policies

The Role of Industrial Emissions Within the EU: Trends and Policy

SNA — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 12:01:30 +0000

Greenhouse gas emissions generated by industrial activity constitute a significant share of total emissions in the EU. The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) is the cornerstone of policies leading to reduction of industrial emissions, supplemented by regulation to prevent fluorinated gases. Industry fears a high burden under the proposed 2030 targets and actively opposes them.Read more

Discussion of Climate Policy Instrument Types Applied in the EU

SNA — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:52:37 +0000

The main instrument categories applied within the European climate policy mix include non-market-based and market-based instruments. Both instrument types have specific characteristics and thus certain advantages and disadvantages. A hybrid policy approach can reduce short comings and lead to an improved outcome in comparison to the introduction of a single policy type.Read more

Market-Based Climate Policy Instruments

SNA — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 09:56:30 +0000

European climate policies apply a mix of different policy instruments to impose emissions reductions. Main instrument categories include non-market-based and market-based instruments. This knowledge package introduces the workings of market-based instruments currently part of the EU’s climate policy toolbox.Read more

Non-Market-Based Climate Policy Instruments

SNA — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 08:56:57 +0000

European climate policies apply a mix of different policy instruments to impose emissions reductions. Main instrument categories include non-market-based and market-based instruments. This knowledge package introduces the workings of non-market-based instruments currently part of the EU’s climate policy toolbox.Read more

Carbon Leakage and Industrial Innovation

SNA — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 12:19:29 +0000

Carbon leakage is defined as an increase of emissions outside the EU because of EU climate policies. As such policies affect the costs of economic activity, especially in energy intensive industries, they might cause companies to move production to countries with laxer greenhouse gas emission policies. Therefore, affected industries receive benefits, such as more free emission allowances in the EU...Read more

Observer NGOs and the International Climate Negotiations

SNA — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 10:45:29 +0000

The first part of this knowledge package, "Role of Countries in Climate Negotiations" (POLIMP, 2015) presented an overview of the multilevel interaction of government stakeholders in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The knowledge package below aims at providing a map of the size, coordination and influence of the non-governmental organisations involved as observers in the UNFCCC negotiations.Read more

Role of Countries in Climate Negotiations

SNA — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 09:51:00 +0000

Since the 1990s, almost all countries in the world negotiate on international climate policies as Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This has resulted in several milestones, but it has also become clear that countries are diverse and have different negotiation interests, which complicates reaching agreements. This knowledge package maps and explains the interaction of the...Read more

The Global Rise of Emissions Trading

SNA — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 11:08:01 +0000

An increasing number of countries and regions around the world are developing and implementing emissions trading as a way of putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions. This knowledge package gives an overview of such systems, compares design features and giving an outlook on future developments.Read more

Climate Change Adaptation: Options and Mechanisms under the UNFCCC

SNA — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 11:16:02 +0000

With a changing climate and the related impacts, social systems need to adapt to altered external conditions. Diverse adaptation options are available for every major sector of the economy. Also the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change pursues different strategies to enhance action on adaptation, both on the national and the global scale. Additionally, the Adaptation Committee plans to...Read more

Community Energy Projects: Europe's Pioneering Task

SNA — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 11:09:29 +0000

Involving citizens in the generation of renewable energy can increase social acceptance and thus enable the low carbon energy transition. The EU is taking a leading role in community-owned energy projects since this has emerged common practice in EU Member States. Denmark and Germany constitute two best practice examples for community energy generation. Denmark focuses on wind power plants, while...Read more

Climate Change Adaptation: Needs, Barriers and Limits

SNA — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 12:57:41 +0000

With the observation of more and more climate change impacts, adaptation provides an essential strategy to reduce negative consequences and to exploit beneficial socioeconomic opportunities of climate change. Adaptation related decision-making, however, is confronted with barriers for public and private actors. Other restricting factors, such as technical limits, can further reduce the desired level of adaptation.Read more

International Ambition on Targets for the Post-2020 Era

SNA — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 10:25:39 +0000

The international community is negotiating a post-2020 framework for global climate action. The UNFCCC meeting concluded with such a framework of increasing emissions reduction commitments beyond 2020. Countries are likely to attach their new post-2020 commitments to the international agreement made at this time. The role of the European Union, USA and China is crucial, given that their emissios comprise...Read more

Do Biofuels Destroy Forests? Link between Deforestation and Biofuel Use

SNA — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 09:51:11 +0000

Sustainable biofuels have the potential to foster rural development and to replace fossil fuels. Although there are concerns about food security, impacts on small-scale farmers, more competition for water, local pollution and increased deforestation, this knowledge package concludes that various difficulties make it impossible to quantify the relationship between biofuel production and deforestation and to map it at the global...Read more

The Costs of Mitigation: An Overview

SNA — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 12:29:51 +0000

There is quite a vast landscape of different definitions used for the word 'cost' related to the concepts of climate change. To enhance appropriate application and interpretation, this knowledge package explains the various terms in the climate change debate. Furthermore, it provides cost estimates for mitigation expressed in consumption losses for 2020 through 2100 and argues that costs would further...Read more

Non-Market Based Approaches: Status of Discussions under the UNFCCC

SNA — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 09:48:52 +0000

The opposition of few countries to market mechanisms coupled with limitations for involving developing countries, parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change are considering measures known as non-market-based approaches, like policies and regulations. This knowledge package shows the involvement of definition of non-market-based approach, ensuring environmental integrity and ensuring sustainable development.Read more