Office for Environmental Programs - Theses
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ItemThe challenges of emissions trading in China( 2012)Under the 12`h Five-Year-Plan (FYP), China is moving forward to the implementation of pilot emissions trading scheme (ETS). This would be the first experiment of mandatory ETS in China and also an important sign on the evolution of the climate policy for China. Voluntary emissions trading practices based around Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Voluntary Emissions Reductions (VERs) have existed in China in recent years. By contrast, the upcoming pilot ETSs in China will be mandatory for covered sectors and installations. This research compares the EU ETS and the CCX with the China's proposed mandatory pilot ETSs and existing voluntary ETS respectively. Then, challenges that China's ETS may face can be suggested based on the key criteria come up from the EU ETS and the CCX. The challenges of China's ETS can be found in the respects of the establishment of regulatory contexts, cap setting-up and allowances allocation, designing and implementation of a compliance framework, and establishment and operation of diverse trading mechanisms. When comes to the co-operation and linkage among proposed Chinese pilot ETSs and a future national ETS in China, two most possible scenarios are discussed in the thesis. The first potential scenario is that the national ETS replaces pilot ETSs. The second potential scenario is that pilots are linked directly and then to expand as the national ETS. On the other hand, the potential linkage between China's ETS and the EU ETS can be expected, especially as the European Commission announced that the EU would assist China in establishing the national ETS according to an agreement signed by the EU and China in September 2012. However, there will be several issues existing in the establishment of a linkage. Whether those two ETSs are compatible and the allowances are recognised by each other are the key elements of the potential linkage building between the EU ETS and the future national ETS in China.
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ItemSustainable forest management in the southwest Yukon: feasibility analyses of alternative management scenarios( 2012)Forest ecosystems are natural assets that are managed for the plethora of benefits they provide. Their management involves the development of objectives and strategies that safeguard desirable values; however, this is often achieved by compromising the integrity of those values that are deemed less desirable at that point in time. Fortunately, the tedious albeit, feasible task of developing multiple value based management plans is now increasingly being acknowledged as a means of achieving sustainable forest management. The utility and feasibility of forest management plans that employ strategies to achieve multiple values vary substantially from one location to the other and thus, are best analysed on a case-by-case basis. This research focuses on the planning and development processes that were involved in developing strategies to complement the Sustainable Forest Management Plan and Integrated Landscape Plan of the Champagne and Aishihik Traditional Territory in the Yukon, Canada. The planning phase led to the development of five alternative forest management strategies, each with a different management focus, namely: management for timber/biomass extraction, fire risk reduction, wildlife conservation, carbon sequestration and multiple values. Each alternative management strategy and its corresponding objectives and management tactics are tested by simulation to ascertain their feasibility and sustainability under scenarios of climate change over the long-term. This study highlights the trade-offs made between different forest ecosystem values and assets when the Champagne and Aishihik forest region is managed under each of the alternative forest management strategies.
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ItemClimatic, demographic and social structural forces contributing to internal migration in Bangladesh( 2012)The key findings of this paper is that even though internal migration is increasingly becoming a common coping mechanism in Bangladesh, it is not solely as a result of climatic factors, as is expected, because of the widely known fact that Bangladesh would be the hardest hit due to climate change. The migration pattern is complex and needs clear understating and methodology to separate climatic and non climatic factors of migration. The migration pattern can significantly vary depending on whether the population is faced with an extreme or sudden onset event such as cyclone, flood etc. or slow onset event such as droughts. Depending on the type of event the migration can be short term or long term, or simply temporary displacement. However this will also depend on non-climatic factors such as government policy, community resilience etc. For example if a disaster struck community receives adequate government support either in terms of post disaster relief n terms of food, shelter or financial help they are less likely to move from their area to a uncertain place where they have to struggle to find a job, shelter etc. Also, if the government has strong policy to provide adequate employment, and other facilities enjoyed by people in a better off places people in vulnerable areas will be less likely to migrate. Also if government and NGOS work together to prepare communities prior to disaster with various alternate livelihood training, building infrastructures such as cyclone shelters this will make the community more resilient to cope with disasters. All these factors need to be understood clearly by involving the community itself, so that a clear picture can be drawn of the migration causes and patterns. This is essential if the country wants to establish a strategic approach to mainstream or at least address the increasing migration and related issues within the country.
