scholarly journals Who is Responsible for Embodied CO2?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Sanderson
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Temperature Increase ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Global Temperature ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Total Emission ◽  
Ghg Emission ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions

With the Paris Agreement countries are obliged to report greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions which will ensure that the global temperature increase is maintained well below 2C. The Parties will report their Nationally Determined Contributions in terms of plans and progress towards these targets during the postponed COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021. These commitments however do not take significant portions of the consumption related emissions related to countries imports in to account. Similarly, the majority of companies that report their emissions to CDP also do not account for their embodied value-chain related emissions. Municipalities on the path towards carbon neutrality in accordance with the methods outlined by C40 also do not include imported and embodied CO2 in their total emission tallies. So, who is responsible for these emissions - the producer or the consumer? How can we ensure that the NDC's, municipalities and companies reduction targets share the responsibility of the emissions in the value-chain, so that the targets and plans become, sustainable, climate fair, and just in global value chains?

scholarly journals Who Is Responsible for Embodied CO2?

Climate ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Hans Sanderson
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Life Cycle Analysis ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Total Emission ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Ghg Emission ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions

With the Paris Agreement, countries are obliged to report greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, which will ensure that the global temperature increase is maintained well below 2 °C. The parties will report their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in terms of plans and progress towards these targets during the postponed COP26 (Conference of the Parties under the UNFCCC) in Glasgow in November 2021. These commitments, however, do not take significant portions of the consumption-related emissions related to countries imports into account. Similarly, the majority of companies that report their emissions to CDP (Formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) also do not account for their embodied value-chain-related emissions. Municipalities, on the path towards carbon neutrality in accordance with the methods outlined by C40, also do not include imported and embodied CO2 in their total emission tallies. So, who is responsible for these emissions—the producer or the consumer? How can we ensure that the NDCs, municipalities’ and companies’ reduction targets share the responsibility of the emissions in the value chain, thus ensuring that targets and plans become sustainable, climate fair, and just in global value chains? Today the responsibility lays with the producer, which is not sustainable. We have the outline for the tools needed to quantify and transparently share the responsibility between producers and consumers at corporate, municipal and national levels based on an improved understanding of the attendant sources, causes, flows and risks of GHG emissions globally. Hybrid life cycle analysis/environmentally extended input–output (LCA/EEIO) models can for example be further developed. This will, in the end, enable everyday consumption to support a more sustainable, green and low carbon transition of our economy.

scholarly journals Who is Responsible for Embodied CO2?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Sanderson
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
National Level ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Ghg Emission ◽  
Hybrid Lca ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions

With the Paris Agreement, countries are obliged to report greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduc-tions, which will ensure that the global temperature increase is maintained well below 2C. The Parties will report their Nationally Determined Contributions in terms of plans and progress to-wards these targets during the postponed COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021. These commit-ments however do not take significant portions of the consumption related emissions related to countries imports in to account. Similarly, the majority of companies that report their emissions to CDP also do not account for their embodied value-chain related emissions. Municipalities, on the path towards carbon neutrality in accordance with the methods outlined by C40, also do not in-clude imported and embodied CO2e in their total emission tallies. So, who is responsible for these emissions - the producer or the consumer? How can we ensure that the NDC's, municipalities and companies reduction targets share the responsibility of the emissions in the value-chain thus en-suring that targets and plans become, sustainable, climate fair, and just in global value chains? Today the responsibility lays with the producer, which is not sustainable. We have the outline for the tools needed to quantify and transparently share the responsibility between producers and consumers at corporate, municipal and national level based on an improved understanding of the attendant sources, causes, flows and risks og GHG emissions globally. Hybrid LCA/EEIO models can for example be further developed. This will, in the end, enable everyday consumption to support a more sustainable, green and low carbon transition of our economy.

A Review of Transport Policies in Support of Climate Actions in Asian Cities and Countries

Earth ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 731-745
Author(s):  
Madan B. Regmi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Urban Transport ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Asian Cities ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions

Asia is one of the continents that is the most affected by the impacts of climate change. Asian countries need to take climate actions and mitigate emissions from the urban passenger transport sector. Despite some progress in improving urban mobility in Asian cities, greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector continue to rise. Policy makers who are responsible for managing mobilities must play a major role in decarbonizing the transport sector. In this context, this paper reviews the efforts of selected Asian countries and cities towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the urban transport sector. It will analyze their pledges in the Nationally Determined Contributions submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and will review their relevant transport sector strategies, policies, and practices. It will also look at trends in transport sector emissions and air pollution in different cities, including the short-term impacts of COVID-19. Lastly, it reviews governance issues and the roles that institutions should play to implement polices to decarbonize transport. Based on this analysis, this paper offers policy suggestions to accelerate actions, enhance cross-sectoral coordination, and move towards carbon neutrality in the transport sector in Asia.

