scholarly journals Deep Decarbonisation from a Biophysical Perspective: GHG Emissions of a Renewable Electricity Transformation in the EU

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louisa Di Felice ◽  
Maddalena Ripa ◽  
Mario Giampietro
Keyword(s):  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Large Role ◽  
Renewable Electricity ◽  
Power Sector ◽  
Steady Decrease ◽  
Industrialised Countries ◽  
Support Decision Making ◽  
The Eu ◽  
New Infrastructure

In light of climate change and security concerns, decarbonisation has become a priority for industrialised countries. In the European Union (EU), decarbonisation scenarios used to support decision-making predict a steady decrease in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mostly driven by changes in production mixes and improvements in efficiency. In the EU’s decarbonisation pathways, the power sector plays a large role, reaching zero emissions by 2050. From a biophysical perspective, decarbonisation becomes not just a matter of replacing carbon-intensive with carbon-neutral electricity flows, but also a matter of building and maintaining new infrastructure (funds) which, in turn, is associated with GHG emissions. By not accounting for the emissions associated with funds, particularly those required to increase grid flexibility, scenarios used to inform decarbonisation narratives in the EU are missing a key part of the picture. We show that a rapid and deep decarbonisation of the EU’s power sector through a production-side transition between the years 2020 and 2050 leads to cumulative emissions of the order of 21–25 Gt of CO2 equivalent, within a range of approximately 35–45%. The results are obtained by modelling two decarbonisation pathways where grid flexibility increases either through storage or through curtailment. The analysis suggests that scenarios informing decarbonisation policies in the EU are optimistic and may lead to a narrow focus on sustainable production transformations. This minimises the perceived urgency of reducing overall energy consumption to stay within safe carbon budgets.

scholarly journals Economic and Environmental Consequences of the ECJ Genome Editing Judgment in Agriculture

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1212
Author(s):  
Alexander Gocht ◽  
Nicola Consmüller ◽  
Ferike Thom ◽  
Harald Grethe
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Eu

Genome-edited crops are on the verge of being placed on the market and their agricultural and food products will thus be internationally traded soon. National regulations, however, diverge regarding the classification of genome-edited crops. Major countries such as the US and Brazil do not specifically regulate genome-edited crops, while in the European Union, they fall under GMO legislation, according to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). As it is in some cases impossible to analytically distinguish between products from genome-edited plants and those from non-genome-edited plants, EU importers may fear the risk of violating EU legislation. They may choose not to import any agricultural and food products based on crops for which genome-edited varieties are available. Therefore, crop products of which the EU is currently a net importer would become more expensive in the EU, and production would intensify. Furthermore, an intense substitution of products covered and not covered by genome editing would occur in consumption, production, and trade. We analyzed the effects of such a cease of EU imports for cereals and soy in the EU agricultural sector with the comparative static agricultural sector equilibrium model CAPRI. Our results indicate dramatic effects on agricultural and food prices as well as on farm income. The intensification of EU agriculture may result in negative net environmental effects in the EU as well as in an increase in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This suggests that trade effects should be considered when developing domestic regulation for genome-edited crops.

scholarly journals Globalization and GHG Emissions in the EU: Do We Need a New Development Paradigm?

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 9936
Author(s):  
Nela Vlahinić Lenz ◽  
Barbara Fajdetić
Keyword(s):  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Environmental Taxes ◽  
Hydrogen Energy ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Climate Effect ◽  
Development Path ◽  
New Development ◽  
The Eu

The European Union (EU) has adopted a new development strategy based on “green” growth and announced carbon neutrality by 2050. Still, the EU’s previous development path was mainly based on trade openness and globalization, with positive economic and negative climate impacts. The aim of this paper was to test the hypothesis of globalization-induced carbon emissions in order to evaluate a possible future development path. The Arellano–Bond estimator was employed for dynamic panel analysis in 26 EU countries over the period 2000–2018. A significant and positive relationship was found between economic globalization and passenger mobility and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while environmental taxes can correct the negative climate effect. On the other hand, social and political dimensions of globalization reduce negative climate impacts. To achieve net zero emissions, the EU needs to continue its global climate leadership, extend the use of environmental taxes, and stimulate economic growth based on low-carbon technologies such as hydrogen, energy storage, and CCUS.

scholarly journals European union emissions trading system with regard to climate change mitigation in Latvia

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (-1) ◽  
pp. 29-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilze Pruse
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Emissions Trading ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Eu Ets ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Ghg Emission ◽  
Trading System ◽  
Change Mitigation ◽  
The Eu

