Greenhouse gas emission mitigation plan for the State of Israel: strategies,incentives and reporting     

Axel Michaelowa 《Climate Policy》2013,13(6):784-786

In the context of the negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its accompanying Kyoto Protocol, participating nations have recognized the need for formulating Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). These NAMAs allow countries to take into account their national circumstances and to construct measures to mitigate GHG emissions across economic sectors. Israel has declared to the UN that it would strive to reduce its GHG emissions by 20% in the year 2020 relative to a ‘business as usual' scenario. With its growing population and an expanding economy, the national GHG mitigation plan was developed to draw a course for steering the Israeli economy into a low-carbon future while accommodating continued economic growth. The article describes relevant policy measures, designed to aid in the implementation of the plan and compares them with measures being undertaken by different countries. Emphasis is placed on analysing the progress to date, opportunities and barriers to attaining the ultimate GHG emissions reduction goals. The objective of this article is to contribute to the knowledge base of effective approaches for GHG emissions reduction. We emphasize the integrated approach of planning and implementation that could be especially useful for developing countries or countries with economies in transition, as well as for developed countries. Yet, in the article we argue that NAMAs’ success hinges on structured tracking of progress according to emerging global consensus standards such as the GHG Protocol Mitigation Goals Standard.

Policy relevance:

The study is consistent with the NAMA concept, enabling a country to adopt a ‘climate action plan’ that contributes to its sustainable development, while enabled by technology and being fiscally sound.

The analysis shows that although NAMAs have been framed in terms of projects, policies, and goals, current methodologies allow only the calculation of emission reductions that can be attributed to distinct projects. Currently, no international guidance exists for quantifying emissions reduction from policy-based NAMAs, making it difficult to track and validate progress. This gap could be addressed by an assessment framework that we have tested, as part of a World Resources Institute pilot study for an emerging voluntary global standard.  相似文献   

Alternative climate policy pathways in the US     

Robert MacNeil 《Climate Policy》2013,13(2):259-276

Although it is likely that the political–economic coalition required for implementing a federal cap-and-trade programme for GHGs in the US is now sufficiently strong, the structural impediments that have prevented its legislative passage remain impressively durable and can be expected to continue to lay waste to congressional proposals for the foreseeable future. Indeed, given the complex history of environmental policy gridlock in Washington since the early 1980s, any expectations that a cap-and-trade programme could have been realistically achieved through the traditional legislative passage in Congress are fundamentally misplaced. Building on previous research, it is argued that – as with most other forms of environmental policy in the US over the past three decades – a national carbon market is more plausible given alternative policy pathways, which if taken are capable of circumventing the Federal Congress altogether. In particular, the interaction between litigation against the federal government and the ‘rulemaking’ authority possessed by the Executive Branch provides the potential space for the current administration to unilaterally establish a model rule for a national carbon-trading programme.

Policy relevance

This article aims to contribute to American climate policy debates by re-thinking the policy mechanisms most capable of establishing a national carbon market in the US. By taking into account the array of structural factors that have prevented the legislative passage of such a programme in federal Congress, a range of alternative policy ‘pathways’ is considered that have historically allowed progressive environmental policies to endure in Washington (despite increased Congressional gridlock over the past few decades). Two specific alternative strategies and the relationship between them are assessed: the use of litigation to impose legal obligations on federal agencies to regulate effluents, and the use of executive authority to define the nature and scope of environmental regulation. The administration's current potential to unilaterally develop a model-rule for a cap-and-trade programme under the Clean Air Act is emphasized, and the political implications of such a strategy are considered.  相似文献   

Slovenia's climate policy efforts: CO2 tax and implementation of EU ETS     

TANJA MARKOVIČ-HRIBERNIK  ALEKSANDRA MURKS 《Climate Policy》2013,13(2):139-155

Slovenia is required to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to an average of 8% below the base year 1986 in the period 2008–2012, due to the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in 2002. It was the first of the transition countries to implement a CO₂ tax in 1997. At the beginning of 2005, Slovenia joined other EU Member States by implementing the Emissions Trading Scheme. In contrast with other new EU Member States, Slovenia will be a net buyer of allowances. Therefore future movements on the emissions market will play an important role in the compliance costs of achieving the Kyoto target. The main purpose of this article is to present the establishment and characteristics of the first national allocation plan (NAP1) and to describe the main elements of the second national allocation plan (NAP2) for Slovenia within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, the expected movements on the emissions allowances market in Slovenia, the expected compliance cost of achieving the Kyoto target and to present the main characteristics and efficiency of the CO₂ tax in Slovenia.  相似文献   

Implications of early action for JI baselines     

《Climate Policy》2013,13(1):57-66

Abstract

This article discusses possible implications of early Joint Implementation (JI) action. Some projects which would otherwise be non-additional during the first commitment period, can become additional by implementing them before 2008 through early JI. For example, several environmental investments that will be mandatory under the European Union (EU) Acquis Communautaire as of, e.g. 2008 or 2010 could be carried out earlier than that with early JI action. As such, candidate countries could partly finance the accession process through JI credits and their environmental standards would earlier be in line with the Acquis. The theoretical risk that projects would have to follow a slow track if JI parties are not eligible for the fast track is not large for JI hosts that are candidate for EU membership.  相似文献   

Commitments through financial options: an alternative for delivering climate change obligations     

