Join us at the Climate Change Conference in Bonn on Friday 20th May for an official side event hosted by the Energy Research Centre and WWF International
From investors to activists and world leaders, there is growing interest in whether and how climate policy should seek to limit the supply of fossil fuels in addition to reducing demand. Research suggests a large share of fossil fuel reserves will need to stay in the ground to keep warming below 2°C – but achieving […]
In this paper the authors reflect on the challenges encountered by the MAPS country teams and the value of the assessments conducted. On the basis of these reflections, the beginnings of a framework for future work is presented, which is intended to serve as a starting point for practitioners undertaking such assessments in the future. […]
Following an initial Part 1 that explores complex dynamic systems thinking as a theoretical framework to advance climate mitigation policy in developing countries, this Part 2 expands on what a complexity perspective might practically mean for the climate and development policy work. It focuses on principles, priorities and approaches as well as tools. The exploratory […]
This paper considers whether complex dynamic systems thinking may be able to assist the climate mitigation policy community of practice working in development contexts in making progressing on tackling climate mitigation in developing countries. It builds on the findings from previous work under MAPS reflecting on how a climate mitigation policy community of practice working […]
This research adds to the literature in applying well-established concepts of networked knowledge production from the corporate management and innovation literature to one of the world’s most pressing public policy problems: integrating climate change and development. This research focuses on co-benefits knowledge creation, not adoption or transfer.
Find here the approaches that were used in the different MAPS country processes for assessing co-impacts of GHG mitigation, as well as those used in a linked project in India by CPR and some of the associated key learnings. The paper also include a brief overview of the emerging literature on co-impacts thinking and quantification, […]
The paper asks whether the MAPS Programme can be considered a case of southern planning theorising at work and if it can, then what makes it so. In order to do this, it describes first the key intentions and methodological traits of the Programme that were identified by participants as remarkable, unusual or valuable in […]
This study analyses the MAPS-Chile project from a processes perspective which emphasises decisions, strategic and methodological actions that articulate the relation and interaction between the various institutions and stakeholders involved. It builds on existing literature and develops a framework for the analysis from the perspective of sociology of science and technology. This paper is part […]
This paper documents the analytical results of the four MAPS processes in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru. It focuses on the information built around emissions reference cases, emission reduction opportunities, potentials and costs and on the socioeconomic impacts of the mitigation actions and scenarios. A general comparative analysis of the results is presented where possible, […]
The paper seeks to provide insights and recommendations on policy-development for practitioners in the field of climate mitigation by deepening our understanding on how implementation works. This paper is based on five case studies on South African implementation related to mitigation, a case study on policy development in Colombia and a reflective study on the LTMS.
This research aims to isolate the factors that lead to implementation (or lack thereof) of interventions that may have an impact on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in developing countries. This case study is part of a series looking to collectively consider research on GHG mitigation action implementation by applying existing theoretical frameworks to examples […]
This paper explores the processes inside the City of Cape Town involved in failed implementation of the City-billing scheme and the eventual implementation of the Endorsement scheme, in order to illustrate and explore the challenges of implementation components of mitigation policy within the context of a large metropolitan local government in South Africa.
This research explores the drivers and experiences of implementation with respect to carbon mitigation policies and programmes. The research focuses on the case of the Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management (EEDSM) programme which targets the reduction of electricity consumption in municipalities, which are major consumers of electricity in South Africa.
The Institutionalisation of Climate Policy in India, Designing a Development-Focused, Co-Benefits Based Approach, working paper, seeks to analyse the evolution of India’s climate institutions
This paper reflects on who the climate mitigation community of practice are and how they do what they do, particularly when it comes to working in developing countries. It investigates the concept of development itself, exploring if considering ‘development’ as a stand-alone issue raises questions different to those climate mitigation practitioners usually focus on.
The research aims to uncover key drivers and barriers that have contributed to or hindered the implementation of interventions with mitigation benefit in developing countries. . This case study examines the implementation of South Africa’s energy programme- the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
This case study of the implementation of the MyCiTi Bus Rapid Transit system is one of a series of studies which seek to identify key drivers and barriers that have contributed to or hindered the implementation in developing countries of past or current interventions which have climate mitigation benefits. The objective of this research is […]
The LTMS is acknowledged as being the “foundation” of South African climate mitigation policy, both domestically and internationally. However the extent to which climate mitigation implementation has become a reality in the country is questionable. The LTMS also provided the inspiration for the Mitigation Action Plans and Scenarios (MAPS) Programme which facilitated similar processes being […]
This paper first identifies the instruments that will likely form part of the Paris package, and then explores the characteristic features of each of these instruments with a particular focus on their legal status and significance. In doing so, it will address the issue of ‘legal form’ of the core 2015 agreement.
