California RECLAIM's market failure: lessons for the Kyoto Protocol

Abstract

The failure of Los Angeles' RECLAIM emission trading market in the summer of 2000 uncovers important issues that have direct relevance for the various systems now emerging for exchanging greenhouse gas credits. Two primary causes for the breakdown of RECLAIM are apparent. On the one hand, RECLAIM did not succeed because of a series of unpredictable events that included manipulation of the market by brokers and the California energy shortage. On the other hand, several potentially foreseeable program design flaws contributed to the failure. This study examines the structure of RECLAIM and concludes that there was sufficient resilience to endure the two unexpected crises. However, the problematic program design features created a market that was fatally flawed and, regardless of impinging circumstances, was ultimately bound to collapse. We also investigate the status of the rapidly developing international greenhouse gas market and identify several lessons from the RECLAIM experience: the need for a holistic approach to market design that includes the role of a bank, the interface with project-based credits, the similarities of the industries enrolled in the program, and need to carefully consider how to handle the problems caused by the end of the trading period.     

Vikings and virtues: a decade of CO2 taxation

Abstract

Experience with implementation of CO² taxes spans almost a decade in the Nordic countries, and time is ripe for an evaluation of their performance. In contrast to ex-ante forecasts, empirical research can show the extent to which such taxes deliver on the assumptions of economic theory. A survey of the existing literature shows that there are currently 20 ex-post studies of the full or partial effects of CO² taxes. Evaluations are complicated by frequent changes in tax rates, widespread exemptions and the ‘too many variables’ problem. Attempts have been made to deal with these problems by using a variety of approaches and research techniques, some more advanced than others. On balance the studies appear to show that emissions have been curbed when compared to businessas-usual forecasts, while absolute CO² reduction remains the exception. Among the Nordic countries, Denmark's scheme, which combines taxes with subsidies for energy efficiency, seems to have attained the most marked results, although the achieved reductions also reflect the higher carbon content of the Danish energy sector. The evaluations differ considerably in scope, approach and methodology. Methodological issues connected with expost evaluation are considered. An adequate evaluation of the impact of the CO² taxes, in both environmental and economic terms, will require the establishment of comprehensive panel databases of energy consumers.     

Experts talk the future Reflections on the Bonn Seminar of Governmental Experts, 16–17 May 2005: a view from Europe

Abstract

This article provides a first-cut estimate of the potential impacts of the clean development mechanism (CDM) on electricity generation and carbon emissions in the power sector of non-Annex 1 countries. We construct four illustrative CDM regimes that represent a range of approaches under consideration within the climate community. We examine the impact of these CDM regimes on investments in new generation, under illustrative carbon trading prices of US$ 10 and 100/t C. In the cases that are most conducive to CDM activity, roughly 94% of new generation investments remains identical to the without-CDM situation, with only 6% shifting from higher to lower carbon intensity technologies.We estimate that the CDM would bolster renewable energy generation by as little as 15% at US$ 10/t C, or as much as 300% at US$ 100/t C.

A striking finding comes from our examination of the potential magnitude of the “free-rider” problem, i.e. crediting of activities that will occur even in the absence of the CDM. The CDM is intended to be globally carbon-neutral—a project reduces emissions in the host country but generates credits that increase emissions in the investor country. However, to the extent that unwarranted credits are awarded to non-additional projects, the CDM would increase global carbon emissions above the without-CDM emissions level. Under two of the CDM regimes considered, cumulative free-riders credits total 250–600 MtC through the end of the first budget period in 2012. This represents 10–23% of the likely OECD emissions reduction requirement during the first budget period. Since such a magnitude of free-rider credits from non-additional CDM projects could threaten the environmental integrity of the Kyoto protocol, it is imperative that policy makers devise CDM rules that encourage legitimate projects, while effectively screening out non-additional activities.     

华北两类产生极端强天气的线状对流系统分布特征与环境条件

华北线状对流系统精细气候分布及其所产生的极端天气特征尚不清楚,本研究利用雷达拼图资料和客观识别方法普查2013—2018年华北171例线状对流系统的时、空分布特征,根据其所致强对流天气的统计结果,发现华北地区至少有2类线状对流系统,分别产生极端强雷暴大风和极端强降水。分析了这2类线状对流系统的环流形势、环境条件、地形作用和关键中尺度系统地面冷池等的特征。主要结论如下:华北线状对流系统的空间分布尤其是初始形成位置与大地形关系密切,京津冀的太行山和燕山山脚区域为其中的一个高发区;2类线状对流系统发生月份、空间尺度、移动速度、形成时刻和维持时间等都具有显著差异;2类线状对流系统的环流背景、环境条件和冷池也差别明显。强雷暴大风型线状对流系统的环境大气斜压性强,中层干和大的垂直减温率造成的最优对流有效位能、下沉对流有效位能大值区是产生极端大风的重要环境条件,地面强冷池以及0—3 km风垂直切变对前向传播起到了重要作用。强降水型线状对流系统产生的降水极端性较前一类型更为凸出,天气尺度强迫相对较弱,水汽条件极其充沛,地面弱冷池或地形与低层南风气流相互作用维持的后向传播是其发展和缓慢移动的主要机制,也是产生极端强降水的直接原因。      

