The Global Greenhouse Regime. Who Pays? (UNU, 1993, 382 p.): Part III National greenhouse gas reduction cost curves: 13 Greenhouse gas emission abatement in Australia: Non-energy emission abatement

The Global Greenhouse Regime. Who Pays? (UNU, 1993, 382 p.)

List of contributors

Preface

Acknowledgements

Part I Measuring responsibility

1 Introduction

(introduction...)

The greenhouse effect

What was decided at Rio?

Protocol negotiating difficulties

Key issues for climate change negotiations

References

2 The basics of greenhouse gas indices

(introduction...)

Apples and oranges

Implications

Conclusion: indices do matter

References

3 Assessing emissions: five approaches compared

(introduction...)

Introduction

Comprehensiveness compared

Accuracy by category

Regional and national emissions by source

Conclusions

References

Appendix A: Estimates of greenhouse gas emissions

Appendix B: Calculating cumulative and current emissions

4 Who pays (to solve the problem and how much)?

(introduction...)

Indices of allocation: a brief review

Accountability

Equity and efficiency

Conclusion

References

Part II Resource transfers

5 North-South carbon abatement costs

(introduction...)

Climate change convention

Method overview

Implications for the South

Notes and references

6 North-South transfer

(introduction...)

Obligation to pay indices

Redistribution of incremental cost

Benchmarks

UN scale of payments

Financing mechanisms

Conclusion

Notes and references

7 Insuring against sea level rise

(introduction...)

Insurability of losses

Oil pollution

Nuclear damage

Implications

The insurance scheme proposed by AOSIS

The Climate Change Convention

Notes and references

Appendix: Scheme proposed by AOSIS for inclusion in the Climate Change Convention

Part III National greenhouse gas reduction cost curves

8 Integrating ecology and economy in India

(introduction...)

Introduction

Emissions inventory

Energy efficiency and fuel substitution

Emissions and sequestration from forest biomass

Conclusions

References

9 Carbon abatement potential in West Africa

(introduction...)

Introduction

Long-term energy and carbon emissions scenarios

Options for rational energy use and carbon conservation

Economic opportunities for implementation

Policy issues for the region

Conclusions

References

10 Abatement of carbon dioxide emissions in Brazil

(introduction...)

Brazil energy economy

Energy subsector analyses

Changing land-use trends

Conclusion

References

11 Thailand's demand side management initiative: a practical response to global warming

(introduction...)

Introduction

End-use energy efficiency policies

Costs and benefits of the DSM master plan

CO2 reductions from the DSM Plan

Why should other developing countries adopt DSM?

The role of the multilateral development banks

Conclusions

References

12 Carbon abatement in Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States

(introduction...)

Energy-environment nexus

Scenarios for the future

Country results

Policy implications

Conclusion

References

13 Greenhouse gas emission abatement in Australia

(introduction...)

Abatement of energy sector emissions

Economic impact of abatement strategies

Non-energy emission abatement

Australia's international role

Carbon taxes, externalities and other policy instruments

References

Part IV Conclusion

14 Constructing a global greenhouse regime

(introduction...)

Conditionality and additionality

Technology transfer

Multi-pronged approach

Implementation procedures

Regional building blocks

North-'South' conflicts

Conclusion

Notes and references

Appendix: The Climate change convention

Introduction

Background

Climate change convention

Article 1. Definitions

Article 2. Objective

Article 3. Principles

Article 4 Commitments

Article 5. Research and systematic observation

Article 6. Education, training and public awareness

Article 7. Conference of the Parties

Article 8. Secretariat

Article 9. Subsidiary body for scientific and technological advice

Article 10. Subsidiary Body for implementation

Article 11. Financial mechanism

Article 12. Communication of information related to implementation

Article 13. Resolution of questions regarding implementation

Article 14. Settlement of disputes

Article 15. Amendments to the Convention

Article 16. Adoption and amendment of annexes to the Convention

Article 17. Protocols

Article 18. Right to vote

Article 19. Depositary

Article 20. Signature

Article 21. Interim arrangements

Article 22. Ratification, acceptance, approval or accession

Article 23. Entry into force

Article 24. Reservations

Article 25. Withdrawal

Article 26. Authentic texts

Non-energy emission abatement

The other important anthropogenic greenhouse gases emitted in Australia are methane and nitrous oxide. Compared with carbon dioxide, little is known about either sources of, or possible abatement measures for these gases, particularly nitrous oxide. The most important source of methane, thought to account for about two-thirds of total emissions, is domestic livestock, principally cattle, sheep and pigs. Landfill (municipal garbage) is also an important source. Small quantities of methane are released as a result of coal mining and from the natural gas distribution system. Agricultural activities, in this case soil denitrification associated with both the application of nitrogenous fertilizers and the use of legumes in improved pastures, is thought to be the main source of nitrous oxide (Ecologically Sustainable Development Working Groups 1992). Measures which it is thought could contribute to reducing these emissions include: the use of rumen modifiers (anti-bloat capsules) with intensively reared cattle; a modest decrease in stocking rates on some pasture types used for extensively reared cattle; aerobic, rather than predominantly anaerobic treatment of piggery waste; and the optimization of application rates of nitrogen fertilizers. The ESD did not estimate the scope, let alone the cost of these measures if applied on a large scale.

Abatement of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by increased tree growth in Australia has been analysed superficially. Over the last few years growing concern about deforestation and soil erosion stimulated a variety of government and privately supported programmes to reverse the trends of two centuries of European colonization. These programmes could perhaps stop and perhaps reverse the continuing emission of carbon dioxide previously sequestered in biomass in trees and in the soil. As such they can legitimately be seen as an important part of national activities to curb greenhouse gas emissions, although that is not the reason they were initiated. From a greenhouse perspective, therefore, they are costless measures. However, much more far-reaching tree plantation programmes would be required to make a significant contribution to offsetting carbon dioxide from energy related activities. No estimates are available yet of the possible cost and scale of such programmes in Australia.