An eu Law Perspective on the Paris Agreement: Will the eu Consider Strengthening its Mitigation Effort?

Climate Law ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 182-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjan Peeters
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Temperature Increase ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Eu Law ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Average Temperature ◽  
Mitigation Effort ◽  
The Eu

The European Union is the only party to the unfccc that is a regional organization. The European Union’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution, submitted on behalf of itself and its member states, contains a pledge to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, in pursuit of the general objective to keep the global average temperature increase below 2°C. Given, however, that the Paris Agreement aims not only to hold the increase ‘well below’ 2°C, but also to ‘pursue efforts’ to limit the increase to 1.5°C, one wonders whether the outcome of cop 21 may lead the European Union to a reconsideration—with possibly a strengthening—of the mitigation effort proposed in its indc.

scholarly journals Achieving Carbon Neutrality for A Future Large Greenhouse Gas Emitter in Quebec, Canada: A Case Study

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 810
Author(s):  
Patrick Faubert ◽  
Sylvie Bouchard ◽  
Rémi Morin Chassé ◽  
Hélène Côté ◽  
Pierre-Luc Dessureault ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Liquefied Natural Gas ◽  
Potential Solution ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Zero Carbon

To reach the Paris Agreement targets of holding the global temperature increase below 2 °C above the preindustrial levels, every human activity will need to be carbon neutral by 2050. Feasible means for industries to achieve carbon neutrality must be developed and assessed economically. Herein we present a case study on available solutions to achieve net-zero carbon from the get-go for a planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Quebec, which would classify as a large Canadian greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter. From a literature review, available options were prioritized with the promoter. Each prioritized potential solution is discussed in light of its feasibility and the associated economic opportunities and challenges. Although net-zero carbon is feasible from the get-go, results show that the promoter should identify opportunities to reduce as much as possible emissions at source, cooperate with other industries for CO2 capture and utilization, replace natural gas from fossil sources by renewable sources and offset the remaining emissions by planting trees and/or buying offsets on the compliance and voluntary markets. As some of these solutions are still to be developed, to ensure timely net-zero pledge for the lifespan of the LNG plant, a portfolio and progressive approach to combine offsets and other options is preferable.

scholarly journals Institutional “Paris Agreement Compatible” Mitigation Scenarios Evaluated Against the Paris Agreement 1.5°C Goal

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Brecha ◽  
Gaurav Ganti ◽  
Robin Lamboll ◽  
Zebedee Nicholls ◽  
Willion Hare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Emissions Reduction ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Private Companies ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
Development Plans ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions ◽  
Short And Long Term

Abstract Since its adoption in 2015, governments, international agencies and private entities have increasingly recognized the implications of the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C long-term temperature goal (LTTG) for greenhouse gas emissions reduction planning in both the near- and long-term. Governments have submitted or are preparing updates of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and are encouraged to submit long term low greenhouse gas development plans (Article 4 of the Agreement1), aimed at aligning short- and long-term strategies. The foundations on which country targets are based are guided, directly or indirectly, by a variety of sources of information judged to be authoritative, including scientific research institutes2, international agencies, or private companies. Importantly, such authoritative sources also affect planning and decision making by investors3 who aim to anticipate climate policies, and their decisions in turn can drive or hold back setting ambitious emissions-reduction targets.

scholarly journals Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions by Reusing and Recycling Used Clothing in Japan

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 8214
Author(s):  
Toshiro Semba ◽  
Yuji Sakai ◽  
Miku Ishikawa ◽  
Atsushi Inaba
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽  
Fiber Type ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Chemical Recycling ◽  
Fiber Types ◽  
Ghg Emission ◽  
Emission Reductions ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Textile Recycling

