John M. Christensen

Renewable Energy in the Context of Sustainable Development

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Climate change and the need for a new energy agenda

A brief overview of the problem of climate change notes the diversity of its contributory causes, but concludes that the only feasible alleviation strategy at present is to reduce CO2 emissions in the energy sector. The analogy with CFC and SO2 abatement may be misleading: deep obstacles and uncertainties regarding CO2 may require a qualitatively different approach to be taken. On the positive side, reforms aimed at CO2 abatement may yield direct economic benefits. Most will involve higher energy prices, as environmental costs are internalized, and close international cooperation will therefore be essential to ensure these do not upset terms of trade.

Climate change mitigation policy paradigms—national objectives and alignments

The aim of this paper is to assess how policy goals in relation to the promotion of green growth, energy security, pollution control and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions have been aligned in policies that have been implemented in selected countries during the last decades as a basis for discussing how a multi objective policy paradigm can contribute to future climate change mitigation. The paper includes country case studies from Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, South Korea and the United States covering renewable energy options, industry, transportation, the residential sector and cross-sectoral policies. These countries and regions together contribute more than two thirds of global GHG emissions. The paper finds that policies that are nationally driven and that have multiple objectives, including climate-change mitigation, have been widely applied for decades in both developing countries and industrialised countries. Many of these policies have a long history, and adjustments have taken place based on experience and cost effectiveness concerns. Various energy and climate-change policy goals have worked together in these countries, and in practice a mix of policies reflecting specific priorities and contexts have been pursued. In this way, climate-change mitigation has been aligned with other policy objectives and integrated into broader policy packages, though in many cases specific attention has not been given to the achievement of large GHG emission reductions. Based on these experiences with policy implementation, the paper highlights a number of key coordination and design issues that are pertinent to the successful joint implementation of several energy and climate-change policy goals.

Cost of stabilizing GHG emissions Focus on developing countries

Abstract The estimation of the costs and benefits of national climate change mitigation has acquired primary importance with the ratification of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC). The FCCC requires that each signatory prepare and complete inventories of greenhouse gases, and it calls for each party to formulate, implement, publish and regularly update national programs containing measures to mitigate climate change. In addition, it states that the developing countries may propose projects for financing with an estimate of the incremental costs and benefits of reducing emissions. Another article of the Convention notes that developing country parties may seek funds from developed coutries for climate change mitigation activities. The Convention thus requires the estimation of incremental costs, and of the amount of fund transfers required for stabilizing emissions growth.