Methods for attributing land-use emissions to products

Roughly one-third of anthropogenic GHG emissions are caused by agricultural and forestry activities and land-use change (collectively, land-use emissions'). Understanding the ultimate drivers of these emissions requires attributing emissions to specific land-use activities and products. Although quantities of land-use emissions are matters of fact, the methodological choices and assumptions required to attribute those emissions to activities and products depend on research goals and data availability. In this review, we explore several possible accounting methods. Our results highlight the sensitivity of accounting to temporal distributions of emissions and the consequences of replacing spatially-explicit data with aggregate proxies such as production or harvested area data. Different accounting options emphasize different causes of land-use emissions (e.g., proximate or indirect drivers of deforestation). To support public policies that effectively balance competing objectives, analysts should carefully consider and communicate implications of accounting choices

Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) - Liability for Non-permanence under the UNFCCC

Prior to CoP 10, our discussion paper ?On the Integration of Carbon Capture and Storage into the International Climate Regime? argued that carbon capture and storage (CCS) was similar to carbon sequestration in the area of Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF). This was criticized by several readers who observed that treating CCS as a removal activity (sink) would not be compatible with the UNFCCC sink definition, what we already had mentioned in the paper. The present paper is based on the UNFCCC definition and analyses how CCS could be integrated into the climate regime. As CO2 may re-enter the atmosphere after injection into geological reservoirs, the question of long-term liability has to be considered. Apart from this aspect, additional complexities arise from the fact that CO2 capture and storage can be carried out in two different countries. A classification of CCS cross-border activities shows that not all cases with non-Annex I participation fall under the CDM. Furthermore, we elaborate on the problem that seepage of CO2 from reservoirs located in non-Annex I countries – under current rules – would not be subtracted from the emission budget of any country. For these cases, solutions guaranteeing liability for possible non-permanence of CCS are proposed

On the Integration of Carbon Capture and Storage into the International Climate Regime

As GHG emissions did not decline as anticipated early of the 1990ties Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) recently gained more and more attention as a climate change mitigation option. However, CO2 suppressed in geological reservoirs is likely to lead to future releases of the CO2 stored. This „non-permanence“ must be considered if an environmentally sound policy is desired. Against this background, the present article analyses a potential integration of CCS in the international climate regime. It is based on existing rules and modalities regarding non-permanence of sequestration in the Land use, Land-use change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector. Interestingly, the experience from LULUCF has almost completely been neglected during the discussion on CCS. We argue that CCS can only be accounted for in a transparent and comprehensive way, if it is considered a „removal“ (or „sink“) activity. This is, however, incompatible with the current UNFCCC rules and definitions. Consequently, they would have to be changed. Accounting and problems of cross-border projects are discussed. They arise due to the potential geographical separation of capture and storage site. Furthermore, an economic analysis is conducted considering the consequences of non-permanent storage. We apply the tCER approach for LULUCF projects which has already been agreed upon during the international climate negotiations. It may thus form the basis for CCS, too. The study suggests that CCS is probably not as attractive as widely claimed