Friday, March 14, 2008

Carbon trade could jump 56 per cent

From Herald News Services

Published: Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Global trade in carbon dioxide emissions could reach 3.8 billion tonnes this year, a 56 per cent increase from 2007, according to a report from Point Carbon, an Oslo-based research and publishing firm.

The report released Tuesday includes a survey of the carbon market in which more than 70 per cent of respondents predict a global climate agreement by 2012. That's the year the Kyoto Protocol expires.

The survey was conducted over the Internet from Jan. 18 to Feb. 6, according the report. Of the 3,700 respondents, 40 per cent said they trade carbon permits and six per cent represent financial institutions

Link : http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/calgarybusiness/story.html?id=0a83f5ad-fcbb-42f9-918d-17a61cd97571

Adapting to climate variability and change: a guidance manual for development planning

Adapting to climate variability and change: a guidance manual for development planning

Produced by: USAID Global Climate Change Program (2007)

It is important to consider the potential impact of climate change when planning and designing development projects. Understanding, planning for and adapting to changing climate enables individuals and societies to make the most of opportunities and reduce risk.

This guidance manual looks at how to understand climate change as it may impact on project cycles and incorporating a six-step approach for assessing vulnerability and implementing adaptation. These include:

  • screen for vulnerability: a preliminary assessment of whether climate variability or change could compromise the integrity, effectiveness and longevity of a project
  • identify adaptation options: working with stakeholders to identify alternative designs or management processes to better cope with climate variability
  • conduct analysis: examine the consequences of climate variability and change as well as the effectiveness, costs and feasibility of adaptations that can reduce vulnerability to climate variability and change
  • select a course of action: meet with stakeholders to review analysis results and determine if changes to current project design are needed
  • implement adaptations: prepare an implementation plan to identify next steps
  • evaluate adaptations: it may be difficult to evaluate effectiveness in a relatively short time period following implementation, however, an evaluation can be done to see if adaptations were properly put in place and whether there were any problems or excessive costs associated with them.

The manual also gives various concrete examples of USAID projects applying this in many different countries as well as helpful learning tools such as explanatory flow-charts, further resources and links.



Available online at: http://w ww. eldis. org/cf/rdr/?doc=35292

The implications of carbon financing for pro-poor community forestry

The implications of carbon financing for pro-poor community forestry

Authors: Luttrell,C. ; Schreckenberg,K. ; Pe,L.
Produced by: Overseas Development Institute, London (2008)

This paper explores the implications of new financing mechanisms, carbon markets and increased investment in forestry for community forestry. The main focus of the discussion is on 'Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation' (REDD).

The authors discuss the debate over who has the right to 'own' carbon, and how this controls the levels at which decisions are made. They highlight the fact that, although it is not yet clear at what level REDD will operate, it probably will involve a degree of centralised control. This has implications for pro-poor outcomes including; how carbon baselines and targets will be devolved to producers and the role played by governments. The document points out that the way in which benefits are targeted is a concern for the forest dependent poor.

Key concluding points include:

  • carbon financing offers the potential for new forms of financing for community forestry
  • the design and process of funding mechanisms need attention to ensure that new forms of financing maintain pro-poor outcomes of community forestry
  • clarification of the legal and ownership status of carbon is important to ensure security of contracts and accurate prediction of returns
  • transaction costs of carbon forestry are likely to be high; therefore matching of benefits to the transaction costs and operational requirements is advisable.


Available online at: http://w ww. eldis. org/cf/rdr/?doc=35593