scholarly journals Capturing a soil carbon economy

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam G. Keenor ◽  
Aline F. Rodrigues ◽  
Li Mao ◽  
Agnieszka E. Latawiec ◽  
Amii R. Harwood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Carbon Price ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Global Soil ◽  
Price Growth ◽  
Soil Ecosystem Services ◽  
Trading Mechanisms ◽  
Carbon Economy

Current carbon pricing and trading mechanisms, despite their efficacy in reducing GHG emissions from industry, will not be sufficient to achieve Net Zero targets. Current mechanisms that redress emissions are largely economic disincentives , in effect financial penalties for emitters. In order to attain Net Zero futures, financial incentives for activities that sequester carbon from the atmosphere are needed. Herein, we present the environmental and economic co-benefits of soil re-carbonization and justify support for soil carbon remuneration. With increasing momentum to develop green economies, and projected increases in carbon price, growth in the global carbon market is inevitable. The establishment of a soil-based carbon economy, within this emerging financial space, has the potential to deliver a paradigm shift that will accelerate climate change mitigation, and concurrently realize net gains for soil health and the delivery of soil ecosystem services. Pivotal to the emergence of a global soil carbon economy will be a consensus on certification instruments used for long-term soil carbon storage, and the development of robust institutional agreements and processes to facilitate soil carbon trading.

scholarly journals Integrated Carbon Policy Design for Achieving Net-Zero Targets

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Abhijeet Acharya
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Policy Design ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Carbon Price ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
Carbon Policy ◽  
Revenue Recycling ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Private Investments ◽  
Integrated Policy

Several countries have set net-zero targets, and many more will announce in the next few years. Countries have used carbon pricing as an instrument to cut Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and provide a price signal to attract private investments to achieve net-zero targets. However, current carbon policy in countries with net-zero targets remains inadequate and asymmetrical to overcome net-zero challenges; there are visible gaps in the carbon price level, sectoral coverage, and mechanism to reward carbon-neutral initiatives. This paper proposed an integrated carbon policy design covering economic, technical, and social dimensions and discussed how an integrated policy design approach could be effective in helping countries achieve net-zero objectives. The paper makes recommendations for net-zero policymakers. First, a stable and appropriate carbon price must be in place to attract private investments in carbon offset measures and commercialize clean technologies. Second, governments should use an effective revenue recycling mechanism to engage firms and citizens in mitigating the side effects of the carbon price regime and win their trust. Third, countries should promote behavioral changes and carbon footprint reduction measures through citizen participation. 

scholarly journals Obstacles to Developing Net-Zero Energy (NZE) Homes in Greater Toronto Area

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Ghazal Makvandia ◽  
Md. Safiuddin
Keyword(s):  
Financial Incentives ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
The Public ◽  
Greater Toronto Area ◽  
Net Zero Energy ◽  
Net Zero

Efforts have been put in place to minimize the effects of construction activities and occupancy, but the problem of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continues to have detrimental effects on the environment. As an effort to reduce GHG emissions, particularly carbon emissions, countable commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential net-zero energy (NZE) buildings were built around the globe during the past few years, and they are still operating. But there exist many challenges and barriers for the construction of NZE buildings. This study identifies the obstacles to developing NZE buildings, with a focus on single-family homes, in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The study sought to identify the technical, organizational, and social challenges of constructing NZE buildings, realize the importance of the public awareness in making NZE homes, and provide recommendations on how to raise public knowledge. A qualitative approach was employed to collect the primary data through survey and interviews. The secondary data obtained from the literature review were also used to realize the benefits, challenges, and current situation of NZE buildings. Research results indicate that the construction of NZE buildings is faced with a myriad of challenges, including technical issues, the lack of governmental and institutional supports, and the lack of standardized measures. The public awareness of NZE homes has been found to be very low, thus limiting the uptake and adoption of the new technologies used in this type of homes. The present study also recommends that the government and the academic institutions should strive to support the NZE building technology through curriculum changes, technological uptake, and financial incentives to buyers and developers. The implementation of these recommendations may enhance the success and popularity of NZE homes in the GTA.

scholarly journals ADDRESSING SOIL HEALTH MANAGEMENT ISSUES IN INDIA

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (12) ◽  
pp. 110-123
Author(s):  
Amrit Patel
Keyword(s):  
Health Management ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Director General ◽  
Strategic Action ◽  
The Road ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Global Soil ◽  
International Year Of Soils

