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This
group researches the intersection between energy, local environment and
global climate change. It aims to contribute to minimising impacts of
energy use and production, from social, economic and environmental
perspectives. Internationally and in South Africa, energy is the sector
contributing most to global climate change and to local air pollution.
The members of the group seeks to deepen their understanding of these
problems, and develop creative policy solutions. Energy solutions for
climate change mitigation that are grounded in national circumstances
need to be formulated and implemented urgently. Environmentally
sensitive planning of energy for sustainable development is a key
national priority.
Local environmental
issues include indoor air pollution and environmental health, external
costs of local pollution, environmental taxes and subsidies for energy,
renewable energy, environmental, household energy efficiency, and energy
for sustainable development.
Research themes relating
to global climate change include mitigation, greenhouse gas inventories,
the impact of potential future allocation schemes on SA, Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM), capacity building and adaptation to the
impacts of climate change. This includes strategic analysis to evaluate
and prioritise mitigation opportunities, methodologies economic and
financial analysis, as well as emission baselines for CDM projects. Our
emphasis lies in demonstrating how these projects can benefit the poor.
Click here for a Powerpoint presentation on the work of this group
See our blog about COP 17 and the evolving
South African climate change policy space
Equitable Access to Sustainable Development: A 90-page paper
collaboratively produced by leading
climate change
experts from
Brazil, South Africa, India and China,
released at
COP 17. Link to a
page giving access to the book and various presentations connected to
it.
The
Energy,
environment and climate change
research group, 2013
Current projects in
which the group is centrally involved
Research into the
Feasibility of Mitigation Action Plans and Scenarios (MAPS) in Africa
The focus of this project is a scoping study for a possible
African-focused Mitigation Action Plans and Scenarios (MAPS) programme.
This project will evaluate the feasibility of a full MAPS Africa
engagement over a three-year programme.
Further
information on this project
AIM Actions for mitigation and impacts on South Africas sustainable
development goals
In this project, we analyse interventions for climate change mitigation
and their contribution to the South African sustainable development
goals.
Further
information on this project
Estimating effective
carbon prices in South Africa
Analysis of the current
instruments for carbon pricing in the energy and transport sector and
their impacts on the pulp and paper and cement industries as well as
households.
Further
information on this project
Carbon budget
methods for South Africa
This research considers the method by which
carbon budgets (CB) can be defined for major sectors and sub-sectors in
South Africa.
Further
information on this project
Measurement and
performance tracking (MAPT)
The goal is to to build capacity and promote
shared perspectives and readiness among key stakeholders on the design
and implementation of credible systems to make mitigation actions by
developing countries measurable, reportable and verifiable.
Further
information on this project
Developing country
participation in addressing climate change: Analysing issues and options
for implementing NAMAs
This international
project focuses on country specific research from Brazil, South Africa,
India and China on issues associated with the identification and
implementation of NAMAs
Further
information on this project
UNITAR
Phase 2
The
progamme focuses on the implementation of a project on capacity
development for adaptation to climate change and GHG mitigation in
Non-Annex I Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Further
information on this project
Transport
energy, emissions and policy
(sub-project of UNITAR Phase 2)
Understanding transport
energy needs serious attention, as emissions from transport are the
third-largest sector. This project seeks to meet that need.
Further
information on this project
Mitigation
analysis toolkit for developing countries
(sub-project of UNITAR Phase 2)
The development of a
mitigation analysis toolkit which consists of a simple set of accessible
tools for mitigation analysis, training in its use, and an online
resource for tool users.
Further
information on this project
Climate change and variability: adaptation of deciduous fruit farmers
(sub-project of UNITAR Phase 2)
The deciduous fruit
farming industry of the Western Cape is likely to be impacted by climate
change. The scoping phase of this project confirmed the benefits of a
more detailed follow-up study, considering the impacts on grape farmers.
Further
information on this project
Mitigation action plans
and scenarios (MAPS)
The three-year MAPS
programme will support South-South collaboration between developing
countries in their plans to implement more ambitious mitigation actions.
Further
information on this project
Previous projects
Monitoring of
SouthSouthNorth CDM projects in South Africa
Evaluating whether the
project design process as laid out in the SSN Project Proposal has been
duly implemented
Further
information on this project
Quantifying
sustainable development policies and measures (SD-PAMs)
in national and international models
This
projects aims to link national energy models with international
models
considering the allocation of emissions allowances. We propose to
develop a methodology to create such a linkage using South Africa as a
test case to link a bottom up SD-PAMs analysis for South Africa with the
MNP/FAIR and Ecofys/ EVOC models. This methodology is to be developed
through a collaborative process between analysts from ERC, MNP and
Ecofys.
Further
information on this project
Long term mitigation scenario planning
South
Africa has the opportunity to proactively define approaches and
development paths that we as a society consider desirable. At the
same time, there is a huge opportunity for international investment in
climate-friendly technology. In other words, we need to work out a
range of paths which work for the country.
Further
information on this project
Low carbon society:
Global warming statistics for South Africa
This project provides a
South African input to the Japan-UK initiative in developing visions for
a low-carbon society through sustainable development.
Further
information on this project
Greenhouse
gas information management project
The project's two main areas of work are
preparing the South African national GHG inventory as an input to the
second national Communication to the UNFCCC, and
establishing a
database and institutionalising a system for data collection on an
ongoing basis.
Further
information on this project
C3D
Strengthening human and institutional capacity in developing countries
for policy analysis and effective negotiation on climate change
This project, conducted together with partner organisations in Senegal
and Sri Lanka, aims to support the building-up of capacities in
developing countries, not only to better integrate into the
international process, including the forthcoming negotiations, but also
to train relevant negotiators and decision makers.
Further
information on this project
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