What should India put forward as the mitigation component of its climate contribution (or ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contribution’ (INDC))? Since energy accounts for 77% of India’s greenhouse gas emissions, this question can only be answered as one part of a larger discussion about India’s energy future. This study conducts a comparative review of seven recent […]
This paper examines agroforestry systems as certified emissions reductions for the Peruvian Amazon region. It describes the findings of a modeling-based research, which compares the economic value of timber felling practices in agroforestry plots in Peru, with the potential financial benefits of using global carbon trading mechanisms
The aim of this study was to build capacity in the development of tools for the analysis of the macroeconomic impacts of introducing measures to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon tax and cap and trade scheme. The study is based on the integration of bottom-up with top-down models. The associated brief shows […]
This paper aims to analyse the economy-wide implications of a carbon tax applied on the Chilean electricity generation sector as it will act as an economic shock to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth path. In order to get an answer to this, both energy sectoral model and dynamic stochastic generally equilibrium (DSGE) model […]
Some developing countries are implementing measures to deviate its emissions patterns. This paper uses a methodological approach to assess the socio-economic implications of some of these potential measures, to evaluate the Colombian case. The main finding is that a carbon tax does not affect significantly the macroeconomic indicators and yet reached important abatements, especially if […]
This research paper investigates the socio-economic implications of mitigation in the power sector including carbon taxes in South Africa. The structure of this paper is as follows. The first section provides a discussion of recent developments within South Africa aimed at increasing the contribution of renewable energy. The second section gives a brief description of […]
This working paper intends to support in-country teams involved in building their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) by exploring the different possible forms these contributions could take.
This paper reports on modelling approaches that provide information to answer policy-relevant questions in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru and South Africa. The analysis informs different country contexts; energy-related green house gas (GHG) emissions currently dominate in Chile and South Africa, while those due to agriculture, forestry and land-use (AFOLU) are historically more important in Brazil, […]
This paper aims to provide insights into the lessons learnt from the practical experiences in the European Union (EU),with sharing of climate change commitments relevant for developing countries in light of the international post 2020 negotiations.
This paper is an analysis of mitigation assessments under the EU Emissions Trading System (2005-2012) and intra-EU equity or solidarity under the EU 2020 climate policy framework
This paper examines whether the Montreal Protocol, with its legal mandate to protect the ozone layer from depletion, should regulate hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) despite them not being ozone-depleting substances.
This paper looks at the gaps between alleviating poverty and climate mitigation. It talks about why, even under conditions of extreme poverty, climate mitigation cannot be ignored. It also looks at why climate adaptation has tended to overshadow climate mitigation in anti-poverty strategies and shows the lack of a direct link between poverty thinking and mitigation action.
This paper is part of a series that aims to support stakeholders and research groups in the selection of long-range energy systems modelling platforms, to inform decision making for public policy options compatible with national development goals. This paper builds on the MAPS Chile experience.
It is known that there is considerable potential for emissions reduction through the implementation of energy efficiency policies. This paper seeks to address the still limited understanding of the impacts of these policies on economic growth, employment and welfare by assessing the socio-economic implications of increased energy efficiency in South Africa.
Mitigation Action Plans and Scenarios (MAPS) is a collaboration amongst developing countries to establish the evidence base for long-term transition to robust economies that are both carbon efficient and climate resilient. MAPS country programmes have dedicated research teams focusing specifically on the agriculture sector in order to strengthen data and refine methodological approaches to identify […]
This empirical study assesses the relationship between the characteristics of developing countries and the amount of official climate mitigation finance inflow. A two-part model and robustness checks were used to analyse 1998–2010 Rio Marker data on 180 developing countries. The results show that developing countries with higher CO2 intensity, larger carbon sinks, lower per capita gross […]
This paper establishes broad framework for the analysis of energy security, and presents an analysis of South Africa’s energy security situation, arguing that the country is facing an energy security crisis.
