international climate change taskforce established by the center for american progress (usa), the...
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International Climate Change Taskforce
• Established by the Center for American Progress (USA), the Institute for Public Policy Research (UK), and the Australia Institute in 2004
• Co-chaired by Sen. Olympia Snowe and Rt Hon. Stephen Byers MP
• International cross-sector collaboration, including leaders from public service, science, business and civil society in both developed and developing countries
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Summary of Main Recommendations
• Establish a long-term objective of preventing global average temperature from rising more than 2°C (3.6°F) above the pre-industrial level
• Building on UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, adopt a global framework for the post-2012 period
• G8 governments adopt renewable portfolio standard of at least 25% by 2025
• G8 governments double funding for energy-efficiency and clean energy research, development and demonstration
• G8 and other major economies form a G8+ Climate Group
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Summary of Main Recommendations
• G8 countries shift their agricultural subsidies from food crops to biofuels, especially from cellulosic materials
• All developed countries introduce national cap-and-trade systems for carbon emissions
• Governments increase investment in renewable energy and energy-efficiency through Export Credit Agencies
• Developed countries help vulnerable countries adapt to climate change and pursue the establishment of international compensation fund
• Commit to raising public awareness of climate change
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Post-2012 Global Framework
Overview• Builds on UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol• Developed countries take on deeper legally
binding reduction commitments which would be periodically negotiated
• Place the US and Australia on a parallel track with the aim of integrating them after 2012
• Establish a three-stage process for developing countries, which aligns climate and development objectives as their national circumstances permit
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US and Australia Integration
• Establish domestic emission caps
• Adopt cap-and-trade schemes, which could be harmonized with EU or Kyoto trading system
• Participate in Clean Development Mechanism and similar assistance programs to help developing countries
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Developing Countries Integration
Three stage process:– First stage: align development and climate
goals, adopt policies that decouple economic growth from emissions growth
– Second stage: Commit to reducing the carbon intensity of selected economic sectors; move towards carbon intensity targets
– Third stage: Take on binding emission targets
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Developing Countries Integration
Potential criteria for moving through stages:
• Capability to mitigate – GDP per capita
• Potential to mitigate – degree of energy efficiency, emissions per unit GDP, emissions per capita
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Global Framework Flexibility
The framework would continue to develop in accordance with three further considerations:
• The need to meet a long-term climate objective, by ensuring that short-term targets are linked to and consistent with the long-term goal
• The gradual transition over the long-term towards a system of equal per capita rights to use the absorptive capacity of the atmosphere
• Developments in climate science and technological innovations
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Recommendations for the G8
• Double spending on research, development and demonstration of energy efficiency and low- or no-carbon technology by 2010
• Establish national renewable portfolio of 25% by 2025
• Establish national cap-and-trade programs
• Establish a G8+ Climate Group
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Emissions Trading Policy
• Domestic programs outside of the Kyoto system could be tailored to allow for their integration into a common international emissions trading regime, as long as parity of the credits could be achieved.
• Pending the establishment of national programs in the US and Australia, programs on the regional and state level have the potential to make large reductions in CO2 emissions.
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Emissions Trading Policy: the G8’s role
• Recommend that all members develop and implement national “cap and trade” programs
• Promote the development of common standards for measurement and reporting of reductions as well as clear and compelling domestic compliance mechanisms to facilitate integration of trading systems
• Promote the development of common standards in their national systems for project-based offsets
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G8+ Climate Group
• G8 countries in tandem with other critical countries, including developing countries like China, India, Brazil.
• The world’s largest 6 developed countries and the largest 6 developing countries represent over 80% of world GDP, 70% of global emissions and 60% of population.
• Small enough to effectively negotiate an accord
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G8+ Climate Group Technology Partnerships
• Stimulating the market penetration of highly efficient vehicles
• Promoting biofuels, especially from cellulosic material, through the diversion of agricultural subsidies
• Loan guarantees for CO2-capture-ready integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants
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Helping HEVs
• High Efficiency Vehicles (HEVs) have emerged from new (hybrid-electric engines) and mature (diesel engines) technologies.
• They offer attractive near-term options for making significant reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
• However, even with fuel savings cost, their higher initial cost remains a barrier to their wider adoption.
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Helping HEVs: the G8’s role
• Take steps to increase the deployment of HEVs for the long term
• Possible policy options include:– Efficiency standards– Price incentives– Government purchases
• Explicitly seek to engage key auto manufactures in G8 countries as well as in China, India and Korea
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Promoting Biofuels
• Globally the transport sector accounts for ~ 1/3 of global CO2 emissions, of which the G8 countries emit 60%.
• Many countries – including some large developing countries – import a significant fraction of their oil supply, creating major foreign policy and environmental issues.
• An increased use of biofuels can reduce oil demand and help alleviate international and environmental problems.
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Promoting Biofuels
• Currently, biofuels are only a minor component of fuel in most countries because biofuels are more expensive compared to fossil fuels.
• Most G8 countries already subsidize biofuel crops under food programs so the application of these subsidies to biofuel production should be fairly straightforward.
• Refocusing subsidies could make biofuels price-competitive with gasoline, as well as reduce food overproduction and lessen the distortion of international food markets.
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Promoting Biofuels: the G8’s Role
• Adopt a commitment to develop proposals for shifting subsidies from food production to biofuel production
• Individual countries’ actions need not be harmonized
• Common action would focus attention, and make a strong statement of international political will, in favor of biofuel programs
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Cleaning Up Coal
• While we should aim to reduce subsidies to fossil fuel projects over time and prioritize support for renewables and energy efficiency, coal is expected to retain a major role in the power sector in several important parts of the world for some time
• Without some strategy for dealing with emissions from the coal sector, it may be impossible to address climate change in these countries.
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Cleaning Up Coal
• IGCC plants provide the only cost effective way to capture CO2 while using coal.
• They also offer near-term public health benefits because their emissions of traditional pollutants are far lower.
• However, IGCC plants are not currently cost competitive with conventional plants. An incentive is needed to spur the construction of IGCC plants now.
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Cleaning Up Coal: the G8’s role
• Commit to supporting IGCC through loan guarantees under their Export Credit Agencies (ECAs)
• Funds could come from diverting existing ECA support to coal projects and in new money, although not at the expense of renewable or energy efficiency projects.