Mitigation & adaptation & climate funding Flashcards
1
Q
Mitigation
A
- dt. Abmilderung/Abschwächung
- effort to reduce GHG emissions
- effort to prevent GHG emissions
2
Q
Adaptation
A
- dt. Anspassung
- actions to cope with effects of climate change
- actions to manage the risks of climate change
3
Q
Paris Agreement: Mitigation
A
- Binding commitments to prepare, communicate and maintain a nationally determined contribution (NDC) and to pursue domestic measures to achieve them.
- Parties shall communicate their NDCs every 5 years. To set a firm foundation for higher ambition, each successive NDC will represent a progression beyond the previous one and reflect the highest possible ambition
4
Q
Why is mitigation needed?
A
- widespreach impacts attributed to climate change
- rising globale surface temp.
- etc.
5
Q
Mitigation measures
A
- Change in energy supply
– Decarbonizing → low carbon energy sources (renewable, nuclear energy???)
– Increasing energy efficiency, replace coal fire plants by natural gas combined cycle
plants or combined heat and power plants - Changes in transport, e.g. infrastructure, urban planning, low carbon fuels
- Agriculture/Forestry and other land use (currently emit ~10 20 GtCO 2 per year)
– Afforestration , sustainable management of forests
– Cropland management, restoration of organic soils - Climate engineering/geoengineering (e.g. CO 2 removal, solar radiation management)
- Behavioral changes ( mobility, energy use in households, food)
6
Q
Mitigation measures, policies and institutions
A
- Changes in investment patterns
– declined investments in conventional fuel technologies
– increased investment in low carbon electricity supply, transport, buildings, industry - Regulatory approaches (e.g. energy efficiency standards) and information measures (e.g. labelling)
– Often environmentally effective; BUT, also it is generally agreed, that rebound effects
exist (but magnitude is unclear) - Cap and trade systems for GHGs (emission trading)
- Technology policy complements policies
– Technology push: e.g. by R&D
– Demand pull: e.g. by public procurement - Tax based policies specifically aimed at reducing GHG emissions
– Fuel taxes - Reduction of subsidies for GHG related activities in various sectors
– Removal of subsidies for fossil fuels
7
Q
Paris Agreement: Adaptation
A
- global goal of enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change in the context of the 2/1.5C goal
- All Parties should engage in adaptation, incl. by formulating and implementing National Adaptation Plans, and should submit and periodically update an adaptation communication describing their priorities, needs, plans, actions.
- The adaptation efforts of developing countries should be recognized
8
Q
Adaptation measures
A
- Engineered and built environment options:
– Coastal protection, shelters, storm management, road infrastructure - Heat resistant road materials, lighter road pavement, storm water systems
*Technological options
– New crop and animal variety, water saving technologies, early warning systems
- Ecosystem based options
– Soil conservation, afforestation, green infrastructure (e.g. green roofs), gene banks - Services
– Food banks, essential public health services, enhanced medical services - Economic options
– Payment for ecosystem services, microfinancing, disaster funds - Laws and regulations
– Building standards, laws to support disaster risk assessment, fishing quotas - National and government policies and programs
– National, regional, sub national and local adaptation plans
– Urban upgrading programs, e.g. improved housing and access to social support services
–> Governments start to develop adaptation plans and policies to integrate climate change considerations in broader development plans, e.g. Europe: coastal and water management, Africa disaster risk management, Asia early warning system - Educational options
– Awareness rising & integration into education, sharing indigenous, traditional and local knowledge - Behavioral options
– Evacuation planning, migration, changed cropping practices
9
Q
Challenges of current adaptation strategies
A
- Progress in most countries regarding efficient strategies is very slow
– e.g. changes in farming practices known for many years, but barley applied - Most vulnerable people are often not adequately considered
– e.g. insurance for extreme weather events is very expensive - Many measures are very expensive
– e.g. resettlement of a water treatment facility - Funding is not sufficient, especially for poor countries
– e.g. 100 billion USD per year through 2025 financial commitment of developed countries for developing countries not yet met (83.3 billion USD in 2020) - Especially in already poor regions, many other issues occur next to climate change which have to be tackled first
– e.g. Malaria in Africa or political unrest
10
Q
Climate Finance
A
- Local, national or transnational financing from
public, private and alternative sources - To support mitigation and adaptation actions
- Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement call for
financial assistance from Parties with more
financial resources to those that are less endowed
and more vulnerable
–> UNFCCC Adaption Fund (AF), set up in 2007 as part of Kyoto, continued under Paris Agreement, partically funded by the CDM project activities
11
Q
Green climate fund (GCF)
A
- Established in 2010 by 194 countries party to the UNFCCC Framework
– Kept under Paris Agreement - For mitigation and adaptation projects
– 20 9 projects
– 666 million people with increased resilience
– 2.4 billion tonnes CO2 eq avoided
12
Q
GCF Financing
A
- Funding through grants, loans, equity, results based payments, guarantees
- 66 % funded by public sector
- 34 % by private sector
13
Q
GCF Safeguards
A
- Ensures that the climate finance it allocates does not harm local communities or ecosystems
- Indigenous People’s Policy
- Gender Perspectives
- Environment and Social Management System (ESMS)
- Independent Redress Mechanism (IRM
- Accredited Entities
– Partner with GCF to implement projects
14
Q
Possible Forms of Carbon Compensation
A
Emission Reductions, e.g.:
- Renewable Energy
- Waste reduction
CO2 Removal/ Negative emission technologies (NETS), e.g.:
- Bioengery with carbon capture and stoarge (BECCS)
- Direct Air carbon (DAC) capture storage
CO2 Removal vie Geoengineering, e.g.:
- Ocean fertilization
- Wetlands
- Enhance weathering
15
Q
Renewable Energy Projects as Carbon Offsets
A
- Renewable Energy (RE) projects are an accepted offsetting mechanism in all three major o ffsetting programs : Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard (GS)
- Projects aim to foster a sustainable development of the energy system in Non Annex I countries = developing countries
- RE project needs to be deemed as „additional“ by the CDM executive board