This paper examines the socio-economic importance of the agriculture sector in six emerging economies (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru and South Africa) and compares their GHG emissions profiles.
This study seeks to understand how mitigation actions are approached and conceptualised in Argentina. It describes how the country defines and identifies mitigation actions. It also maps the general policy context, the institutions that have been focusing on mitigation actions to date, and the initiatives underway in the country to further structure approaches to mitigation […]
Modelling is vital for developing low carbon development plans and strategies that are consistent with national circumstances. Models identify the mitigation policy instruments and measures needed ‘to ensure global benefits at the lowest possible costs. Numerous models and modelling approaches available to answer different policy questions; each with their own set of advantages and limitations. Often, a […]
Setting achievable GHG mitigation targets requires the systematic analysis of potential mitigation actions to quantify the implication of each action, in terms of its benefits and costs. This is done with the help of models. There are a multitude of modelling platforms and approaches available, each with its strengths and weaknesses, and they can be […]
Mitigation actions are currently a source of both academic and ‘on-the-ground’ interest, especially as they arise within the UNFCCC context as Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). Committing to action at the international level remains, however, an empty contribution to global mitigation efforts unless it is translated into domestic public policy interventions.
Climate mitigation practitioners in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India, and South Africa were surveyed for their understanding of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and Low Carbon Development Strategies (LCDS). It is found that there is much scope for clarity and conceptual elaboration in this policy space. NAMAs are largely interpreted as mitigation activities packaged for submission […]
In light of the ongoing international discussions about the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action concept, this study takes instead a more ‘bottom-up’ approach through a comparative analysis of five studies of mitigation actions in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru and South Africa. The analysis shows that mitigation actions are driven by both developmental and climate objectives. The […]
This paper explains different approaches to using Marginal Abatement Cost (MAC) curves as a mitigation decision tool. It also demonstrates appropriate interpretation of MAC curves through illustrated examples
India faces many development challenges. It has to lift 340 million people out of poverty, reduce the rural- urban disparities, address energy poverty and solve many other development issues. But India also needs to contribute in solving the climate change problem and take mitigation actions.
What is the relationship between emissions, inequality and poverty? Growing wealth supposedly correlates with increasing emissions. Rich countries are historically high in per capita emissions, whereas poor countries have low per capita emissions. African and Latin American non-Annex I countries rank high in the statistics of emissions intensity. Where are highly unequal middle-income countries in […]
Poverty and climate change mitigation are two concepts, which trouble policy makers and climate policy analysts, because they perceive them as conflicting public policy objectives. Poverty remains a pressing problem in many middle-income countries, where efforts for mitigating climate change become more urgent. Poverty alleviation often disappears as an explicit priority in the wider concepts […]
This paper examines current literature on the linkages between low-carbon development, mitigation and poverty in middle-income countries. Climate change and poverty generally fall into the adaptation category in research literature and policymaking. Acknowledging current findings of poverty research, this separation between mitigation and adaptation does not hold anymore. The majority of the poor now live […]
Climate and trade issues lie at the intersection of two of the world’s most contested, delayed and important multilateral negotiations: climate change negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and international trade as regulated by the World Trade Organization (WTO). This paper considers two aspects of overlapping concern to the two […]
This study seeks to understand how mitigation actions (MAs) are approached and conceptualized in Brazil. It describes how the country defines and identifies MAs. It also maps the general policy context, the institutions that have been focusing on MAs to date, and the initiatives underway in the country to further structure approaches to MAs.
The paper seeks to understand how mitigation actions have been conceptualized and could be approached in Colombia. It is divided in two parts. The first part presents the contextual framework in which the NAMAs will be undertaken. The second part contains the bases used to identify NAMA proposals for Colombia.
The country study aims to deepen understanding of mitigation activity in Chile, particularly with regard to how the country approaches, describes and defines mitigation actions.
The country study aims to deepen our understanding of mitigation activity in South Africa, particularly with regard to how the country approaches, describes and defines mitigation actions. It considers three main areas of enquiry from a bottom-up methodological perspective: first, what is a South African Mitigation Action (SAMA)? Second, what are the barriers and challenges […]
The main purpose of this study is to understand and explore the concept of mitigation actions in Peru, how they are defined and identified, and issues related to their development. The study is divided in two parts: the first analyzes the country specific approach to mitigation actions, and the second analyzes a particular example of […]
