As a researcher and educator, I am interested in carbon footprints, water resources, and melding the fields of art, education, and science. Now as a blogger, I comment on the current carbon offsets craze, among other things in hot water. When I’m not supporting the work of the Climate, Policy, China, and South Asia campaigners, I’m rock-climbing, painting, cooking crazy concoctions, cradling my kittens, or making bad alliterations.
The average Nike shoe emits about 40 pounds of CO2 (http://www.greenbiz.com)
A few years ago, the latest green(wash) rage among the rich and famous was offsetting carbon emissions from air travel and energy use. Lately, this trend may be slowly reversing itself.
Companies are beginning to see the problems inherent in offsets and are instead turning to improving energy efficiency. The latest companies to abandon the over-hyped offset are Yahoo! and Nike.
The number of projects that entered the CDM pipeline fell 42% from the third quarter (See Fig. 1).
The percent of hydropower projects entering the CDM pipeline relative
to all CDM projects continues to be on a downward trend since 2007 (see
Fig. 2).
According to a new Point Carbon survey
(sub req'd), one third of registered CDM projects never go on to
receive CERs, or certified emissions reductions credits. Most notable
are landfill gas and other waste projects. Arne Eik, analyst at Point
Carbon, attribute the lack of issuance to:
"problems with project finance prompted by the economic downturn,
uncertainty about post-2012, and the difficulties some projects had in
demonstrating they can cut emissions."
The percent of projects rejected out of the total number of projects requesting registration was 7.4% in 2007, 3.8% in 2008, and 1.4% in 2009 (this does not include withdrawn projects).
48% of all hydro projects in the CDM pipeline have requested registration since 2004, while 40% of all hydro projects have actually been registered. Figs. 3 and 4 show the fate of projects requesting registration and being registered by year. This graph shows the dramatic increase over the last year of projects that the Executive Board has requested be reviewed.
Hydro projects continue to be the most prevalent type of project in the CDM pipeline (27% fo all projects). 70% of hydro projects are located in China. Figs. 5 and 6 are based on the UNFCCC CDM pipeline database, last updated on December 20, 2009.
(Daniel Bachhuber)On the final day of the COP15 climate negotiations at Copenhagen, leaders have reportedly reached a final deal, though one that insufficiently deals with emissions reduction targets, timelines, accountability, compliance, and the question of who's responsible for adaptation and mitigation action and funding.
Water justice - the belief that every human being deserves the right to
access clean water to meet their basic needs - is another issue that
has largely been glossed over by delegates these past two weeks.
International Rivers' Payal Parekh gives an update on the current status of the climate negotiations at Copenhagen's COP15. Developed countries continue to avoid taking strong targets, raising
tensions between rich and poor countries on the third-to-last day of the negotiations. News on offsets and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) are mixed and constantly changing.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California addressing the 194-nation U.N. climate talks (United Nations)
As the clock winds down, and countries are nowhere near an agreement, subnational leaders from Canada, Nigeria, France and Algeria, led by California's "Gubernator," announced today in a press conference at Bella that they plan to advance the concept of a new regional coalition to fast track the results of the Copenhagen negotiations.
Flood for Climate Justice (http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Billedserier/2009/12/12212940.htm)
Week Two of the COP15 in Copenhagen opens with the arrival of over 110 ministers and soon their heads of state - i.e. crunch time for the negotiations. This is also leading to incredibly long lines at the entrance and limits to the number of NGO members being admitted.
To see what civil society is saying about various countries, check out the Fossil of the Day Awards, which awards the top three countries who perform the worst during the UN climate negotiations.
Green peace protest, 10 Dec (http://www.iisd.ca/climate/cop15/)
The latest:
Climate
justice protest outside the Bella Center (where COP15 is being held) by
Greenpeace this morning, calling out "Don't leave youth out in the
cold" as they stood in the 7 degrees C weather in swimsuits. Brief
video to come.
