17 research outputs found
The Challenge of Limiting Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Activities implemented Jointly in Developing Countries: A Brazilian Perspective
This paper addresses, from the Brazilian perspective, the main problems with Joint Implementation/Activities Implemented Jointly (JI/AIJ) between industrialized (Annex I) and developing (non-Annex I) countries, as defined by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Four possible GHG emissions abatement measures are presented for Brazil: forest protection, reforestation projects for carbon sequestration or charcoal manufacturing, use of ethanol produced from sugar cane as a car fuel, and electrical energy conservation through an increase in end-use efficiencies. These four case studies form the basis of a discussion regarding the validity of developing countries' concerns about JI/AIJ. Recommendations are offered for overcoming the present shortcomings of JI/AIJ in developing countries. The primary conclusion is that Annex I countries' funding of JI/AIJ projects in developing countries in return for GHG emissions credits is not the best means to implement the UNFCCC. However, JI/AIJ projects can be a productive means of preventing global climate change if combined with other measures, including GHG emissions reduction targets for all countries involved in JI/AIJ projects and limits on the percentage of industrialized countries' emissions reductions that can be met through projects in developing countries
Biofuels and Sustainable Energy Development in Brazil
Through the assessment of three decades of the Alcohol Program in Brazil, the paper shows that adequate public policies regarding biomass production can deliver direct benefits like energy security improvement, foreign exchange savings, and local employment generation, reduced urban air pollution and avoided CO(2) emissions. Moreover, the paper shows that Brazilian produced ethanol has faced economies of scale, technical progress and productivity gains and is no longer dependent on subsidies to be competitive. The paper also examines the potential in Brazil for fostering other biofuels, namely biodiesel obtained from vegetable oils, as well as their implications on sustainable energy development. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Sustainable expansion of electricity sector: Sustainability indicators as an instrument to support decision making
The aim of this paper is to put forward a proposal for a methodology to analyze the sustainability of the expansion of electricity generation. To do so, an approach is needed that takes into account, in an integrated perspective, the technical, socioeconomic, environmental and technological factors of the various alternatives for sector expansion. In this regard, multicriteria analysis (MCA) is proposed as an evaluation tool. It will be applied to a situation that involves the selection of the following expansion alternatives: small hydropowers, wind energy, generation from sugarcane bagasse, biodiesel, urban solid wastes, natural gas and nuclear energy. The methodology involved the development of indicators encompassing technological, environmental social and economic dimensions, for each of the aforementioned expansion alternatives, and the results were very interesting, from a multicriteria point of view, in their capacity to internalize socioenvironmental, technological and economic aspects in the decision making process for electricity generation expansion. It may well prove to be a useful tool for supporting this decision, although efforts are required to standardize the methodology with regard to its evaluation procedures.Sustainability Multicriteria analysis Renewable sources of energy
Access and Affordability of Electricity in Developing Countries
A key objective of developing countries is to provide affordable access to modern energy services in order to support economic and social development. The paper presents a number of arguments for why and in which way energy access and affordability can play a key role in national development programs and in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Approaches for measuring accessibility and affordability are presented, drawing on case studies of Bangladesh. Brazil, and South Africa, countries with different rates of electrification. Affordability of using electricity is examined in relation to the energy expenditure burden for households and time consumption. Conclusions focus on lessons learned and recommendations for implementing policies, instruments, and regulatory measures to tackle the challenge of affordability. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Development of Policy-Relevant Dialogues on Barriers and Enablers for the Transition to Low-Carbon Mobility in Brazil
