Attractions of delay: Using deliberative engagement to investigate the political and strategic impacts of greenhouse gas removal technologies

Concerns have been raised that a focus on greenhouse gas removals (GGR) in climate models, scientific literature and other media might deter measures to mitigate climate change through reduction of emissions at source – the phenomenon of ‘mitigation deterrence’. Given the urgent need for climate action, any delay in emissions reduction would be worrying. We convened nine deliberative workshops to expose stakeholders to futures scenarios involving mitigation deterrence. The workshops examined ways in which deterrence might arise, and how it could be minimized. The deliberation exposed social and cultural interactions that might otherwise remain hidden. The paper describes narratives and ideas discussed in the workshops regarding political and economic mechanisms through which mitigation deterrence might occur, the plausibility of such pathways, and measures recommended to reduce the risk of such occurrence. Mitigation deterrence is interpreted as an important example of the ‘attraction of delay’ in a setting in which there are many incentives for procrastination. While our stakeholders accepted the historic persistence of delay in mitigation, some struggled to accept that similar processes, involving GGRs, may be happening now. The paper therefore also reviews the claims made by participants about mitigation deterrence, identifying discursive strategies that advocates of carbon removal might deploy to deflect concerns about mitigation deterrence. We conclude that the problem of mitigation deterrence is significant, needs to be recognized in climate policy, and its mechanisms better understood. Based on stakeholder proposals we suggest ways of governing GGR which would maximize both GGR and carbon reduction through other means.

Reducing Gas Emission Mechanisms for Hydrocarbon Storage Tanks

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) which are emitted from tank farms of petroleum refineries are considered to cause harmful impacts to the environment and people. This paper presents the methodology of assessing potential targets for reduction of emissions, as well as proposed control mechanisms and their reductions, for hydrocarbon storage tanks at Jebel Al Dhanna Terminal. Some of the emissions reduction opportunities which are covered include aluminum dome retrofits, seal integrity improvement and guide pole treatments. The objective is to find significant reduction opportunities (from between 50% to 90% of current tank configurations) using passive technologies which prevent or inhibit emissions without the use of additional operational energy or active systems that would otherwise require significant maintenance or operational expense.

Analysis of methods for accounting for the absorption of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere by forests

The paper discusses the problem of stabilizing the level of greenhouse gases and a political approach to its solution. International agreements and their impact on the economies and ecology of countries are presented. The documents submitted in accordance with the order dated November 8, 2018 No. 661 “On the approval of statistical tools for the organization of the federal statistical observation of atmospheric air protection by the federal service for supervision in the field of environmental management” in the period from 2018 to 2020 were analyzed. The dependence of the reduction of emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere is correlated with the measures taken by the government of the Russian Federation to adapt to climate change. The analysis of methods of accounting for the absorption of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere by such countries as Canada, the USA, and Russia is carried out. The disadvantages and advantages of the methods of accounting for carbon sequestration by forests and their influence on the research results are listed. It is concluded that it is necessary to develop an effective methodology for accounting for the absorption of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere by forests to create an independent system for accounting for the level of greenhouse gases, as well as Russia’s entry into the international quota market, which will ensure the development of the economy and projects for improving the environment.

ASSESSMENT OF LOSSES OF THE ECONOMY OF KAZAKHSTAN FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF THE EU BORDER CARBON TAX

Статья посвящена изучению вопроса введения ЕС углеродного корректирующего пограничного механизма (далее - УКПМ), в структуре которого предусмотрена импортная пошлина на углеродоёмкие импортные товары. Для экспорто-ориентированных стран данный налог означает наличие высоких рисков снижения выручки от экспорта энергоресурсов в Европу, а также в другие страны. Авторами изучены предпосылки введения углеродного корректирующего пограничного механизма, введение и реализация которого ориентирована на сокращение выбросов парниковых газов в ЕС, а также стимулирование сокращений выбросов в других странах. Представлены краткие результаты проведенных международных исследований таких компаний, как Boston Consulting Group, KPMG по оценке эффектов введения УКПМ на международную торговлю. В статье также сделана предварительная оценка потерь Казахстана от введения ЕС углеродного корректирующего пограничного механизма, с использованием подхода «Что-Если» на основе данных 2019 года. Согласно проведенным расчетам, если бы в 2019 году, экспорт подвергался бы углеродному налогу в рамках углеродного корректирующего пограничного механизма, то потери составили бы минимально $157,5 млн. или 2,1% поступлений в Национальный фонд РК, и максимально, предполагая, что весь экспорт используется в глобальных цепочках поставок товаров в Европу, $576,4 млн. или 7,7% поступлений в Национальный фонд РК. The article is focused on the study of the introduction of the carbon border adjustment mechanism (hereafter CBAM) by the EU, the structure of which considers an import duty on the carbon-intensive goods. For export-oriented countries, this tax implies a higher risk of reduced revenue from carbon-related energy exports to Europe, as well as to the other countries. The authors studied the prerequisites from CBAM introduction, the development, and implementation of mechanism which the aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, as well as to stimulate the reduction of emissions in other countries. The brief results of studies of international companies, such as Boston Consulting Group and KPMG, are presented on the assessment of the impact of introducing CBAM on international trade. The article provides a preliminary assessment of Kazakhstan's losses due to the carbon border adjustment mechanism introduced by the EU, using the "What-If" approach based on 2019 data. According to the calculations, if CBAM was implemented in 2019 and carbon exports were taxed according to the mechanism, the estimated losses would be $157.5 million, or 2.1% of the revenues of the National Fund of the Republic of Kazakhstan, at minimum. At maximum, with an assumption that all exports that are used in the global supply chain of goods to Europe, the revenue losses would become $576.4 million, or 7.7% of the revenues of the National Fund of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Plastic additives for fire safety with weight reduction, thermal stability in processing and waste management Morpholino-poly(piperazinyl-morpholinyl-triazins)*

This paper is not just about the benefits of the smart plastics, but also about the potential remedies of the environmental concerns of their use. It is also a discussion about a potential pathway to an efficient use of fossil (combustion) fuels and the reduction of the emissions caused due to their use, in general. Morpholino-poly (piperazinyl-morpholinyl-triazin) imparts sustainable fire-safety and subdued incineration behaviour to plastics combined with weight reduction, and facilitates their melt processing. Additionally, it enables their ultimate environmentally friendly disposal as waste, after the ultimate use, coupled with simultaneous generation of usable energy. The knowledge & experience thus gained from energy extraction of waste plastics provide guidelines for future research to increase the efficiency of energy extraction and the reduction of emissions from combustion fuels in general. The technology is also intended to safeguard against open burning of plastics that leads to air-pollution flashover and forest fires. The various aspects of the experimental data generated are presented and plausible mechanisms of the technology are discussed.

Evaluation of Results of City Sustainable Transformation Projects in the Fields of Mobility and Energy Efficiency with Real Application in a District in Valladolid (Spain)

This paper presents a novel evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of city transformation projects related to energy efficiency and sustainable mobility actions. The evaluation framework is part of an Urban Regeneration Model designed to accelerate the urban transformation toward the smart city concept, taking into account all aspects of sustainability. This model has been developed and validated in the three EU cities (Valladolid, Spain; Nottingham, United Kingdom; and Tepebaşı, Turkey) where interventions in the energy, mobility, and ICT fields have been deployed. This model relies on an Evaluation Framework to support its main phases considering two levels of evaluation: city level, to assess globally the smartness and sustainability of the city, and project level, to support the decision-making and assess the impacts of specific implementations. This paper is focused on the second level and its application through the evaluation-supporting tool STILE in the assessment of the energy efficiency and sustainable urban mobility actions implemented in the city of Valladolid. The assessment analysis has allowed assessing how the energy efficiency interventions carried out in the Valladolid district have reduced the energy consumption, increased the use of renewable energies, and reduced the CO2 emissions. In addition, it has allowed evaluating other aspects such as the air quality, thermal comfort, and energy bill, which have been also improved for the residents. Considering the analysis of the sustainable mobility interventions, the evaluation framework supports the assessment of the reduction of emissions and air pollutants and how the actions have converted electro-mobility into a real option for citizens. The evaluation of results after the implementation of this kind of actions is key to ensuring that successful actions can be replicated in other places achieving smarter and more sustainable cities.

Volume Rate Adjustment for Pesticide Applications against Aonidiella aurantii in Citrus: Validation of CitrusVol in the Growers’ Practice

Aonidiella aurantii is one of the most damaging armored scales in citrus crops worldwide. To control this pest, high water volume rates are conventionally used. In order to rationalize the pesticide applications in citrus, IVIA developed CitrusVol, a tool that recommends the optimal volume rate based on the vegetation, the pest or disease and the active ingredient. In this study the objectives were: (i) validate CitrusVol as a tool to adjust the spray volume to control A. aurantii and (ii) quantify its environmental and economical advantages. For this, the spray volume adjusted with CitrusVol was compared with the one conventionally used by farmers in 18 applications in seven orchards during two years. The following parameters were evaluated: (i) spray distribution in the canopy, (ii) A. aurantii males trapped per day, and (iii) number of scales per fruit at harvest. CitrusVol reduced the spray volume and the amount of pesticide by 35% on average. Despite this reduction, a satisfactory spray distribution was achieved, and the volume was found to control the pest in a comparable way to the conventional volume. Moreover, CitrusVol saved per application and on average 31.25 h/100 ha of spray operating time, 241.83 L/100 ha of fuel consumption and consequently, the reduction of emissions of CO2 was 631.18 kg/100 ha. Therefore, CitrusVol allows for efficient, low-input and low-impact pesticide applications.