《Climate Policy》2013,13(1):9-21

Governments willing to commit themselves to maintain carbon prices at or above a certain level face the challenge that their commitments need to be credible both for investors in low-carbon technology and for foreign governments. This article argues that governments can make such commitments by issuing long-term put option contracts on the price of CO₂ allowances. This mechanism gives investors the right, but not the obligation, to sell allowances to the government at the strike price. From the investors' point of view, a government is therefore fully committed to a price floor for allowances in the future. This proposed approach alters the incentives that a government faces when considering noncompliance and serves to prevent non-compliance. The proposal fares well when assessed against criteria to determine its suitability in legitimacy, enforcement, proportionality, lack of interference from other contracting States, and transparency. It also allows for fine-tuning through the number and duration of issued options and the strike price. A robust contract structure is proposed to protect against government interference that might threaten the credibility of commitments.  相似文献   

Preliminary Analysis of Photometric Variations of the Central Star of the Planetary Nebula Sh 2-71     

Zdeněk MikulÁšek  Luboš Kohoutek  Miloslav Zejda  Ondřej Pejcha 《Astrophysics and Space Science》2005,296(1-4):465-468

We confirm the presence of regular UBV(RI)_C light variations of the object in the center of the planetary nebula Sh 2-71, with an improved period of P = 68.132 ± 0.005 days. The shapes and amplitudes of light curves, in particular colours, are briefly discussed.  相似文献   

Green functions and associated sources in infinite and stratified poroelastic media     

C. Boutin  G. Bonnet  P. Y. Bard 《Geophysical Journal International》1987,90(3):521-550

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On the Multiplicity of the O-Star Cyg OB2 #8a and its Contribution to the γ-ray Source 3EG J2033+4118     

Michael De Becker  Gregor Rauw  Jean-Pierre Swings 《Astrophysics and Space Science》2005,297(1-4):291-298

We present the results of an intensive spectroscopic campaign in the optical waveband revealing that Cyg OB2 #8A is an O6+O5.5 binary system with a period of about 21.9 days. Cyg OB2 #8A is a bright X-ray source, as well as a non-thermal radio emitter. We discuss the binarity of this star in the framework of a campaign devoted to the study of non-thermal emitters, from the radio waveband to γ-rays. In this context, we attribute the non-thermal radio emission from this star to a population of relativistic electrons, accelerated by the shock of the wind-wind collision. These relativistic electrons could also be responsible for a putative γ-ray emission through inverse Compton scattering of photospheric UV photons, thus contributing to the yet unidentified EGRET source 3EG J2033+4118. Based partly on data Obtained at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence, France.  相似文献   

Optical Spectroscopy of Comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) at the Guillermo Harro Astrophysical Observatory in Mexico     

Churyumov  Klim I.  Luk'yanyk  Igor V.  Berezhnoi  Alexei A.  Chavushyan  Vahram H.  Sandoval  Lourdes S.  Palma  Alejandro A. 《Earth, Moon, and Planets》2002,90(1-4):361-368

We present a preliminary analysis of medium resolution optical spectra of comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) obtained on 22 November 2001. Theemission lines of the molecules C₂, C₃, CN, NH₂,H₂O⁺ and presumably CO (Asundi and triplet bands) and C₂ ^-were identified in these spectra. By analysing the brightnessdistributions of the C₂, C₃, CN emission lines along theslit of the spectrograph we determined some physical parameters of theseneutrals, such as their lifetimes and expansion velocities inthe coma. The Franck–Condon factors for the CO Asundi bands and C₂ ^- bands were calculated using a Morse potential model.  相似文献   

EFFECTS OF WATER TABLE AND NITROGEN ADDITION ON CO2 EMISSION FROM WETLAND SOIL     

Yang Ji-song  Liu Jing-shuang  Yu Jun-bao  Wang Jin-da  Qin Sheng-jin  Li Xin-hua 《中国地理科学(英文版)》2005,15(3):262-268

Soil respiration is a main dynamic process of carbon cycle in wetland. It is important to contribute to global climate changes. Water table and nutritious availability are significant impact factors to influence responses of CO₂ emission from wetland soil to climate changes. Twenty-four wetland soil monoliths at 4 water-table positions and in 3 nitrogen status have been incubated to measure rates of CO₂ emission from wetland soils in this study. Three static water-table controls and a fluctuant water-table control, with 3 nitrogen additions in every water-table control, were carried out. In no nitrogen addition treatment, high CO₂ emissions were found at a static low water table (I) and a fluctuant water table (IV), averaging 306.7mg/(m²·h) and 307.89mg/(m²·h), respectively, which were 51%–57% higher than that at static high water table (II and III). After nitrogen addition, however, highest CO₂ emission was found at II and lowest emission at III. The results suggested that nutritious availability of wetland soil might be important to influence the effect of water table on the CO₂ emission from the wetland soil. Nitrogen addition led to enhancing CO₂ emissions from wetland soil, while the highest emission was found in 1N treatments other than in 2N treatments. In 3 nutritious treatments, low CO₂ emissions at high water tables and high CO₂ emissions at low water tables were also observed when water table fluctuated. Our results suggested that both water table changes and nutritious imports would effect the CO₂ emission from wetland. Foundation item: Under the auspices of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 90211003) and the Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KACX3-SW-332) Biography: YANG Ji-song (1978-), male, a native of Chengwu of Shandong Province, Ph.D. candidate, specialized in environmental ecology and wetland biogeochemistry. E-mail: yangjisong@neigae.ac.cn  相似文献