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Sharm el-Sheikh, Nov 17 (IANS) Highlighting the growing consensus on oceans being critical to climate negotiations, a new policy brief from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) was launched at an UN Framework for Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) official side event at COP27 here, put forth the need for definite goals and indicators, along with institutional and enforcement mechanisms to steer ocean-climate action.
The policy brief 'Oceans-Climate Interface: Implications for Global Commons based Climate Action' was launched on Wednesday at a session on aClimate Action through Innovation, Implementation and Inclusive Multi-level Governance', organized by TERI and TERI School of Advanced Studies in collaboration with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, Japan, and Indigenous Information Network, Kenya.
The knowledge document was produced as part of the COP27 Compass component of the Act4Earth initiative launched at the World Sustainable Development Summit in 2022. During the launch at Sharm el-Sheikh, Shailly Kedia, Senior Fellow, TERI, gave a presentation on the Act4Earth policy briefs on COP27 negotiations, internationalizing lifestyles for environment, inclusive energy transitions and ocean-climate interface.
Oceans, which are the largest known carbon sink in the world, were largely omitted from the climate change negotiations until COP21 held in 2015.
The policy brief focuses on the global commons of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction and climate action, and examines the interface between climate and ocean governance.
"The oceans have long been neglected in the climate change negotiations, even though the UNFCCC clearly identified its role as the globe's most important carbon sink. The existing patchwork of agreements on the High Seas, including the UN Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), scarcely touch upon the role of the High Seas in relation to climate change," said Prodipto Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow, TERI.
The policy brief highlights the gaps in the climate-ocean interface and examines it through the lens of the global commons. Global commons are resource domains that do not fall under the jurisdiction of any single country, and their governance remains contentious since there is no single state or region having complete responsibility over it.
Pointing to the gaps in the present climate regime, Kedia said, "Since climate negotiations are party-driven, climate actions in national jurisdictions have received larger attention and global commons including oceans have not been a focus area in terms of climate ambition and action."
She underscored the need for greater interactions between the climate regime and ocean regime involving UNFCCC and UNCLOS.
The knowledge document observes that problems of ocean equity are often not explicitly stated. "It is a hard fact that till date the distribution of benefits of oceans has been iniquitous and the ocean economy has primarily benefited wealthy nations and firms," it notes.
While oceans have helped in slowing the rate of climate change by acting as a carbon sink, climate change impacts such as acidification, warming, changing circulation patterns and rising sea levels have deeply affected it as well.
Read MoreSharm el-Sheikh [Egypt], November 16 (ANI/NewsVoir): Highlighting the growing consensus on oceans being critical to climate negotiations, a new policy brief from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) launched at an United Nations Framework for Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) official side event at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday, put forth the need for definite goals and indicators, along with institutional and enforcement mechanisms to steer ocean-climate action.
The policy brief 'Oceans-Climate Interface: Implications for Global Commons based Climate Action' was launched at a session on 'Climate Action through Innovation, Implementation and Inclusive Multi-level Governance', organized by TERI and TERI School of Advanced Studies in collaboration with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization - Japan, and Indigenous Information Network - Kenya at COP27.
The knowledge document was produced as part of the COP27 Compass component of the Act4Earth initiative launched at the World Sustainable Development Summit in 2022.
During the launch at Sharm el-Sheikh, Dr Shailly Kedia, Senior Fellow, TERI, gave a presentation on the Act4Earth policy briefs on COP27 negotiations, internationalizing lifestyles for environment, inclusive energy transitions and ocean-climate interface.
Oceans, which are the largest known carbon sink in the world, were largely omitted from the climate change negotiations until COP21 held in 2015. The policy brief focuses on the global commons of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction and climate action, and examines the interface between climate and ocean governance.
"The oceans have long been neglected in the climate change negotiations, even though the UNFCCC clearly identified its role as the globe's most important carbon sink. The existing patchwork of agreements on the High Seas, including the UN Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), scarcely touch upon the role of the High Seas in relation to climate change," pointed out Dr Prodipto Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow, TERI.
The policy brief highlights the gaps in the climate-ocean interface and examines it through the lens of the global commons. Global commons are resource domains that do not fall under the jurisdiction of any single country, and their governance remains contentious since there is no single state or region having complete responsibility over it.
Pointing to the gaps in the present climate regime, Dr. Kedia said, "Since climate negotiations are party-driven, climate actions in national jurisdictions have received larger attention and global commons including oceans have not been a focus area in terms of climate ambition and action." She underscored the need for greater interactions between the climate regime and ocean regime involving UNFCCC and UNCLOS.
The knowledge document observes that problems of ocean equity are often not explicitly stated. "It is a hard fact that till date the distribution of benefits of oceans has been iniquitous and the ocean economy has primarily benefited wealthy nations and firms," it notes. While oceans have helped in slowing the rate of climate change by acting as a carbon sink, climate change impacts such as acidification, warming, changing circulation patterns and rising sea levels have deeply affected it as well.
