Economics of Climate Change: The Contribution of Forestry Projects: 21 (Environment & Policy, 21) - Hardcover

Kägi, Wolfram

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0792361032 ISBN 13: 9780792361039

Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1999

Synopsis

Climate change is one of the major global environmental problems, one that has the potential to confront us with great costs during the decades to come. Climate change is caused by emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO). As z deforestation leads to CO emissions and growing forests sequester CO, forestry z z projects provide us with options to mitigate CO effects. This study analyses the z contribution Jorestry projects can make within the context of climate change. The contribution of forestry projects is here discussed on two levels. On a first level, the COz effect of individual projects is analysed. On a second level, the study asks whether the analysis of forestry projects can contribute to questions on climate change which have been discussed in the economic literature during the past two decades. While most studies on forestry projects focus on particular details, predominantly on technical issues, this study takes a rather broad perspective, drawing together different relevant aspects: the stability of international agreements is discussed, costs and benefIts of reducing GHG emissions in industrial countries are reviewed, the underlying causes of deforestation are analysed and insights from resource economics are taken into consideration. Such a wide perspectiveallows the identifIcation, discussion and appreciation of problems and opportunities associated with forestry projects in the context of climate change which are otherwise not recognised.

About this title

Review

`Overall, Kägi's book can be recommended to anyone interested in the intricacies of CDM sinks projects and the debate that is going to start soon about their detailed criteria.'
Climate Policy, 2:1 (2002)

Synopsis

The Kyoto Protocol is expected to give lead to the creation of an international market for greenhouse gas emission credits having an estimated volume of several tens of billions of dollars. The extent to which forestry projects will be accepted in this market is a matter of current discussion and controversy.In its evaluation of the contribution of forestry projects to climate change mitigation, this book draws together a number of relevant aspects, including the stability of international agreements, causes and consequences of deforestation, and the CO2 effect of forestry projects. This wide perspective gives an appreciation of often unappreciated problems and opportunities associated with forestry projects in the context of climate change. The book includes case studies of two forestry projects which provide an introduction to such concepts as baseline, additionality, and leakage - concepts that are commonly used to assess greenhouse gas mitigation projects. This book is useful to the environmental policy community, environmental NGOs, scientists and business seeking to benefit from the CO2 market, as well as the general public.

Edition details

• Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0792361032
• ISBN 13: 9780792361039
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 176