IPCC

Mitigation of Climate Change

IPCC Working Group III contribution to the

Fourth Assessment Report

Bert Metz

Co-chair IPCC WG III

UNFCCC, Bonn, May 12, 2007

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The people

– Lead Authors: 168 • from developing countries: 55

• From EITs: 5

• from OECD countries: 108

– Contributing authors: 85– Expert Reviewers: 485

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Between 1970 and 2004 global greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 70 %

Total GHG emissions

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5

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40

45

50

55

60

1970 1980 1990 2000 2004

GtCO2-eq/yr

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Carbon dioxide is the largest contributor

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With current climate change mitigation policies and related sustainable development practices,

global GHG emissions will continue to grow over the next few decades

• IPCC SRES scenarios: 25-90 %

increase of GHG emissions

in 2030 relative to 2000

0

20

40

60

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2000

A1F

1

A2

A1B

A1T B

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95th

75th

med

ian

25th 5th

A2

A1F

1

B2

A1B

A1T B

195

th

75th

med

ian

25th 5th

2030

GtCO2eq/yr

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Substantial economic potential for the mitigation of global GHG emissions over the coming

decades• Both bottom-up and top-down studies• Potential could offset the projected growth of global emissions,

or reduce emissions below current levels

Note: estimates do not include non-technical options such as lifestyle changes

BOTTOM-UP TOP-DOWN

Global economic potential in 2030

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What does US$ 50/ tCO2eq mean?

• Crude oil: ~US$ 25/ barrel

• Gasoline: ~12 ct/ litre (50 ct/gallon)

• Electricity:– from coal fired plant: ~5 ct/kWh– from gas fired plant: ~1.5 ct/kWh

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Mitigation potential• Economic potential:

– takes into account social costs and benefits and social discount rates,

– assuming that market efficiency is improved by policies and measures and

– barriers are removed

• Market potential:– based on private costs and private discount rates– expected to occur under forecast market conditions – including policies and measures currently in place – noting that barriers limit actual uptake

IPCC

All sectors and regions have the potential to contribute

Note: estimates do not include non-technical options, such as lifestyle changes.

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Changes in lifestyle and behaviour patterns can contribute to climate change mitigation

• Changes in occupant behaviour, cultural patterns and consumer choice in buildings.

• Reduction of car usage and efficient driving style, in relation to urban planning and availability of public transport

• Behaviour of staff in industrial organizations in light of reward systems

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What are the macro-economic costs in 2030?

Trajectories towards

stabilization levels

(ppm CO2-eq)

MedianGDP reduction

[1](%)

Range of GDP reduction [2]

(%)

Reduction of average annual GDP growth

rates [3] (percentage points)

590-710 0.2 -0.6 – 1.2 < 0.06

535-590 0.6 0.2 – 2.5 <0.1

445-535[4] Not available < 3 < 0.12

[1] This is global GDP based market exchange rates.[2] The median and the 10th and 90th percentile range of the analyzed data are given.[3] The calculation of the reduction of the annual growth rate is based on the average reduction during the period till 2030 that would result in the indicated GDP decrease in 2030.[4] The number of studies that report GDP results is relatively small and they generally use low baselines.

•Costs are global average for least cost appoaches from top-down models

•Costs do not include co-benefits and avoided climate change damages

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Illustration of cost numbers

GDP without mitigation

GDP with stringent mitigation

GDP

Time

80%

current

77%

~1 year

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There are also co-benefits of mitigation

• Near–term health benefits from reduced air pollution may offset a substantial fraction of mitigation costs

• Mitigation can also be positive for: energy security, balance of trade improvement, provision of modern energy services to rural areas, sustainable agriculture and employment

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Literature since TAR confirms that there may be effects from Annex I countries action on the global

economy and global emissions, although the scale of

carbon leakage remains uncertain • Fossil fuel exporting nations (in both Annex I and non-Annex I

countries) may expect, as indicated in TAR, lower demand and prices and lower GDP growth due to mitigation policies. The extent of this spill over depends strongly on assumptions related to policy decisions and oil market conditions

• Critical uncertainties remain in the assessment of carbon leakage. Most equilibrium modelling support the conclusion in the TAR of economy-wide leakage from Kyoto action in the order of 5-20%, which would be less if competitive low-emissions technologies were effectively diffused.

