Research project CP/26 (Research action CP)
Context
Belgium, as most industrialised countries, made the commitment in the Kyoto Protocol to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases. In its article 12, this Protocol gives the possibility to industrialised countries to adopt a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in order to respect their commitments. This instrument is based on the following principle: a country which has an objective for reduction of emission is authorised to finance emission reduction projects in developing countries and to receive a benefit in the form of emission credits. Moreover, it has the advantage to offer industrialised countries the opportunity to contribute to development aid thanks to technology transfers. A double dividend is thus at stake, on condition that rules governing CDM projects are established in a fair way and that deviation risks are fully under control.
Project description
Objectives
The objective of this project is to provide Belgium with tools which enable it to use the Clean Development Mechanism, would it be legal, institutional, technological or economic tools. To be more precise, the project pursues the following objectives:
- To specify the institutional framework of CDM projects implementation (at the different Belgian scales of competency) and against defined rules (or yet to be defined) by international organisations (under the aegis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) ; to specify the role that the various actors, institutional or private, can play.
- To define the practical conditions of CDM projects implementation for the whole stages involved in a project and to elaborate necessary tools to this implementation.
- To assess the potential of greenhouse gases reduction which can be achieved in the Subsaharan area, to select a pilot project, to prepare all the necessary procedures for its implementation and to draw conclusions for a possible generalisation of the CDM in this area.
- To spread the findings of this research towards beneficiary countries (countries of the Subsaharan area) and also towards actors interested by the CDM in Belgium, especially institutional actors.
Methodology
One part of these objectives (objective 1 and 2) relies on the analysis and the monitoring of the international negotiations undertaken under the aegis of the UNFCCC. Other objectives can be achieved by using the experience gained with the Joint Implementation projects, by taking account of the Belgian institutional context (objectives 2 and 3). Finally, the project accentuates the necessity to control the methodologies adapted to the design, monitoring and assessment of the CDM projects, replicable methodologies if necessary (objectives 2, 3 and 4). These methodologies can be guided in part by tools used in industrialised countries, but sometimes they also need to adopt particular assessment tools, especially concerning socio-economic impacts of projects (semi-qualitative models). It must be noted that the notion of technologies transfer is omnipresent within the dimension "decision helping". The project aims at promoting not only the technologies transfer which reduces greenhouse gases emissions, but also the setting up of a capacity building which benefits both Belgium and beneficiary countries of the CDM projects.
The project assesses the contribution of one of the flexibility mechanisms recommended by the Kyoto Protocol to the Belgian policy of greenhouse gases emissions reduction and takes up the division of responsibilities problem between Northern and Southern countries, the production and consumption patterns transfer, the inequalities reduction, the analysis of basic concepts, of decision making process and of international negotiations and the preparation of decision making aid tools.
Interaction between the different partners
The tasks expected in the research contract will be executed jointly by the Institute for a Sustainable Development and AQUADEV during all the research project. A subcontract to CORE-UCL will be possible particularly for the assessment of the emission reduction potential of the CDM in the Subsaharan area.
Expected results and products
The following results are expected:
- To elaborate a summary document which specifies the institutional framework of the CDM projects implementation;
- To elaborate a summary document which specifies the role of various actors, at the offer level (Belgian providers) and at the demand level (Subsaharan Africa partners);
- To elaborate a handbook with examples of procedures for CDM projects between Belgium and Subsaharan Africa countries (description of different stages in the design of a CDM project);
- Creation of a database of all eligible technologies which are transferable to Subsaharan Africa;
- Analysis of baseline projection establishment methodologies;
- To elaborate semi-qualitative models for the socio-economic assessment of CDM projects which also take into account investments in human resources and increases in institutional capacities of the host country;
- To elaborate and monitor a pilot project of CDM in Senegal which could be financed by the GEF (Global Environment Facility);
- Data and scientific knowledge transfer to Subsaharan Africa countries;
- Organisation of a workshop to present the first results and developed tools after the first 18 months of research.
Partners
L’Institut pour un Développment Durable, IDD (The Institute for a Sustainable Development), co-ordinator, is a centre of multidisciplinary research which aims at improving and making know better the problems of sustainable development in Belgium. Its mission is to promote, undertake and spread research and studies which can help public authorities and citizens to develop a sustainable development project.
AQUADEV (partner) is an international NGO which is specialised in feasibility studies and realisation of projects and programs which aim at reinforcing the "Capacity building" of partner organisations in Southern countries.
AQUADEV is particularly active in the fields of microfinance, food security and urban environment.
The CORE (subcontractor) is an interdisciplinary and interuniversity research centre which focuses its activities on economic theory, modelisation and econometry.
Contact Information
Paul-Marie Boulanger
Institut pour un Développement Durable
7, rue des Fusillés
B-1340 Ottignies
Tel: +32 (0)10 41 73 01; Fax: +32 (0)10 41 73 49
idd.org@skynet.be
Users Committee
- Ababacar Boye - Direction des Eaux, Forêts, Chasse et de la Conservation des Sols - Hann - Dakar - Sénégal
- Ndiaye Cheikh Sylla - Direction de l'Environnement et des Etablissements Classés - Dakar - Sénégal
- Sophie Closson - SPF Santé publique, Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire et Environnement - Services fédéraux pour les Affaires environmentales - Etudes et coordination - Bruxelles
- Stéphane Cools - Ministère de la Région Wallonne - Direction générale des Ressources Naturelles et de l’Environnement (DGRNE) - Namur
- Rose De Lannoy - Electrabel - Bruxelles
- Christian Ferdinand - SPF Economie, PME, Classes moyennes et Energie - Bruxelles
- Olivier Malvoisin - Kabinet van de Staatsecretaris voor Energie en Duurzame Ontwikkeling - Brussel
- Gabriel Michaux - SPF Economie, PME, Classes moyennes et Energie - Energy Policy Division - Bruxelles
- Annemie Neyens - Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap - AMINAL - Afdeling Europa en Milieu - Brussel
- Hugues Nollevaux - Ministère de la Région Wallonne - DGTRE Div Energie - Jambes
- Jean-Yves Saliez - Cabinet du Ministre régional wallon de la Mobilité, des Transports et de l'Energie - Jambes
- Marco Serreno - Kabinet van de Staatsecretaris voor Energie en Duurzame Ontwikkeling - Brussel
- Jean-Claude Steffens - Tractebel sa - Bruxelles
- Philippe Tulkens - Bureau fédéral du Plan - Bruxelles
- Renata Vandeputte - FOD Buitenlandse Zaken, Buitenlandse Handel en Ontwikkelingssamenwerking - Brussel
- Peter Wittoeck - FOD Volksgezondheid, Veiligheid van de Voedselketen en Leefmilieu - Federale Diensten voor het Leefmilieu - Brussel
Le mécanisme pour un développement propre : conception d'outils et mise en oeuvre : rapport final
Boulanger, Paul-Marie - Lussis, Benoît - Brismé, Christophe ... et al Bruxelles : Politique scientifique fédérale, 2004 (SP1439)
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