Climate change mitigation and SDGs: modelling the regional potential of promising mitigation measures and assessing their impact on other SDGs

Measures that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions also have impacts on achieving other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Given the enormous challenge of achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and the SDGs, insight into these impacts provides information on how to improve the feasibility of climate change mitigation measures by maximizing the co-benefits and managing the risks of possible trade-offs across SDGs. In this paper, we explore the impact of 20 promising climate mitigation measures on achieving the other SDGs for 11 world regions. Using the IMAGE modelling framework, the paper explores the GHG emission reduction potential of these measures aggregated by the sector under three scenarios. Based on peer-reviewed articles, the impact of the measures on other SDGs is assessed for the top three sectors with the highest GHG reduction potential in each region. We conclude that the number of synergies between the selected climate change mitigation measures and other SDGs dwarf the number of trade-offs in all regions. The magnitude of these synergies and trade-offs, however, varies by regional and socio-economic context. In high- and middle-income regions, the mitigation measures show few trade-offs that are generally associated with technology choices that could aggravate inequality and impact biodiversity. In low-income regions, some measures, especially land-use related ones, could interfere with efforts to reduce poverty, end hunger and improve well-being, if not complemented by additional policies that aim to protect the poor from increasing food and energy prices

Energy planning in Sub-Saharan African countries needs to explicitly consider productive uses of electricity

Abstract Studies show the role of various electrification technologies in providing electricity access to households in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on electricity demand for end-use services such as lighting, cooking, heating, cooling and other appliance use. The demand for productive use of electricity, which is important to enhance income generation opportunities and labour productivity, is usually not considered. Using the IMAGE-TIMER integrated assessment model framework, we present a methodology to project the impact of productive activities on the electricity system of the region. We show that growing productive activities increase household electricity demand by half, which has important consequences for determining the cost-optimal electrification technologies. We argue that planning of electricity systems should accommodate this increase in electricity demand for productive uses. In addition, while productive uses of electricity have a positive impact on the financial viability of electrification systems, they also increase the electricity sector investment requirements considerably

Scenario analysis for promoting clean cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa: Costs and benefits

Nearly 900 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa rely on traditional biomass for cooking, with negative impacts on health, biodiversity and the climate. In this study, we use the IMAGE modelling framework to construct two sets of scenarios for promoting clean cooking solutions. In the first set, specific policy options to promote clean cooking are evaluated, while in the second the SDG target to achieve universal access to modern cooking energy by 2030 is imposed. The study adds knowledge to understanding the impact of individual policy options on access to clean cooking solutions, and provides insight into synergies and trade-offs of achieving the SDG targets on human health, biodiversity and climate change. The results show that, in the absence of coordinated actions, enabling policies and scaled-up finance, the number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa relying on traditional biomass cookstoves could amount to 660–820 million by 2030. Subsidies on specific clean cooking technologies or fuels could increase their use substantially, but could hinder the uptake of alternative clean cooking fuels or technologies. Meeting the SDG target has considerable social, environmental and economic benefits, and could even lead to lower total fuel expenditures. However, investments in cookstoves need to be quadrupled relative to baseline

Climate change mitigation and SDGs: modelling the regional potential of promising mitigation measures and assessing their impact on other SDGs

Measures that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions also have impacts on achieving other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Given the enormous challenge of achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and the SDGs, insight into these impacts provides information on how to improve the feasibility of climate change mitigation measures by maximizing the co-benefits and managing the risks of possible trade-offs across SDGs. In this paper, we explore the impact of 20 promising climate mitigation measures on achieving the other SDGs for 11 world regions. Using the IMAGE modelling framework, the paper explores the GHG emission reduction potential of these measures aggregated by the sector under three scenarios. Based on peer-reviewed articles, the impact of the measures on other SDGs is assessed for the top three sectors with the highest GHG reduction potential in each region. We conclude that the number of synergies between the selected climate change mitigation measures and other SDGs dwarf the number of trade-offs in all regions. The magnitude of these synergies and trade-offs, however, varies by regional and socio-economic context. In high- and middle-income regions, the mitigation measures show few trade-offs that are generally associated with technology choices that could aggravate inequality and impact biodiversity. In low-income regions, some measures, especially land-use related ones, could interfere with efforts to reduce poverty, end hunger and improve well-being, if not complemented by additional policies that aim to protect the poor from increasing food and energy prices