World has been observing 5th December since 2012 as the World Soil Day to ensure maintenance of soil health, This was complimented by the United Nations’ General Assembly declaring 2015, as the International Year of Soils to create awareness among all stakeholders and promote more sustainable use of soil being the critical resource. On this occasion, UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon had said that without healthy soils life on Earth would be unsustainable. Indeed, soils are the foundation of agriculture. He had urged all Governments to pledge to do more to protect this important yet forgotten resource. A healthy life is not possible without healthy soils. According to the Director General of the FAO, Jose Graziano da Silva, today, world has more than 805 million people facing hunger and malnutrition. Soils are under increased pressure because population growth will require an approximately increase of 60 per cent in food output and competing land uses.Unfortunately, 33 per cent of our global soil resources are under degradation and human pressures on soils are reaching critical limits, reducing and sometimes eliminating essential soil functions. He had emphasised the role of all stakeholders in promoting the cause of soils as it is important for paving the road towards a real sustainable development for all and by all. Against this background, this article briefly highlights the significance and aspects of soil health management in India and suggests aspects of strategic action plan to conserve this precious resource for the benefit of mankind.

scholarly journals Thermal system-specific and net-zero carbon least-cost design of new houses in Canadian cold climates

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Wilbur
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Heat Pump ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Carbon Intensity ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Zero Carbon

Whole-building model optimizations have been performed for a single-detached house in 5 locations with varying climates, electricity emissions factors, and energy costs. The multi-objective optimizations determine the life-cycle cost vs. operational greenhouse gas emissions Pareto front to discover the 30-year life-cycle least-cost building design heated 1) with natural gas, and 2) electrically using a) central air-source heat pump, b) ductless mini-split heat pump c)ground-source heat pump, and d) electric baseboard, accounting for both initial and operational energy-related costs. A net-zero carbon design with grid-tied photovoltaics is also optimized. Results indicate that heating system type influences the optimal enclosure design, and that neither building total energy use, nor space heating demand correspond to GHG emissions across heating system types. In each location, at least one type of all-electric design has a lower life-cycle cost than the optimized gas-heated model, and such designs can mitigate the majority of operational GHG emissions from new housing in locations with a low carbon intensity electricity supply.

scholarly journals The relationship between net GHG emissions and radiative forcing with an application to Article 4.1 of the Paris Agreement.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom M. L. Wigley
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Zero Point ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Global Warming Potentials ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract This paper provides an assessment of Article 4.1 of the Paris Agreement on climate; the main goal of which is to provide guidance on how “to achieve the long-term temperature goal set out in Article 2”. Paraphrasing, Article 4.1 says that, to achieve this end, we should decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions so that net anthropogenic GHG emissions fall to zero in the second half of this century. To aggregate net GHG emissions, 100-year Global Warming Potentials (GWP-100) are commonly used to convert non-CO2 emissions to equivalent CO2 emissions. As a test case using methane, temperature projections using GWP-100 scaling are shown to be seriously in error. This throws doubt on the use of GWP-100 scaling to estimate net GHG emissions. An alternative method to determine the net-zero point for GHG emissions based on radiative forcing is derived. This shows that the net-zero point needs to be reached as early as 2036, much sooner than in the Article 4.1 window. Other scientific flaws in Article 4.1 that further undermine its purpose to guide efforts to achieve the Article 2 temperature targets are discussed.

LNG use will be crucial to nations’ energy transitions

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Market Volatility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Growth ◽  
Net Zero

Significance LNG is cleaner than most fossil fuels but still incompatible with net zero emissions. India, China and other Asian economies see LNG imports as a ready and economically viable means of displacing coal and oil use. Natural gas and then LNG demand will eventually peak as the energy transition accelerates over the next 20 years. Impacts LNG market growth will embed fossil fuel use and infrastructure in developing economies’ energy mixes. Recent market volatility and record spot LNG prices may reverse the trend of greater reliance on spot transactions than long-term contracts. Although the greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits of LNG use in transport are far from clear, it will gain market share in the next few years. LNG project developers will seek to cut GHG emissions from their projects to prolong LNG's attractiveness in the energy transition.

scholarly journals Consolidated Climate Markets Mechanism Analysis—Case Studies of China, Japan, and Taiwan

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 6478
Author(s):  
Jules Chuang ◽  
Hsing-Lung Lien ◽  
Akemi Kokubo Roche ◽  
Pei-Hsuan Liao ◽  
Walter Den
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Mechanism Analysis ◽  
Policy Tool ◽  
Ghg Reduction ◽  
Effective Policy ◽  
Trading Mechanisms ◽  
Primary Instrument

