Tools to support NAMA developmentThe new WRI GHG Protocol Mitigation Accounting Standards
Africa Regional Workshop on Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions
17-19 August 2015, Rwanda, Kigali
Marion Vieweg-Mersmann, Programme Officer, International Consultation and Analysis Support Unit, Non-Annex I Support Sub-programme, Mitigation, Data and Analysis Programme
Types of mitigation actions
There are three types of mitigation actions emerging:
• Goals: Actions that are framed as commitments. They are formulated as economy-wide,
sectoral, or technology-related targets.
• Policies: Actions that aim to impact emissions through relevant national policies. This
includes broad strategies as well as the full range of policy instruments, such as
regulations, taxes and incentive schemes.
• Projects: Activities that are targeted at a specific investment or that are limited in scope,
scale and duration. This includes the installation of renewable power capacity,
infrastructure investments as well as pilot projects and capacity building initiatives.
The type of mitigation action will influence the type of information and level of detail
provided, especially regarding the steps taken to achieve the action.
Relationship between different types of mitigation actions
LEVE
L O
F D
ETAI
L
LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION
Goals
Strategies
Policies & Actions
Projects & Activities
ABILITY TO IN
FLUEN
CE LARGE-SCALE EFFECTS
HIGH
LOW HIGH
LOW
ASPIRATIONAL CONCRETE
Incentivise
Guide
Concretise
GHG Protocol Standards
Project protocol
Mainly relevant for INDC process
Relevant for NAMAsMitigation goal standard
NEW
Policy & action standard
NEW
LEVE
L O
F D
ETAI
L
LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION
Goals
Strategies
Policies & Actions
Projects & Activities
ABILITY TO IN
FLUEN
CE LARGE-SCALE EFFECTS
HIGH
LOW HIGH
LOW
ASPIRATIONAL CONCRETE
Incentivise
Guide
Concretise
Pilot countries
Mitigation goal pilots
Policy and action pilots
US
Mexico
Costa Rica Colombia
ChileSouth Africa
Indonesia
Japan
South KoreaChina
IndiaBangladesh
Ethiopia
Tunisia
UK BelgiumGermany
Israel
Purpose of the policy and action standard
The policy and action standard - Overview
1. Introduction
2. Objectives
3. Overview
4. Accounting and Reporting Principles
5. Defining the Policy or Action
6. Identifying Effects and Mapping the Causal Chain
7. Defining the GHG Assessment Boundary
8. Estimating Baseline Emissions
9. Estimating GHG Effects Ex-Ante
10. Monitoring Performance over Time
11. Estimating GHG Effects Ex-Post
12. Assessing Uncertainty
13. Verification
14. Reporting
Define objectives and define the policy or
action
Identify effects
Quantify effects
Verify (optional)
and report results
Terminology
Ex-ante analysis: The process of estimating expected future GHG effects of mitigation action
Ex-post analysis: The process of estimating historical GHG effects of a mitigation action
Chapter 6: Identification of effects
• Different types of effects can be described, based on the point of view taken:
a) By geopolitical boundary: in-jurisdiction/out-of-jurisdiction
b) By time frame: short- and long term
c) By objectives: intended and unintended
d) By probability: likely, possible, and unlikely
e) By sign of expected GHG effect: GHG increasing / decreasing
• Individual effects usually fall into more than one of these categories
Chapter 6: The causal chain concept
• A causal chain is a conceptual diagram tracing the process by which the policy or action
leads to GHG effects through a series of interlinked logical and sequential stages of
cause-and-effect relationships.
• Mapping the causal chain can help identify additional effects not previously identified.
• It helps to structure and understand cause-effect relationships.
• Developing and reporting the causal chain is required to be in conformance with the
standard.
Subsidy for home
insulation
Consumers purchase and install insulation
Businesses produce
more insulation
Reduced energy use in homes
Increased emissions
from insulation mfg
Reduced demand for electricity
Reduced emissions
from electricity generation
Reduced emissions from home natural gas
use
Increase in disposable income due to savings
Increased demand for
goods & services
Increased production of goods &
services
Increased emissions
Policy or action
Key:
Intermediate effect
GHG effect
Example for a causal chain: Home insulation subsidy
Chapter 6: Determine significance of effects
Based on the assessment of likelihood and magnitude the significance of effects can be
determined, following the guidance shown in the table below
MagnitudeLikelihood
Minor Moderate Major
Very likely
May be excludedShould be includedLikely
Possible
Unlikely
Very unlikely May be excluded
Chapter 10: Examples of parameters to be monitored
Examples of policies Selected examples of parameters to be monitored
Energy efficiency program in the commercial buildings sector
Electricity use (annual, direct metering) Emission factor from grid electricity Gross floor area of building units
Solar power incentives Solar panels produced each year Capacity of solar power installed Electricity generated from solar power
Electric vehicle subsidy Number of electric vehicles (quarterly) Passenger figures (monthly) Vehicle-kilometers traveled (monthly)
Emissions trading system
Facility-level monitoring of emissions data from covered facilities
Information campaign to encourage energy savings in the residential sector
Surveys of a representative sample of households to collect data such as: awareness of the campaign, actions taken as a result of the campaign, household size, household income, and household energy use over time
Chapter 14: Reporting
• Report the results of the assessment according to a standardized set of reporting
requirements
• Five parts to the reporting requirements/template:
1. GHG assessment information
2. Description of the policy or action
3. Estimated change in GHG emissions and removals
4. Methodology
5. Optional reporting information
GHG Protocol Standards and BUR reporting
Standards provide useful procedures for estimating impact of mitigation actions (ex-ante
and ex-post) which can be used for:
Internal decision making at the policy level
Reporting on successes to national stakeholders
Input to funding proposals for support (e.g. NAMA proposals)
Reporting to donors
Reporting under the UNFCCC
Standards provide useful guidance on reporting of methodologies and assumptions
Individual elements can be used as appropriate
Further information
The Policy and Action Standard is available in English, French and Spanish
Additional matieral available includes:
Sample reporting template
List of tools and methods
Pilot testing summary
All material is available at: http://www.ghgprotocol.org/policy-and-action-standard
Online training is currently in preparation and scheduled to be finalized later this year
Thank you
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