Does Global Climate Policy Promote Low-Carbon Cities? Lessons Learnt From The CDM

Sippel, Maike and Michaelowa, Axel (2009): Does Global Climate Policy Promote Low-Carbon Cities? Lessons Learnt From The CDM. Published in: CIS Workings Paper Series No. 49 (November 2009)

Abstract

An increasing proportion of greenhouse gas emissions is produced in urban areas in industrializing and developing countries. Recent research shows that per capita emissions in cities like Bangkok, Cape Town or Shanghai have already reached the level of cities like London, New York or Toronto. Large parts of the building stock and service infrastructure in cities in rapidly developing countries is built in the coming decade or two. Decisions taken in this sector today may therefore lock in a high emissions path. Based upon a survey of projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol, we find that only about 1% of CDM projects have been submitted by municipalities, mostly in the waste management sector. This low participation is probably due to a lack of technical know how to develop CDM projects and an absence of motivation due to the long project cycle and the limited “visibility” of the projects for the electorate. Projects in the buildings and transport sector are rare, mainly due to heavy methodological challenges. A case study of the city network ICLEI and its experience with cities’ participation in the CDM adds insights from the practitioner side. We conclude that CDM reforms may make it easier for municipalities to engage in the CDM, and that new forms of cooperation between municipalities and project developers, potentially facilitated by ICLEI, are required to help to realize the urban CDM potential.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: CDM, cities, energy, climate policy, mitigation, transport, waste, local authorities
• Subjects: Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics; H - Public Economics > H7 - State and Local Government ; Intergovernmental Relations; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q4 - Energy > Q42 - Alternative Energy Sources; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O13 - Agriculture ; Natural Resources ; Energy ; Environment ; Other Primary Products; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q4 - Energy

References

Angel, Shlomo, Sheppard, Stephen C., Civco, Daniel L., with Buckley, Robert, Chabaeva, Anna, Gitlin, Lucy, Kraley, Alison, Parent, Jason, Perlin, Micah, 2005. The Dynamics of Global Urban Expansion. Transport and Urban Development Department, The World Bank, Washington D.C., USA

Arikan, Yunus, 2009. ICLEI Experience on climate change and ideas on access of local governments to carbon finance. Presentation at Carbon Expo, 28 May 2009

Boyd, E., N. Hultman, J. Timmons Roberts, E. Corbera, J. Cole, A. Bozmoski, J. Ebeling, R. Tippman, P. Mann, K. Brown, and D. Liverman, 2010. Reforming the CDM for sustainable development: lessons learned and policy futures. Environmental Science and Policy, 12, 820-831

C40 Cities, 2009. Sao Paulo, Brazil. Sao Joao and Bandeirantes Landfills, download at http://www.c40cities.org/docs/casestudies/waste/sao-paulo-landfill.pdf, accessed 23/11/2009

Chaturvedula, Soumya, ICLEI South Asia, 2009. Personal communication (email 13/11 2009)

Cheng, C., Pouffary, S., Svenningsen, N., Callaway, M., 2008. The Kyoto Protocol, The Clean Development Mechanism and the Building and Construction Sector – A Report for the UNEP Sustainable Buildings and Construction Initiative, United Nations Environment Programme, Paris, France

Dhakal, Shobhakar, 2009. Urban energy use and carbon emissions from cities in China and policy implications. Energy Policy, 37/11, 4208-4219

Dhakal, Shobhakar, 2004. Urban Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Asian Mega-Cities. Policies for a Sustainable Future. By Urban Environmental Management Project, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Kangawa, Japan

Guiza, David, 2009. Metro de Bogotá: is this really what the city needs right now?, http://www.bluehaired.com/2009/09/metro-de-bogota-is-this-really-what-the-city-needs-right-now/, accessed 23/11/2009

ICLEI, 2009a. Cities for Climate Protection (plus subsites). http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=800, accessed 22/10/2009

ICLEI, 2009b. Local Government Climate Roadmap: Status Report. 6/2009

ICLEI, 2007. CDM for Local Government Session. (draft 26/11/2007)

ICLEI South Asia, 2009a. ICLEI South Asia assisting GTZ in evaluating CDM Potential. Accessed: 04/09/2009, http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=10015

ICLEI South Asia, 2009b. Energy Efficiency-CDM Project in 14 cities of Madhy Pradesh. Accessed: 04/09/2009, http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=6920.