"The existing international agreements are marked by profoundly unequal treatment between developed and developing countries. It is necessary to move to a more comprehensive agreement or protocol under the UNFCCC that protects and helps enhance the role of the oceans on climate change, and sets out rights and obligations of countries. In doing so the UNFCCC principle of 'common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities' must be fully respected if such an approach is to have a chance at success," asserted Dr Ghosh.
The need to strengthen the interface between climate regime and oceans regime is emphasized in the policy brief. "Presently, the interface largely involves the interactions between the Rio conventions. This needs to be expanded to include UNCLOS, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and various environmental agreements - including those in the polar regions," it observes.
Better integration of oceans and high seas in existing tools and processes under the UNFCCC, the need for reporting on global indicator frameworks to go beyond what is presently reported under Goal 14 of the SDGs, and creating avenues for engagement with local communities and vulnerable countries to bring them and their voices to global platforms are suggested by the authors of the policy brief.
It also moots for improved ocean governance and management, addressing the knowledge gap in ocean governance, and clearly defining the role of the private sector in ocean governance.
Access the policy brief here:
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), based in India, is an independent, multi-dimensional research organization with capabilities in policy research, technology development, and implementation.
An innovator and agent of change in the energy, environment, climate change and sustainability space, TERI has pioneered conversations and action in these areas for nearly five decades. Headquartered in New Delhi, it has centres in six Indian cities, and is supported by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, sociologists, economists, engineers, administrative professional and state-of-the-art infrastructure.
This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the article.(ANI/NewsVoir)
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There is a need for a wider research and debate to arrive at the energy specific subsidies, which may be offered to to the socially unprivileged.
New Delhi: There have been recent discussions focusing on energy related support measures, both at the international level as well as within India. Availability of energy, and its affordability, has got severely impacted due to an unexpected military conflict in Europe. This has also halted global energy transition, which was moving at a smooth pace under the net-zero commitments, amidst large-scale adoption of renewables. And, within our own country, a debate has got spurred on energy related support measures for the lesser affluent sections of the society.
As part of our research work, we estimated the consumption of energy, encompassing both electric and non-electric formats, along with the related costs, to arrive at the percentage energy expenditure of an individual as part of her annual income. We undertook this study for the six states of India - Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.
Our analysis showed that annual per capita consumption of energy was in the range of 300 kgoe, equally split between electrical and non-electrical formats (refer figure 1). Within the fossil group, diesel was having a high share, indicating its widespread use as a commercial fuel. In terms of energy related expenses, our study depicted a range from INR 15,000 - 20,000, with a slightly higher share attributed to non-electric energy (refer figure 2). In terms of energy expenses as a share of annual per capita earnings, this research indicated a range of 12-15%, similar to global average values (refer figure 3).
Per capita income and per capita electricity consumption for these states was obtained from the RBI datasets. State-wise consumption of non-electric fuels (LPG, diesel and gasoline), as taken from PPAC report, was divided by the states’ population to arrive at the per capita energy consumption. Energy consumption in all forms was converted into oil equivalent terms, using standard calorific values. Tariff for electricity was computed by dividing the revenue generated with the sale of power, for domestic category of consumers (PFC dataset). For non-electric fuels, prices as prevalent during March 2019 were taken taken from the portal petroldieselprice.com.
Evolving technologies, innovative business models and opening up of energy markets, accentuated by decarbonization and electrification of the economy, had made it a challenge for the stakeholders in terms of choosing the most optimum format, among all possible permutations. Policy makers may need to choose from the various forms of energy which are required to be subsidized and the possible alternatives.
End-consumers may seek clarity in terms of fuel availability at stable price-points, with minimal change(s) in regulations. For example, subsidized tariff for consumers, amidst increasing prices of LPG and gasoline, may nudge households to adopt induction cookstoves and EVs. Similarly, rationalizing power tariffs and the proposed carbon taxation, under the Energy Conservation Act, may accelerate deployment of solar rooftop systems. Any increase in price of CNG may encourage Bio-CNG based flexi- fuel vehicles. Options shall increase the elasticity of energy consumption, typically considered inelastic.
This calls for a wider research and debate to arrive at the energy specific subsidies, which may be offered to the socially unprivileged. As a first step, minimum lifeline energy requirements can be estimated for different states, considering the existing level of expenses, climatic conditions, besides their social and demographic parameters. Other factors can include locally available fuel esources, conversion technology and the associated energy output (kgoe), market price, carbon intensity along with alternatives.
Subsidies can be extended in terms of total calorific value in place of monetary terms, possibly pegged to their carbon intensity.
This strategy shall enable a consumer opting for the most economical form of energy, which is technologically sound besides being environmentally benign, leading to sustainable and inclusive development of the Indian economy.
[This piece was written exclusively for ETEnergyworld by Dr Sapan Thapar, Head, Department of Sustainable Engineering, TERI School of Advanced Studies].
