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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