Establishing viable targets and pathways to achieve low-carbon mobility is proving to be a growing challenge, especially in emerging economies. Brazil has faced persistent economic and political crises, impacting current and future climate policies. The acceleration of resource exploitation and environmental degradation has increased the role of the transport sector in mitigating Brazilian emissions. Despite advances in instruments aimed at high-capacity infrastructure and the biodiesel and ethanol markets, electric mobility and other advanced biofuels, such as biokerosene and green diesel, are moving slowly. Part of this stems from severe technical, policy, and financial barriers that need to be addressed. This paper identifies the main barriers faced and the instruments needed to accelerate decarbonization in the Brazilian transport sector. To this purpose, a stakeholder-oriented approach is developed and applied to distill low-carbon opportunities and enablers over the next decade. This article reveals the important relationship between climate commitments, the different obstacles faced, and the possible consequences, taking different perspectives on appropriate reference points. By 2025, instruments aimed at electric mobility and public transport, although still scarce in current policies, will have greater potential for implementation. This contrasts with other advanced biofuels, which are not expected until the end of the decade
Economic and social effectiveness of carbon pricing schemes to meet Brazilian NDC targets
Curbing down GHG emissions while preserving economic growth is themain challenge that developing and developed countries are facing tomeet the Paris Agreement commitments. Brazil's NDC target is to reduceeconomy-wide absolute levels of GHG emissions by 37% in 2025 and43% in 2030, compared to 2005 emissions.In this paper, we compare command-and-control and carbon pricingpolicies to induce the Brazilian economy to meet its NDC targets. Ourpaper focuses on analysing synergies and trade-offs in macroeconomicand social development, focusing on economic growth and incomedistribution, while reducing GHG emissions. By integrating a series ofsectorial models and a computable general equilibrium model (CGE), wedevelop and run different policy scenarios which simulate differentcarbon pricing schemes in Brazil. Our analysis shows that NDCimplementation in Brazil under carbon pricing policies allows the countryto meet its targets and improve economic and social indicators comparedto a command-and-control policy. With about the same GHG emissionsup to 2030, important macroeconomic and social co-benefits can beachieved under a carbon pricing policy in Brazil, allowing for reducingwelfare losses against business-as-usual trends
Environmental valuation for long-term strategic planning -- the case of the Brazilian power sector
Economic and social effectiveness of carbon pricing schemes to meet Brazilian NDC targets
International audienceCurbing GHG emissions while preserving economic growth is one of the main challenges that developing countries are facing to meet the Paris Agreement commitments. Brazil's NDC target aims to reduce economy-wide absolute levels of GHG emissions by 37% in 2025 and 43% in 2030, compared to 2005 emissions. In this paper, we compare command-and-control and carbon pricing policies to induce the Brazilian economy to meet its NDC targets. We focus on analysing synergies and trade-offs in macroeconomic and social development, captured by economic growth and income distribution while reducing GHG emissions. By integrating a series of sectoral models and a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, we develop and run different policy scenarios that simulate a set of carbon pricing schemes in Brazil. Our analysis shows that NDC implementation in Brazil under carbon pricing policies allows the country to meet its targets and improve economic and social indicators compared to a command-and-control policy. With about the same GHG emissions up to 2030, important macroeconomic and social co-benefits can be achieved under a carbon pricing policy in Brazil, allowing for reduced welfare losses against business-as-usual trends. Key policy insights Carbon pricing policies are more cost-effective to meet NDC targets in Brazil up to 2030, resulting in higher GDP and household income, in comparison to other individual policy instruments, including command-and-control and subsidies to investments.A carbon price of about 10 USD/tCO2e, combined importantly with deforestation rates under control, would allow Brazil to meet its NDC targets.Recycling carbon pricing revenues can help soften the burden on the labour market and protect low-income households from welfare losses.</ul
Les strategies 'sans regret' : mythe ou realite - les potentiels technico-economiques dans les pays en developpement : contraintes a court terme et trajectoire de developpement a couts environnementaux eleves La mise en valeur des potentiels energetiques des ressources renouvelables une strategie de lutte contre l'augmentation de l'effet de serre : le cas du Bresil
Modelisation prospective, criteres de decision et negociation internationale d'un developpement durable : le cas du risque lie a l'effet de serre - rapport introductif aux contributions des experts mobilisesAvailable at INIST (FR), Document Supply Service, under shelf-number : RP 185 (3263) / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueSIGLEFRFranc