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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

FROM VOLUME 10, NUMBER 8, AUGUST 1997

REPORTS...
MITIGATION

Item #d97aug57

Designing Economic Instruments to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in North America, Can. Global Change Prog., ca. 20 pp., 1997, $CDN₂O (CGCP). Core text (11 pp.) available on the CGCP Web site.

Report of a workshop (Jan. 1997, Toronto) of multiple stakeholders, that was co-hosted by the CGCP, Queen's University et al. There was broad consensus that the implementation of emissions trading would have to be an evolutionary process, probably best begun at the national level. Participants generally agreed that although carbon taxes are already in place in five European countries, there is virtually no prospect of implementing them soon in North America.

Item #d97aug58

Reducing Carbon Emissions: Interactions with the Tax System Raise the Cost, I.W. Parry, 3 pp., 1997. See Resources, Summer 1997 (RFF).

Recent research shows that even modest emissions reductions might be especially costly if the policies do not raise revenues for the government that are returned to the economy in other tax reductions.

Item #d97aug59

Toward a Sustainable Future: Addressing the Long-term Effects of Motor Vehicle Transportation on Climate and Ecology, Transport. Res. Bd.-Natl. Res. Council, 50 pp. (pre-publication copy), July 1997, $29 (Transport. Res. Bd.).

Recommends two general approaches for reducing motor vehicle emissions of greenhouse gases: (1) discourage driving through taxation, pricing and other policies aimed at changing travel behavior; (2) encourage the development of new transportation technologies that use either smaller amounts of petroleum fuels, or alternative fuels that produce fewer greenhouse gases.

Item #d97aug60

Global Warming: Information on the Results of Four of EPA's Voluntary Climate Change Programs (RCED-97-163), 28 pp., June 1997 (GAO). Full text available on the GAO Web site.

Finds that more most projections of future greenhouse gas reductions were based on participation rates in the four programs revewed that have not yet been realized. Examines EPA's approach to projecting emissions reductions currently and in the future.

Item #d97aug61

Alternative Approaches to Offsetting the Competitive Burden of a Carbon/Energy Tax, J.A. Hoerner, 40 pp., 1997, $14 (ACEEE).

Based on a roundtable analysis with representatives of intensive manufacturing industries. Explores various offset strategies, including tax credits on capital investment, energy efficiency investment, and labor taxes.

Item #d97aug62

Recent Discussion Papers from RFF.

Assessing the Constraints and Opportunities for Private-Sector Participation in Activities Implemented Jointly: Two Case Studies from the U.S. Initiative..." (97-38), M. Powell et al., July 1997.

SO2 Allowance Trading: How Experience and Expectations Measure Up (97-24), D.R. Bohi, D. Burtraw, Feb. 1997. Explains why the U.S. program has achieved reductions in emissions ahead of schedule, at lower than expected allowance prices.

When Can Carbon Abatement Policies Increase Welfare? The Fundamental Role of Distorted Market Factors (97-18), I.W.H. Parry et al., Jan. 1997. Employs analytical and numerical general equilibrium models to assess the efficiency impacts of two policies to reduce U.S. carbon emissions-a carbon tax and a carbon quota.

The Next Generation of Market-Based Environmental Policies (97-10), R.N. Stavins, B.W. Whitehead, Nov. 1996. Examines U.S. applications of market-based policies and what will be required if they are to become a major force in U.S. environmental policy.

Item #d97aug63

A Review of Coal Mine Methane Recovery for Electric Utilities (TR-107092), ICF Resouces Inc. for Elec. Power Res. Inst., 91 pp., Nov. 1996 (EPRI).

Evaluates potential recovery amounts and costs for U.S. mines and discusses technical and legal issues. Recovery of methane may be a cost-effective offset method for some utilities, particularly if the government imposes legal limits on greenhouse gases.

Item #d97aug64

Strategy Paper for Reducing Methane Emissions, European Commission, Nov. 1996. Contact Saturnino M. Gomez (tel: 32 2 299 9332; fax: 32 2 296 9560).

Reducing methane emissions would have more immediate impact on the greenhouse effect than CO₂ reductions because of the short lifetime of methane in the atmosphere. This paper examines options for a European Union strategy. (See Global Environ. Change Rep., p. 4, Dec. 27, 1996; http://www.cutter.com).

Item #d97aug65

Policies and Measures to Reduce CO₂ Emissions by Efficiency and Renewables, Worldwide Fund for Nature, Nov. 1996. Contact the WWF European Policy Office (tel: 32 2 743 8800).

The European Union could reduce CO₂ emissions by 14% from 1990 levels by the year 2005 through energy efficiency measures, and could benefit significantly from the use of cogeneration if proposals to deregulate its electricity market were carried through. Suggests a variety of instruments to promote efficiency.

Item #d97aug66

CO₂ Offset Opportunities in Siberian Forests (TR-106059), Electric Power Res. Inst., 112 pp., May 1996 (EPRI).

Defines the environmental, socioeconomic, and political conditions relevant to undertaking offset projects in Siberia, determines regional opportunities, and discusses steps necessary for implementation. Reviews two forestry-based joint implementation projects that are underway.

Item #d97aug67

CO₂ Mitigation and the Indian Transport Sector, 27 pp., 1996, $5 (TERI).

Compares the growing demand for transport and associated emissions in the developing and developed countries; examines India's growing transport sector, particularly its growing dependence on oil; outlines ways to reduce emissions.