The integrated socio-perceptual approach: Using ecological mental maps and future imaginaries to understand land use decisions

Rural places are important centers of environmental and social transformation. Landholders are not only affected by socio-environmental changes, but they are influencing futures related to climate change, food security, freshwater, biodiversity, and social and economic development. Much environmental land use work understands individual landholders as rational actors, portrayed through the economic lens of “producer.” These approaches generally focus on present capacities and limitations as the principal factors contributing to land use, and the individual farm as the reference unit for decisions. Our research takes steps to expand conceptualizations of rural landholders as active and knowledgeable in envisioning, managing, and shaping environmental futures. We design and test a new approach using ecological mental maps and future imaginaries to understand land use practices through a case study in the cocoa-producing and Atlantic Forest region of Southern Bahia, Brazil. The integrated socio-perceptual (ISP) approach combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies to honor the depth of landholders’ experiences and perspectives and to allow broader regional relationships and insights to emerge. We demonstrate that the ISP approach—through 49 surveys—has the capacity to capture variation and identify patterns in ecological mental maps and future imaginaries in a population, approximate the relevant spatial scales underlying these factors, and identify relationships between these and land uses. In this context, the types of narratives landholders hold about the region’s future are associated with current forest land use on their properties. We discuss potential applications of the ISP approach for land use study and practice.     

地下水资源可更新性的环境同位素研究

论述了环境同位素在研究地下水可更新性中的应用现状,分析研究区氢氧稳定同位素、氚和14C放射性同位素、CFCS的分布特征及其指示意义,对比人类开采前后地下水的同位素特征.结果表明:盆地地下水的可更新性随不同深度、地域、含水层的不同而各异,人类活动加强了浅层与深层地下水之间的水力联系.     

胶州湾大肠菌群丰度变化及对环境污染的指示

采用MPN计数法对胶州湾大肠菌群丰度进行7年（84个月）连续监测,结果表明,大肠菌群丰度的周年变化明显,全年最高丰度与最低丰度相差约2.2倍。胶州湾大肠菌群丰度自2005—2009年明显下降,降幅达67%,说明胶州湾环境质量有所好转。研究还发现大肠菌群丰度变化具有明显的区域特征,河口区最高,湾内区最低,差异近11倍。大...     

Effect of environmental factors on photodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the water-soluble fraction of Kuwait crude oil in seawater

Photodegradation of PAHs in the water-soluble fraction of Kuwait crude oil in seawater was investigated under various environmental factors (temperature, light intensity, oxygen levels and presence of a sensitizer) in laboratory conditions. All factors investigated had significant effect on the degradation rates of PAHs. At 15 °C almost all PAHs optimally degraded at an oxygen level of 4 ppm. For lower molecular weight PAHs a light intensity of 500 W/m² in the presence of the sensitizer worked well. Higher molecular weight PAHs degraded at faster rates at a light intensity 750 W/m². At 30 °C, most of the PAHs degraded optimally at an oxygen level of 0 ppm and light intensity of 500 or 750 W/m² in presence of the sensitizer. At 40 °C, most of PAHs degraded optimally at low oxygen concentrations (0 and 4 ppm) and a light intensity of 500 W/m² in the presence of the sensitizer. Linear regression indicated that for most of the compounds, light intensity had the greatest effect on degradation rates.     

白岩脚煤矿环境水文地质问题及防治对策

对白岩脚煤矿含水层特征、地下水赋存、转化与排泄等水文地质条件分析的基础上,对区内水土流失、石漠化、内涝、地下水污染等原生的和煤炭开采可能引发的环境水文地质问题进行梳理,并提出对策建议,为矿井设计和矿山环境保护与恢复治理提供参考。     

降温降水对池塘水环境影响及诱发鳜鱼疾病的研究

探讨气候变化（降水、降温）与养殖鳜鱼（Ｓｉｎｉｐｅｒｃａ ｃｈｕａｓｔｓｉ）池溏主要水生态因子关系问题。结果表明，降水、降温会引起藻类种群的改变，进而溶氧变化，最终影响鱼的健康，低溶氧是诱发鳜鱼疾病的首要水化因子。所以，气侯变化是生态因子变化继而诱发鳜鱼疾病的催化剂。水中营养盐浓度影响藻类生长。