Search results

VTT Working Papers 111 ; Sectoral approaches are discussed widely in international negotiations, governments and research institutes, because they are considered to enhance greenhouse gas mitigation and address competitiveness concerns of globally competing industry. Developing countries have so far rejected binding commitments, industrial benchmarks or sectoral approaches. But according to IPCC, also they have to reduce emissions in a long term, if we want to achieve 2 °C target. Sectoral approaches could be considerable easier start than economy wide commitments. Every sectoral approach includes (1) selecting a sector, (2) defining a sector, (3) designing the approach and (4) amending it to national legislations. The scheme's trustworthiness also requires proper monitoring, reporting and verification. The iron and steel sector seems to suit well for a sectoral approach, due to its concentrated actors and uniform products and processes. The definition of a regulated sector could be only a blast furnace or it could reach also to other steel making sub processes or other reduction processes, e.g. ferrochrome. Emissions could be measured as absolute or with benchmarks, but benchmarks suit a sectoral scheme better. Why developing countries would adopt any commitments is one of the key questions. They may 1) receive funds in exchange of GHG reductions or there can be 2) technology transfers and 3) training of professionals. Generally speaking, these options may look reasonable and sound, but they include many difficult questions. This study gives a brief review of the literature on sectoral approaches and the global iron and steel industry. It carries out a case study of sectoral approaches on the iron and steel sector and discusses underlying barriers and possible solutions.

VTT Technology 239 ; 142 "Intended, Nationally Determined Contributions" (INDCs) have been submitted to the United Nations' climate treaty (UNFCCC) towards the forthcoming Paris negotiations. In the INDCs, parties state their intended contribution for mitigating climate change in the coming decade. However, the content of the INDCs varies considerably between parties, making it difficult to estimate and compare the level of ambition by the parties, or the emission level implied by the INDCs. A critical question is whether the INDCs are collectively ambitious enough to keep the 2°C target within reach. This research o provides country-level estimates on the emissions implied by 53 INDC's, o compares the countries' contributions between each other, o presents temperature projections based on the INDCs and two post-2030 emission pathways, and o analyses 12 highest-emitting parties' INDCs in depth. The emission levels around 2030 implied by 53 INDCs were compared to each other under the "common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities" principle. Most developed countries target significant emission reductions from the current level. For developing countries the level of ambition is very dispersed: while some target a stabilisation of emissions by 2030, some project more than 200% increase from 2010 level. Additionally, the mitigation effort is not quantifiable from many INDCs, e.g. because the Business-as-Usual scenario from which the reduction target is defined was not given in the INDC. Collectively, the INDCs would bring an emission reduction between 4 and 8 Gt CO2 eq from the reference scenario in 2030, with strong contribution from both developed and developing countries; and the global emissions would be between 50 and 54 Gt CO2 eq. An analysis of post-2030 emission pathways showed that this emission level is compatible with the 2°C target only if steep emission reductions are undertaken after 2030. Increasing the level of ambition of 2030 is a key priority to improve the changes of keeping global mean temperature increase below 2°C.