Abstract The goal of this paper is to analyse the volumes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the European Union Emissions Trading System’s (EU ETS) participants in Latvia in relation to their participation therein. After describing and discussing the EU ETS mechanism and its operation in Latvia in the period 2005-2010, the interconnectedness between the GHG emissions and the EU ETS participants’ operation is analysed. The analysis concludes that, although the EU ETS has contributed towards GHG emission reduction, due to the growth of the economy, overall GHG emissions from the EU ETS participants in Latvia are increasing.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSUMPTION TAXES ON ANIMAL FOOD PRODUCTS TO MITIGATE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION

2018 ◽  
Vol 09 (04) ◽  
pp. 1850009 ◽  
Author(s):  
TORBJÖRN JANSSON ◽  
SARAH SÄLL
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Demand Elasticity ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Reduce Emissions ◽  
Consumption Taxes ◽  
The Eu

Livestock cause around 10% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the European Union. Despite the large quantities, no economic policy is in place to reduce emissions from the sector. In this paper, we introduce consumption taxes on animal products in the European Union to reduce GHG emissions. Impacts are simulated using the CAPRI model, which was created to analyze the impacts of agricultural policy reforms within the EU. Tax levels of 16, 60 and 290 Euro per ton of GHG emissions are used in the estimations. Our results show that consumption taxes have small mitigation effects, up to 4.9% of total agricultural emissions from the EU-27, mainly due to inelastic demand. The main source of reductions is beef and France is the country where most reductions would take place, given high levels of production and consumption in the country, combined with a large demand elasticity of beef.

scholarly journals Emisje gazów cieplarnianych z rolnictwa w latach 1990-2014

2017 ◽  
Vol 17(32) (2) ◽  
pp. 244-255
Author(s):  
Alina Syp
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Greenhouse Gasses ◽  
The World ◽  
Agricultural Emissions ◽  
Reduction Of Emissions ◽  
Reduce Emissions ◽  
United Nations Food ◽  
The Eu

Agriculture is the second, after energy sector, emitter of greenhouse gasses (GHG), of which increased concentrations in the atmosphere are caused by human activities. In order to reduce GHG, parties ratifying the Kioto protocol have committed to prepare annual emission reports and pledged to reduce emissions. The aim of the study was to analyse changes of agricultural emissions in the World, the European Union (EU) and Poland in 1990-2014. The research uses the United Nations Food and Agricultural database (FAOSTAT), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Chang (UNFCCC) and World Resources Institute (CAIT) databases. The analysis shows that in the World, in the examined period the total GHG emissions increased by 85%, whereas in agriculture by 15%. However, the EU as a member of Annex I parties had reduced total and agricultural emissions by 24% and 23%, respectively. The reduction of emissions was the result of the implementation of pro-environmental regulations.

scholarly journals Zmiany w wielkości emisji gazów cieplarnianych i amoniaku do powietrza z działalności rolniczej w Polsce i UE – analizy z wykorzystaniem wskaźników zrównoważonego rozwoju

2018 ◽  
Vol 18(33) (2) ◽  
pp. 303-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirosława Witkowska-Dąbrowska
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Development Indicators ◽  
Central Statistical ◽  
Central Statistical Office ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Emission Of Greenhouse Gases

The research aim was to analyse changes in the volume of greenhouse gases and ammonia produced by agriculture in Poland, against the background of the European Union, using sustainable development indicators.. The study relied mainly on statistical data from the Polish Central Statistical Office and Eurostat. Agriculture was found to be the major source of ammonia emissions in the EU and Poland. Also, the role of agriculture in emission of greenhouse gases is significant. Fluctuations in the dynamics of GHG emissions were noted in the EU and in Poland. Over the analysed time, a small increase in the share of the emission of GHG, especially methane, from farming was observed.

scholarly journals A STUDY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL KUZNETS CURVE FOR TRANSPORT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 513
Author(s):  
Nikola Petrović ◽  
Nebojša Bojović ◽  
Marijana Petrović ◽  
Vesna Jovanović
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Gdp Per Capita ◽  
Kuznets Curve ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Developed Countries ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Eu

In view of the European Union as one of the main polluters in the word and the fact that GDP per capita in the European Union is equivalent to the 282 percent of the world`s average, it is interesting to study the relationship between transport GHG emissions and the economic activity within the European Union. In the paper, the authors check the environment Kuznets curve hypothesis for members of the EU over the period 2000-2014. The analysis results show that an inverse-U relationship exists between transport GHG emissions and GDP per capita. At the same time, the results indicate that the change of economic structure has influenced the transport GHG emissions in the developed countries, that is, in the countries that record a higher level of GDP per capita.

scholarly journals Integrating Carbon Dioxide Removal Into European Emissions Trading

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilfried Rickels ◽  
Alexander Proelß ◽  
Oliver Geden ◽  
Julian Burhenne ◽  
Mathias Fridahl
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Emissions Trading ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Eu Ets ◽  
The European Union ◽  
And Storage ◽  
The Eu

