of prediction do not allow the population explosion that is occurring in many tropical developing countries to be taken into account. Here, we propose an innovative approach using novel computational and statistical tools, including R/GRASS scripts and the new phcfM R package, to model the intensity and location of deforestation including the effect of population density. We used the model to forecast anthropogenic deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions in five large study areas in the humid and spiny-dry forests of Madagascar. Using our approach, we were able to demonstrate that the current rapid population growth in Madagascar (+3.39% per year) will significantly increase the intensity of deforestation by 2030 (up to +1.17% per year in densely populated areas). We estimated the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the loss of aboveground biomass to be of 2.24 and 0.26 tons per hectare and per year in the humid and spiny-dry forest, respectively. Our models showed better predictive ability than previous deforestation models (the figure of merit ranged from 10 to 23). We recommend this approach to reduce the uncertainty associated with deforestation forecasts. We also underline the risk of an increase in the speed of deforestation in the short term in tropical developing countries undergoing rapid population expansion.

Climate policy at the local level: Insights from California

Local governments in the United States have been hotbeds of climate change activity. Recently, states have sought to incorporate these primarily voluntary actions into broader climate change mitigation programs. Using the example of California, a national leader in U.S. climate policy, this article examines the scope for effectiveness of local climate action and assesses factors related to adoption of local climate policies. The analysis draws on two original surveys of city and county governments, designed to learn about adoption of comprehensive policy tools (emission inventories and climate action plans) and programs in specific areas (energy, water, land use, transportation). Adoption rates are fairly high and growing; by mid 2010 roughly 70% of all jurisdictions were already engaged or planning to engage in comprehensive climate actions, up from roughly 50% in 2008. The adoption of specific programs varies with the degree of local government authority in different sectors, and is generally higher for programs targeting municipal facilities and operations than those targeting residents and businesses. Population size, household income, and strong support from local leaders and the public are all associated with higher rates of adoption, particularly for comprehensive actions. Partisan attitudes are more important for comprehensive actions than for programs in specific areas such as energy efficiency and renewable energy, mirroring the findings of state and national public opinion surveys, which find broader support for actions like clean energy than for explicit climate change-oriented actions. Qualitative analysis reveals additional keys to success, including partnering with other local governments and private organizations and leveraging cost savings and other potential co-benefits of action. As states move to incorporate local actions into broader plans, mandates will also play an increasing role in setting a floor for local efforts.