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Long-term mitigation: stabilisation and equilibrium global mean temperatures

• The lower the stabilisation level the earlier global CO2 emissions have to peak

-5

0

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35

2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2090 2100

Wo

ld C

O2

Em

iss

ion

s (

GtC

) E: 850-1130 ppm CO2-eq

D: 710-850 ppm CO2-eq

C: 590-710 ppm CO2-eq

B: 535-590 ppm CO2-eq

A2: 490-535 ppm CO2-eq

A1: 445-490 ppm CO2-eq

Stabilization targets:

Post-SRES (max)

Post-SRES (min)

Eq

uil

ibri

um

glo

ba

l m

ea

n t

em

pera

ture

inc

rease

ove

r p

rein

du

str

ial

(°C

)

GHG concentration stabilization level (ppmv CO2-eq)

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2090 2100

Wo

ld C

O2

Em

iss

ion

s (

GtC

) E: 850-1130 ppm CO2-eq

D: 710-850 ppm CO2-eq

C: 590-710 ppm CO2-eq

B: 535-590 ppm CO2-eq

A2: 490-535 ppm CO2-eq

A1: 445-490 ppm CO2-eq

Stabilization targets:

Post-SRES (max)

Post-SRES (min)

Eq

uil

ibri

um

glo

ba

l m

ea

n t

em

pera

ture

inc

rease

ove

r p

rein

du

str

ial

(°C

)

GHG concentration stabilization level (ppmv CO2-eq)

Multigas and CO2 only studies combined

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Long term mitigation (after 2030)

Stab level (ppm CO2-eq)

Global Mean temp. increase

at equilibrium (ºC)

Year CO2 needs to peak

Year CO2 emissions back at 2000 level

Reduction in 2050 CO2 emissions compared to 2000

445 – 490 2.0 – 2.4 2000 - 2015 2000- 2030 -85 to -50

490 – 535 2.4 – 2.8 2000 - 2020 2000- 2040 -60 to -30

535 – 590 2.8 – 3.2 2010 - 2030 2020- 2060 -30 to +5

590 – 710 3.2 – 4.0 2020 - 2060 2050- 2100 +10 to +60

710 – 855 4.0 – 4.9 2050 - 2080 +25 to +85

855 – 1130 4.9 – 6.1 2060 - 2090 +90 to +140

•Mitigation efforts over the next two to three decades will have a large impact on opportunities to achieve lower stabilization levels

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Technology• The range of stabilization levels can be achieved by

– deployment of a portfolio of technologies that are currently available and

– those that are expected to be commercialised in coming decades.

• This assumes that appropriate and effective incentives are in place for development, acquisition, deployment and diffusion of technologies and for addressing related barriers

IPCC

What are the macro-economic costs in 2050?

Trajectories towards

stabilization levels

(ppm CO2-eq)

MedianGDP

reduction[1](%)

Range of GDP reduction [2]

(%)

Reduction of average annual GDP growth

rates [3] (percentage points)

590-710 0.5 -1 – 2 < 0.05

535-590 1.3 Slightly negative - 4 <0.1

445-535[4] Not available < 5.5 < 0.12

[1] This is global GDP based market exchange rates.[2] The median and the 10th and 90th percentile range of the analyzed data are given.[3] The calculation of the reduction of the annual growth rate is based on the average reduction during the period till 2050 that would result in the indicated GDP decrease in 2050.[4] The number of studies that report GDP results is relatively small and they generally use low baselines.

IPCC

A wide variety of policies is available to governments to realise mitigation of climate change

• Studies of economic potentials show what might be achieved if appropriate new and additional policies were put into place to remove barriers and include social costs and benefits

• Applicability of national policies depends on national circumstances, their design, interaction, stringency and implementation

• The literature suggests that successful international agreements are environmentally effective, cost-effective, incorporate distributional considerations and equity, and are institutionally feasible

IPCC

An effective carbon-price signal could realise

significant mitigation potential in all sectors • Policies that provide a real or implicit price of carbon could

create incentives for producers and consumers to significantly invest in low-GHG products, technologies and processes.

• Such policies could include economic instruments, government funding and regulation

• For stabilisation at around 550 ppm CO2eq carbon prices should reach 20-80 US$/tCO2eq by 2030 (5-65 if “induced technological change” happens)

• At these carbon prices large shifts of investments into low carbon technologies can be expected

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Sustainable development and climate change mitigation

• Making development more sustainable by changing development paths can make a major contribution to climate change mitigation

• Implementation may require resources to overcome multiple barriers.

• Possibilities to choose and implement mitigation options to realise synergies and avoid conflicts with other dimensions of sustainable development.

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The full SPM can be downloaded from www.ipcc.ch

Further information:IPCC Working group III Technical Support Unit:

ipcc3tsu@mnp.nl

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Illustration of cost numbers

Average annual GDP growth rate (%)

Timecurrent

3%/yr

2.88%/yr

GDP growth rate without mitigation

GDP growth rate

with stringent mitigation