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Special Report
on Selected Side Events at SB 24 |
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Events
convened on Saturday, 20 May 2006 |
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Carbon
capture and storage as a climate policy measure |
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Presented
by the Center for International Climate and Environmental
Research |
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Andreas Tjernshaugen,
Center for International Climate and Environmental Research
(CICERO), examined political commitments to carbon capture and
storage (CCS) and their drivers in Europe and North America
through a study of public R&D budgets. Noting that
although current CCS budgets are small, he suggested future
budgets will increase. He identified the presence of
recoverable oil and gas reserves as prime drivers for
government interest in CCS and added that meeting Kyoto
Protocol’s targets or reliance on fossil fuels are less
important factors.
Asbjørn Torvanger, CICERO,
focused on climate impacts of leakage from geological carbon
dioxide storage. He presented scenarios that show the impacts
of carbon dioxide use and storage on climate stabilization and
emission rates, stressing that these scenarios account for
leakage. He highlighted results of computer simulations on
leakage scenarios in saline formations or aquifers. He then
showed scenarios of the impacts of storage, degrees of leakage
and no storage on atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and
on temperature change. He stated that while large scale CCS
can have a significant mitigation effect, leakage can be
non-marginal and lead to a climate backlash. He said a
relatively strict climate target is feasible with high fossil
fuel use if high storage is employed. He underscored the
existence of monitoring, legal, and institutional challenges
to CCS.
Kristin Rypdal, CICERO,
examined regulatory aspects of safe storage of CCS.
Highlighting that CCS regulatory guidelines are under
development, she discussed some of the implications of IPCC
2006 guidelines for CCS. She stressed that safe storage
depends on sound project management and that the IPCC 2006
guidelines provide a framework for monitoring and reporting
requirements. She called for additional regulatory frameworks
if CCS is to be part of emission trading schemes.
Bert Metz, Netherlands
Environmental Assessment Agency, commented on the lack of
clarity on CICERO’s estimates of leakage rates and suggested
the use of compensation measures in case of leakage.
In ensuing discussions,
particiants identified the existence of a well established
geo-scientific community as a major driver for a country focus
on CCS. Participants also addressed the difference between
figures on fuel resources and reserves and the high leakages
rates presented by CICERO. | |
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Climate change,
energy and sustainable development: how to tame King
Coal? |
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Presented by
France |
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Antoine-Tristan Mocilnikar,
Energy Counselor to the Interministerial Delegate for Sustainable
Development, France, stated that coal consumption will double by
2030, with the greatest increases occurring in developing countries.
He stressed that CCS is pivotal to reducing carbon dioxide
emissions. Emphasizing that existing CCS technologies are at an
experimental stage, he outlined the need to build an economic
framework to encourage their profitable deployment.
Tim Dixon, Department of Trade
and Industry, UK, introduced the EU-China Partnership on Climate
Change, which seeks to accelerate China’s learning curve with
regards to CCS development and deployment. He explained that the
project resulted from a UK assessment that identified CCS and the
need to engage emerging economies as the most efficient mitigation
activities.
Mustapha Kleiche, French
Development Agency, stated that developing countries should use
local resources to meet their energy needs, even if this means
exploiting coal. He explained that his Agency strives to help
developing countries reduce the negative impacts of fossil
fuel-based energy while promoting economic growth, emphasizing the
role of CCS in achieving this goal.
David Reiner, University of
Cambridge, discussed public acceptability of CCS. He highlighted
that while there is a rise of CCS on the policy agenda, there is a
lack of public awareness and understanding of the concept. He noted
that current research reveals public support for renewable energy
development and increased energy efficiency.
Participants discussed the
impacts of CCS on energy
prices. | |
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Carbon stocks
and flows of the Russian forest and landbase |
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Presented by
the World Resources Institute |
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Summarizing the findings of the 2005 World
Resources Institute report "Stocks and Flows", Dmitri
Zamolodochikov, Russian Academy of Sciences, highlighted that
Russian forests are currently a net sink. He emphasized that the
report contributes to making Russian national forest data accessible
to the international community. Noting the economic potential of
Russian forests for carbon sequestration, he suggested the
possibility of enhancing sequestration by 20 million tons carbon
equivalent per year at a cost of USD 13 per ton of carbon, which is
below current European prices.
Mikhail Gytarsky, Institute of Global Climate and
Ecology, Russia, described how the findings from the 2005 report
were used to develop Russia’s GHG Inventory in the forest sector,
noting that the inventory’s development was also informed by the
IPCC LULUCF Good Practice Guidance. He outlined the methods and
parameters used to develop the inventory and noted that the overall
uncertainty in the inventory estimates is about 30%.
Participants discussed: illegal logging in Russia;
whether Russian forests are sources or sinks; Russia’s criteria for
"managed forest lands"; and the Russian stance on Article 3.4 of the
Kyoto Protocol on LULUCF additional activities.
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The Earth
Negotiations Bulletin on the side (ENBOTS) © <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> is a special
publication of the International Institute for Sustainable
Development (IISD). This issue has been written by Asmita Bhardwaj,
Alice Bisiaux, Robynne Boyd, and Alexandra Conliffe. The
photographer is Francis Dejon. The Digital Editor is Diego Noguera.
The Editor is Soledad Aguilar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. The
Director of IISD Reporting Services is Langston James “Kimo” Goree
VI <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. The opinions
expressed in ENBOTS are those of the authors and do not necessarily
reflect the views of IISD and funders. Excerpts from ENBOTS may be
used in non-commercial publications only with appropriate academic
citation. For permission to use this material in commercial
publications, contact the Director of IISD Reporting Services at
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. Electronic
versions of issues of ENBOTS from SB 24 can be found on the Linkages
website at http://www.iisd.ca/climate/sb24/enbots/. The
ENBOTS Team at SB 24 can be contacted by e-mail at <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. | |
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