The Ethiopian livestock industry: Retrospects and prospects

Attempts to present an overview of the importance of the Ethiopian livestock industry subsector to the national economy by assessing livestock population, distribution and production systems, the role and contribution of livestock, the current livestock and related Development projects undertaken by various governmental and non-governmental institutions; reviews the major technical, technological socio-economic, institutional, financial and workforce constraints to the livestock industry; and sets up priority areas of research and objectives in this subsector

Actors and governance in the transition toward universal electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa faces several challenges that hamper the effort to provide universal electricity access. The challenges are not the result of lack of energy resources but rather the result of governance and institutional problems as well as lack of capital to meet the high investment requirement. This study aims to provide relevant policy recommendations to facilitate the path towards universal electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa. We do this by identifying the barriers for electricity access and the relevant actors, institutions, and regulations using desk research, stakeholder interviews and expert workshops. The results show that the absence of overall plans and approaches and lack of clarity in policies are the main challenges for the sector. Setting standards for electricity products, such as solar panels, could help to reduce the problem of counterfeit poor quality products. A broader participation of non-governmental actors is needed to increase the speed of electrification. This requires innovative revenue schemes, financial and fiscal incentives and elimination of market distortions. More generally, we conclude that stable and consistent policy frameworks and improved coordination between actors, are crucial to accelerate electrification in the region

Trade-offs and synergies between universal electricity access and climate change mitigation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Access to electricity services is fundamental to development, as it enables improvements to the quality of human life. At the same time, increasing electricity access can have notable consequences for global climate change. This paper analyses trade-offs and synergies between achieving universal electricity access and climate change mitigation in Sub-Saharan Africa, using the IMAGE-TIMER integrated assessment model. For this purpose, we analysed developments in a number of indicators that describe demand, production, and costs of the future power system under various scenarios with and without climate change mitigation policies. The results show that, achieving universal electricity access requires an annual investment of USD 27–33 billion until 2030 on top of baseline investment. There is a strong synergy in emissions reduction and investment savings, particularly driven by the regions’ efficiency improvements of household appliances (the purchase of efficient appliances and the efficient use of the appliances). On the other hand, climate mitigation policies are projected to increase the cost of electricity per kWh, depending on fossil fuel share in the mix. Therefore, we conclude that, climate policies will need to be combined with complementary policies- e.g. pro-poor tariffs, fuel subsidies, and cross subsidization- to protect the poor from increasing electricity prices

Trade-offs and synergies between universal electricity access and climate change mitigation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Access to electricity services is fundamental to development, as it enables improvements to the quality of human life. At the same time, increasing electricity access can have notable consequences for global climate change. This paper analyses trade-offs and synergies between achieving universal electricity access and climate change mitigation in Sub-Saharan Africa, using the IMAGE-TIMER integrated assessment model. For this purpose, we analysed developments in a number of indicators that describe demand, production, and costs of the future power system under various scenarios with and without climate change mitigation policies. The results show that, achieving universal electricity access requires an annual investment of USD 27–33 billion until 2030 on top of baseline investment. There is a strong synergy in emissions reduction and investment savings, particularly driven by the regions’ efficiency improvements of household appliances (the purchase of efficient appliances and the efficient use of the appliances). On the other hand, climate mitigation policies are projected to increase the cost of electricity per kWh, depending on fossil fuel share in the mix. Therefore, we conclude that, climate policies will need to be combined with complementary policies- e.g. pro-poor tariffs, fuel subsidies, and cross subsidization- to protect the poor from increasing electricity prices