The Briefing Papers
As part of the Breaking the Climate Deadlock initiative, The °Climate Group commissioned over a dozen briefing papers on a range of climate change subjects. The purpose of these papers is to inform the ongoing initiative itself, as well as generate debate and discussion amongst key stakeholders.
The papers, written by international experts, provide the latest information and analysis on subjects ranging from carbon markets to intellectual property rights. They serve as an important and accessible resource for political and business leaders, policymakers, and anyone wanting to understand more fully the key issues shaping the international climate change debate.
The initiative has also commissioned a Carbon Markets Leaders’ Guide. This primer provides a step-by-step introduction to the main elements of - and issues surrounding - the global carbon market and emission trading schemes.
For ease of reference, the papers have been divided into three themes: ‘Technology’, ‘Policies, Markets and Institutions’, and ‘Climate Science, Macroeconomics and Adaptation’.
Technology
There are four papers under this theme: Solar Energy, Biofuels, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Nuclear. Each paper sets out the current status of its respective technology and the role it can and could play in mitigating climate change – given the right policies.
There is a clear sense of optimism running through all the briefs, highlighting the potential of both existing and near-commercial technologies. At the same time, each paper makes clear that business-as-usual policies will not deliver the kind of technology and energy transformation that is required to move the world to a low carbon economy.
The need for a global price on carbon, supported by increased research funding, and other innovative policies and measures, are core themes.
Downloads (pdf)
• ‘Scalable Electric Power from Solar Energy’
by Vinod Khosla, Khosla Ventures
• ‘Sustainable Biofuels’
by Richard Heap, Royal Society
• ‘Carbon Capture and Storage’
by Stefan Bakker, Heleen de Connick & Heleen Groenenberg, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN)
• ‘Nuclear Power’
by Stefan Bakker, ECN
Policies, Markets and Institutions
These papers traverse a wide variety of topics shaping the international climate change debate today.
Key messages and recommendations include: the need to scale up and reform carbon markets; the huge potential of energy efficiency as mitigation tool; the role sectoral agreements can play in avoiding ‘carbon lock-in’; the need to look beyond current financing proposals for avoided deforestation; the importance of intellectual property rights as a catalyst for technology development and transfer; the inadequacy of current financial mechanisms to support adaptation; and the vital necessity of establishing a more comprehensive, balanced and equitable global frameworkthan at present.
Downloads (pdf)
• ‘Sectoral Agreements’
by Michel Colombier and Emmanuel Guerin, Institut du Développement Durable et des Relations Internationales (IDDRI)
• ‘Architecture of a Global Climate Change Agreement’
by Murray Ward, Global Climate Change Consultancy (GCCC)
• ‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in non-Annex I countries’
by Romain Pirard, IDDRI
• ‘Review of Carbon Markets’
by Richard Gledhill, Jonathan Grant & Lit Ping Low, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP UK
• Carbon Markets Leaders’ Guide
by Murray Ward, Global Climate Change Consultancy (GCCC)
• The Energy-Efficiency Opportunity’
by Dana Farrell & Jaana Remes, McKinsey Global Institute
• ‘Intellectual Property Rights: The Catalyst to Deliver Low Carbon Technologies’
by Ian Harvey
• ‘Investment and Financial Flows Needed to Address Climate Change’
by Erik Haites, Margaree Consultants
Climate Science, Macroeconomics and Adaptation
These three papers provide a thorough review of major cross-cutting issues of the international debate. The Science of Climate Change reinforces the strong message delivered in the main ‘Breaking the Climate Deadlock’ report: the urgency of action cannot be understated. Half-measures will not suffice. Countries – lead by the developed world but supported by major developing country emitters – must take decisive action now.
The cost of this action, however, need not be high – a central message of the Macroeconomics paper. Indeed, there is much to suggest that coordinated global action will raise global incomes, provide additional employment and improve human well-being through reduced pollution. Successful adaptation will play a significant role in ensuring this positive outcome, particularly in developing countries.
As the Adaptation paper explains, addressing the adaptation needs of developing countries, through increased financial support, and integration of programmes into broader sustainable development plans, is now a necessity for both practical and political reasons.
Downloads (pdf)
• ‘Science of Climate Change’
by Bill Hare, Potsdam Institute
• ‘The Macroeconomic Effects of the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy’
by Terry Barker, University of Cambridge
• ‘Adaptation: Needs, Financing & Institutions’
by Richard Klein, Stockholm Environment Institute
The views expressed and information provided in these papers are the sole responsibility of the author(s). The °Climate Group, the Office of Tony Blair and the staff of the Breaking the Climate Deadlock Initiative accept no responsibility for any errors of fact or the opinions contained herein.