The post-Kyoto Protocol era has seen a transition to focus on the development of a renewable energy (RE) market as a primary instrument to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide. This paper analyses the development of GHG reduction and RE market in China, Japan, and Taiwan that are geographically proximate but socioeconomically diverse, and each plays a different but significant role in the world’s economy. By deploying a consolidated model incorporating the key components of market drivers underlying the goal of achieving GHG reduction, we threaded through the policy- and market-instruments implemented for each of the case studies over the past 20 years using the model. One commonality is that subsidiary schemes in the form of feed-in tariffs have served as an effective policy tool to boost the growth of renewable energy installations, though the worsening financial burden renders this path unsustainable. Over-reliance on feed-in-tariff schemes may have also impeded the liberation of an energy market pivotal to the success of elevating RE portfolio through trading mechanisms. What followed were the implementations of renewable energy certificate (REC) systems that have experienced various roadblocks leading to failures of the certificate market. By understanding the paths engaged in each of the cases, a conceptualized strategy depicted by the consolidated model is proposed to show the links between a renewable market and a carbon market. The framework would expedite the trading of RECs and carbon credits to accelerate the attainment of GHG emission reduction goals.

scholarly journals THE ECONOMIC, ENERGY, AND EMISSIONS IMPACTS OF CLIMATE POLICY IN SOUTH KOREA

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (03) ◽  
pp. 1950010 ◽  
Author(s):  
NIVEN WINCHESTER ◽  
JOHN M. REILLY
Keyword(s):  
Emissions Trading ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Consumer Welfare ◽  
Carbon Price ◽  
Trading System ◽  
Iron And Steel ◽  
Business As Usual ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent ◽  
Climate Damages

Using an economy-wide model, we evaluate the impact of policies to meet South Korea’s Paris pledge to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 37% relative those under business as usual (BAU) in 2030. Simulated BAU emissions in 2030 are 840.8 million metric tons (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), indicating that economy-wide emissions should be constrained to 529.7 MtCO2e. Under South Korea’s Emissions Trading System (KETS) and fuel economy standards, a 2030 carbon price of $88/tCO2e is needed to meet this goal. Without considering benefits from avoided climate damages, these policies reduce 2030 GDP by $21.5 billion (1.0%) and consumer welfare by 8.1 billion (0.7%). Declines in sectoral production are largest for fossil-based energy sectors and chemical, rubber and plastic products, and iron and steel sectors.

scholarly journals Estimation of the Value of Ecosystem Carbon Sequestration Services under Different Scenarios in the Central China (the Qinling-Daba Mountain Area)

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuyang Yu ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Zixiang Zhou ◽  
Li Zeng ◽  
Cheng Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Carbon Storage ◽  
Discount Rate ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Carbon Price ◽  
Present Value ◽  
Mountain Area

The Qinling-Daba Mountain area is a transitional zone between north and south China and not much is known about its carbon storage, particularly its pool of soil organic carbon (SOC). Given this shortcoming, more reliable information regarding its SOC is needed. In light of this, we quantified above and below-ground carbon sinks using both the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford approach (CASA) model and an improved carbon cycle process model. We also assessed the net present value (NPV) for carbon budgets under different carbon price and discount rate scenarios using the NPV model. Our results indicated that the net primary productivity (NPP) was lower in places with low density forests that were situated at high elevation. The spatial distribution of carbon storage depended on NPP production and litter decompositon, which reflected specific vegetation as well as temperature and moisture gradients. The lowest amounts of carbon storage were in the center of the Qinling Mountains and also partly in the Daba area, which is a location associated with sparse grassland. Contrastingly, the broad-leaved forested area showed the highest amount of carbon storage. NPV was positively correlated with discount rate and carbon prices, thus resulting in the highest values in the forests and grassland. The net present value of total soil carbon sequestration in the six scenarios in 2015 was 3.555 b yuan, 3.621 b yuan, 5.421 b yuan, 5.579 b yuan, 7.530 b yuan, 7.929 b yuan; The net present value of total soil carbon sequestration in 6 scenarios in 2017 is 2.816 b yuan, 2.845 b yuan, 4.361 b yuan, 4.468 b yuan, 6.144 b yuan, 6.338 b yuan (billion = 109; b; RMB is the legal currency of the China, and its unit is yuan, 1 euro = 7.7949 yuan, and 1 pound = 9.2590 yuan). Levying a carbon tax would be a notable option for decision makers as they develop carbon emission reduction policies. Given this, incorporating discount rates and carbon pricing would allow for more realistic value estimations of soil organic carbon. This approach would also provide a theoretical basis and underscore the practical significance for the government to set a reasonable carbon price.

scholarly journals Sensitivity of global soil carbon stocks to combined nutrient enrichment

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 936-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. W. Crowther ◽  
C. Riggs ◽  
E. M. Lind ◽  
E. T. Borer ◽  
E. W. Seabloom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Nutrient Enrichment ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Global Soil ◽  
Soil Carbon Stocks
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