According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 73% of used clothing is landfilled or incinerated globally and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fabric manufacturing in 2015 amounted to 1.2 billion tons. It must be reduced in the future, especially by reusing and recycling used clothing. Based on this perspective, researchers calculated the energy consumption and GHG emissions associated with reusing and recycling used clothing globally with a life cycle assessment (LCA). However, no study was conducted so far to estimate the total GHG emission reductions in Japan by reusing and recycling used clothing. In this study, the amount of used clothing currently discharged from households as combustible and noncombustible waste and their fiber types were estimated using literature. Then, the methods for reusing and recycling of used clothing were categorized into the following 5 types based on fiber type, that is, “reuse overseas,” “textile recycling to wipers,” “fiber recycling,” “chemical recycling” and “thermal recycling.” After that, by applying LCA, the GHG emission reductions by above 5 methods were estimated, based on the annual discharged weights of each fiber type. Consequently, the total GHG emissions reductions by reusing and recycling 6.03 × 108 kg of used clothing totally were estimated around 6.60 × 109 kg CO2e, to range between 6.57 × 109 kg CO2e and 6.64 × 109 kg CO2e, which depended on the type of “chemical recycling.” The largest contribution was “reuse overseas,” which was 4.01 × 109 kg CO2e corresponded to approximately 60% of the total reduction. Where, it was assumed that used clothing were exported from Japan to Malaysia which was currently the largest importing country. In this case, GHG emissions to manufacture new clothing in China, the largest country currently to export them to Japan, can be avoided, which are 29.4 kg CO2e and 32.5 kg CO2e respectively for 1 kg jeans and 1 kg T-shirts. Adding the GHG emissions for overseas transportation to this, on average, 32.0 kg CO2e per kg of used clothing was reduced by “reuse overseas,” which was 19.6 times larger than GHG emissions by incineration, 1.63 kg CO2e per kg, in which carbon neutrality for cotton was not counted. As the result, the total GHG emission reductions above mentioned, around 6.60 × 109 kg CO2e, corresponds to 70% of the GHG emissions by incineration of total household garbage in Japan.

China’s Carbon Neutrality Policy: Objectives, Impacts and Paths

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
pp. 5-18
Author(s):  
Liang DONG ◽  
Gaoyi MIAO ◽  
Weigang WEN
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Profound Impact ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Policies And Measures ◽  
Policy Objectives ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions

In order to realise the goal of the Paris Agreement, China has announced to enhance its nationally determined contributions (NDCs), demonstrating its determination to adopt more rigorous policies and measures to achieve a peak in carbon emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. China’s pledge to carbon neutrality not only has a profound impact on its economic reforms, but also spurs the country to be more proactive in global climate governnance.

Determining Impacts of NDC Enhancement on Country-Level Emissions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taryn Fransen ◽  
Mengpin Ge ◽  
Tina Huang
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Technical Note ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Ghg Mitigation ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Ghg Reduction ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions

This technical note describes a method for determining whether and to what extent Parties to the Paris Agreement have enhanced their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) with respect to greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation. We estimate each Party’s target-year GHG emissions under its previous NDC (typically First NDC) and under its subsequent NDC (typically Updated First NDC or Second NDC). On this basis, we determine whether the subsequent NDC reduces emissions relative to the previous NDC and—where possible—by how much. We outline approaches for NDCs with GHG reduction targets and with non-GHG targets and policies.

Developing Glasgow Accord for COP-26 Using Game Theory

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Nirwan ◽  
Yamini M. Reddy ◽  
R. Rajeev
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Game Theory ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Temperature Rise ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Global Temperature ◽  
The Political ◽  
Acceptable Result ◽  
Political Relations ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions

The UNFCCC hosted its 25th convention, known as COP25, which cannot be considered to be a success among the climate change conferences due to the failure of 175 nations to agree upon the final details of the Paris Agreement proposed in 2015. The aim was to bring together nations across the globe and reduce the global temperature rise to 2°C, which was expected to be around 4.5°C to 6°C. The justifications for the incompetence can be attributed to a variety of aspects, including their inability to implement the intended nationally determined contributions (INDC). Since there is no overall governing body that can ensure strong implementation of the accords, the system needs to be self-regulatory without any vulnerability to international politics. This study develops a series of factors that can be considered for decision making, benefiting and rewarding to assure complete self-governance of these nations on the said climate accord, without making it vulnerable to the political relations among nations. This study uses pre-defined elements of Game Theory in order to achieve the required equilibrium, as a base for understanding decision making and proposing a possible system to create an acceptable result for the member nations.

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