In one of the central scenarios for meeting an European Union-wide net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target by 2050, the emissions cap in the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) becomes net negative. Despite this ambition, no mechanism allows for the inclusion of CO2 removal credits (CRCs) in the EU ETS to date. Amending the EU ETS legislation is required to create enabling conditions for a net negative cap. Here, we conceptually discuss various economic, legal, and political challenges surrounding the integration of CRCs into the EU ETS. To analyze cap-and-trade systems encompassing negative emissions, we introduce the effective (elastic) cap resulting from the integration of CRCs in addition to the regulatory (inelastic) cap, the latter now being binding for the net emissions only. Given current cost estimates for BECCS and DACCS, minimum quantities for the use of removals, as opposed to ceilings as currently discussed, would be required to promote the near-term integration of such technologies. Instead of direct interaction between the companies involved in emissions trading and the providers of CRCs, the regulatory authority could also transitionally act as an intermediary by buying CRCs and supplying them in turn conditional upon observed allowances prices, for example, by supporting a (soft) price collar. Contrary to a price collar without dedicated support from CRCs, in this case (net) compliance with the overall cap is maintained. EU legislation already provides safeguards for physical carbon leakage concerning CCS, making Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) and Direct Air Capture and Storage prioritized for inclusion in the EU ETS. Furthermore, a special opportunity might apply for the inclusion of BECCS installations. Repealing the provision that installations exclusively using biomass are not covered by the ETS Directive, combined with freely allocated allowances to these installations, would allow operators of biomass installations to sell allowances made available through the use of BECCS. Achieving GHG neutrality in the EU by 2050 requires designing suitable incentive systems for CO2 removal, which includes the option to open up EU emissions trading to CRCs.

scholarly journals The Role of Forests in Climate Change Mitigation: The EU Context

2021 ◽  
pp. 507-520
Author(s):  
Matteo Vizzarri ◽  
Roberto Pilli ◽  
Anu Korosuo ◽  
Ludovico Frate ◽  
Giacomo Grassi
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Forest Growth ◽  
Carbon Accumulation ◽  
Reference Level ◽  
Forest Sector ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
The Eu

AbstractThe European Union (EU) aims at reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. Within the land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF) sector, forestry will contribute to this target with CO2 sink, harvested wood products (HWP), and use of wood for material or energy substitution. Despite the fact that the forest sink currently offsets about 9% of the total EU GHG emissions, evaluating its future mitigation potential is challenging because of the complex interactions between human and natural impacts on forest growth and carbon accumulation. The Regulation (EU) 2018/841 has improved robustness, accuracy, and credibility of the accounting of GHG emissions and removals in the LULUCF sector. For the forest sector, the accounting is based on the Forest Reference Level (FRL), i.e., a projected country-specific value of GHG emissions and removals against which the actual GHG emissions and removals will be compared. The resulting difference will count toward the EU GHG target for the period 2021–2030. Here, we provide an overview of the contribution of forests and HWP to the EU carbon sink for the period 2021–2025 (proposed FRLs) and focus on the contribution of mountain forests to the EU carbon sink, through exploring co-benefits and adverse side effects between climate regulation and other ecosystem services.

scholarly journals Natural Gas and Biomethane in the European Road Transport: The Latvian Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-72
Author(s):  
J. Savickis ◽  
L. Zemite ◽  
N. Zeltins ◽  
I. Bode ◽  
L. Jansons
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Alternative Fuels ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Road Transport ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Total Transport ◽  
The Eu

AbstractThe European Union (hereafter – the EU) takes a strong position in the global fight against climate changes by setting ambitious targets on reduction of greenhouse gas (hereafter – GHG) emissions. A binding target is to reduce those emissions by at least 40 % below 1990 levels till 2030, which would help make Europe the first climate neutral continent by the mid-21st century. Consequently, the expected 2050 emission reduction target for the EU is 80 %–90 % below 1990 levels. The EU’s new economy decarbonisation framework – The European Green Deal – outlines and summarises Europe’s ambition to become a world’s first climate neutral continent by 2050. This supposedly can be achieved by turning climate and environmental challenges into opportunities across all policy areas and making the energy transition just and inclusive for all.The transport, and particularly road transport, is one of the most significant fossil fuel dependent segments of national economies across the EU. Oil dependency of all segments of the transport sector makes it the single biggest source of GHG emissions in the united Europe as well. Road transport is responsible for about 73 % of total transport GHG emissions, as Europe’s more than 308.3 million road vehicles are over 90 % reliant on conventional types of oil-based fuels (diesel, gasoline etc.).However, there is a wide range of low-emission alternative fuels for all kinds of transport that can reduce overall oil dependence of the EU’s transport sector and significantly lower GHG in road transport. Among these alternatives a tandem of the natural gas and biomethane could be named as one of the most promising for short and mid-term transport decarbonisation solutions both in the EU and Latvia.

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