Kennedy, Christopher, Steinberger, Julia, Gasson, Barrie, Hansen, Yvonne, Hillman, Timothy, Havranek, Miroslav, Pataki, Diane, Phdungsilp, Aumnad, Ramswami, Anu, Villalba Mendez, Gara, 2009. Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Global Cities. In: Environmental Science and Technology, 43/19, 7297-7302

Kishigami, Michie, 2007. Alliance of Local Governments for the development of CDM projects. Presentation at the ICLEI Parallel Event to the UN Climate Change Conference 2007 in Bali, ‘CDM for Local Governments Session’, 10/12/2007

Kishigami, Michie, 2009a. Strategy of ICLEI towards sustainable urban development and challenge of the climate change. Presentation at CITYNET Yokohama Congress, 8/09/2009

Kishigami, Michie, ICLEI Japan, 2009b. Personal communication (email 17/11/ 2009)

Lindseth, Gard, 2003. The Framing of an International Concerted Action for Local Climate Policy: The Case of the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP). Paper to be presented at the Norwegian Conference in Political Science, 8-10/01/2003, Trondheim

Monroy, Marco, 2009. Creating Urban Carbon Access: Developer Perspective. Presentation at Carbon Expo, 28/05/2009

Olsen, Karen Holm, 2007. The clean development mechanism’s contribution to sustainable development: a review of the literature. Climatic Change, 84, 59-73

Price, Bob, 2004. Message from CCP Program Director. In: ICLEI CCP India Monitor, 4/2, 11/2004

Qi, Ye, Ma, Li, Zhang, Huanbao, Li, Huimin, 2008. Translating a Global Issue Into Local Priority: China’s Local Government Response to Climate Change. The Journal of Environment Development, 17, 379-400

Ritter, Konrad von, 2009. Capacity Development – One Element in Cities Agenda for a Future Climate Regime. Presentation at the ‘Cities, Climate Change and Finance Symposium’, 26/05/ 2009, Barcelona

Santos-Borja, Adelina C., 2007: CDM for Local Governments: An innovative approach for lake basin management. Presentation at the ICLEI Parallel Event to UNFCCC COP 13 in Bali, ‘CDM for Local Governments Session’, 10/12/2007

Schmidt Dubeux, Carolina Burle, La Rovere, Emilio Lèbre, 2007. Local perspectives in the control of greenhouse gas emissions – The case of Rio de Janeiro. Cities, 24/5, 353-364

Sharma, Pawan Kumar, 2007. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Opportunities for MP Local Governments. Presentation at the ICLEI Parallel Event to UNFCCC COP 13 in Bali, ‘CDM for Local Governments Session’, 10/12/2007

Sippel, Maike, Jenssen, Till, 2009. What about local climate governance? A review of promise and problems. Discussion Paper, available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1514334

Sippel, Maike, 2007. CDM im Rahmen von Nord-Süd-Städtepartnerschaften: Potenzial zur Reduktion von Transaktionskosten? Dissertation, University of Flensburg / Hamburg Institute of International Economics, English summary page 9, http://www.zhb-flensburg.de/dissert/sippel/diss_sippel_070615.pdf

Sippel, Maike, 2004. Global Climate Policy and Corresponding Activities on a City-Level. HWWA Discussion Paper 280

Skinner, Nancy, no date. Carbon Offset Opportunities. ICLEI CCP Fact sheet.

Sutter, Christoph, Parreno, Juan Carlos, 2007. Does the current Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) deliver its sustainable development claim? An analysis of officially registered CDM projects. Climatic Change, 84, 75-90

UNFCCC, 2009a. CDM: CDM Statistics. Accessed: 27/10/2009 on http://cdm.unfccc.int/Statistics/index.html

UNFCCC, 2009b, CDM: Project Activities. Accessed: 10/11/2009 on http://cdm.unfccc.int/Projects/index.html

UN Habitat, 2008. State of the World’s Cities 2008/2009 – Harmonious Cities.