Carbon Offsetting: An Efficient Way to Reduce Emissions or to Avoid Reducing Emissions? An Investigation and Analysis of Offsetting Design and Practice in India and China

摘要: Carbon trading is being implemented on international, national and sub-national scales in most places where greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets are enacted. The appeal of carbon efficiency, lowering the cost climate mitigation by allowing market to find least expensive sources reduction. In this dissertation I probe assumptions that efficient effective through grounded case study. A multi-year study how Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) - world's largest offsetting program working practice Indian power sector (Chapter 2) documents large uncertainties associated with reduced program. This uncertainty has resulted numbers CDM projects do not actually reduce (are non-additional ) regulatory undermines effectiveness supporting new projects. medium- long-term, even if quality can be assured, purported efficiency must weighed against ways at scale makes international change cooperation more difficult over next decades. There been a lot interest continuing ensuring credits generated represent real reductions. Chapter 3 examines prospects for developing rigorous additionality test filtering out proposed business-as-usual therefore reductions under Through depth studies testing wind, biomass hydropower India, conclude today's prices there no accurate verifiable indicator whether CO2 reduction would built without CDM. 4 probes crediting incentivizing focused look history support bagasse cogeneration India reveals range shifting barriers have impeded development technology. price alone overcome technology, parallel efforts were needed spur Post-2012 agreements legislation include provisions replacing standardized project eligibility criteria indicate shift away from project-based towards sectoral level as retain offsetting, but avoid current problems examine proposals reforming or design programs cement Shandong province China. indicates conceptions programs, documented Chapters 2, risk worse when level. brief discussion some inefficiencies may feature generally tracing parallels between implementation California's Low Fuel Standard. end policy political space within which negotiated internationally, US, alternatives might fulfill environmental goals together.