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ItemThe role of Mexico in the global environmental agenda: a discussion of the leadership framework( 2012)This study discusses the idea of Mexico's participation in the global environmental agenda under the framework of leadership. Therefore in this paper a short historical review of the Country's incremental participation in multilateral Forums, as well as domestic institutional arrangements to align with the international agreement to mitigate and adapt to climate change is reviewed. The conceptual basis of leadership will help to analyse if the role that Mexico has been playing in the last two decades has positioned as a leader of 'other' emergent economies In 2010 the country hosted the 16th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention in Climate Change. This paper discusses how the country displayed great diplomacy skills as it used unconventional methods to facilitate the negotiations in order to reach the Cancun Agreement. Also, at the domestic level Mexico has decided to implement 'stronger' polices to face climate change, while promoting international co-operation for developing countries in terms of mitigation and adaptation. Under this frame it seems like Mexico stopped being a laggard and is becoming a climate change leader. Is this true?
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ItemPreventing dengue fever in Bangladesh: lessons from Australia in a climate changing world( 2012)Anthropogenic climate change poses the biggest challenge to public health in the 21st Century. Dengue fever is one of the most important vector borne diseases that has been emerging as a climate induced health impact in recent decades. It is an acute mosquito borne arborviral infection globally putting around 2.5 billion people are at risk of infection especially in the Asia Pacific region. Dengue incidence has increased 30 folds in last 50 years in Asia Pacific and there has been marked emergence and re-emergence of dengue with increasing mortality rate during the early stage of an outbreak. Since the growth, abundance and geographical distribution of pathogen and vectors are largely dependent on temperature, moisture and humidity, there is likelihood of increasing susceptibility of dengue transmission due to climate change. It has been estimated that about 0.3-0.5 million people living in the northern part of Australia will be at risk of dengue infection in 2020. In South East Asia, cyclical epidemics have been reported in every 3-5 years and dengue infection is now spreading to rural areas. Bangladesh experienced the first dengue epidemic in 2000 with case fatality rate of 1.7%. The vulnerability to climate change and increasing susceptibility to dengue necessitates the immediate response to dengue outbreak particularly in the highly populous country like Bangladesh that lacks resources and capacities to face the emerging challenge. As there is no such treatment to cure dengue, precaution is the only feasible option to prevent dengue outbreak. Early prevention and control of dengue requires government's sustained commitment, strategies and planning, strengthening of public health structure and also integrated collaboration and community involvement. Drawing on the case study of Australia, the research makes a comparative policy analysis on the basis of the common elements for dengue prevention and early management with Bangladesh. Taking a long term view of climate change impacts on human health and basic facts about dengue, the study identifies the fundamental elements of dengue prevention in two dengue prone countries namely Australia and Bangladesh and also their differences in terms of application. As found in the research, the WHO's guideline for dengue prevention is most comprehensive and widely accepted framework involving five cluster of prevention elements: disease surveillance, vector surveillance, environmental management, sustainable measures and emergency preparedness with fourteen elements in total. The elements largely differ from each other in terms of application especially by tools, target and time. Australia, particularly the dengue prone state Queensland has adopted an integrated approach for prevention of dengue and incorporated all the prevention elements extensively in its policy and strategies. However, as perception of dengue is comparatively new among the health professionals in Bangladesh, the national initiatives are in primary stage of dengue prevention. Among fourteen elements of dengue prevention, Bangladesh has incorporated five in its policy and strategy. The implication of the study is that, similar to Queensland, a national dengue prevention policy and strategy with an integrated community-based approach and strong disease surveillance system should be immediately adopted in Bangladesh. Further, it is also necessary to establish a central database and national reference laboratory, to support dengue prevention in strong legal framework and active community participation and intersectional collaboration for effective prevention of dengue in Bangladesh.
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ItemClimate bonds to bridge the gap?: An examination of environmental benefits, investor motivations and barriers to further use of themed bonds for private climate finance( 2012)Climate bonds, that is, finance bonds with an underlying investment linked to climate change mitigation or adaptation infrastructure, are covered as a potential bridge between the requirement for vastly increased funding for climate change and the field of responsible investment. The research set out to identify whether and how climate bonds could act to deliver a tangible and legitimate environmental benefit, identify institutional investor motivations for consideration of climate bonds as part of investment portfolios and to gain insight into the barriers and issues preventing the industry from growing further. Qualitative research was conducted using semi-structured interviews with key industry participants and stake holders to gather an in-depth understanding. Document analysis was also used to triangulate responses given. The research found that climate bonds do have the potential to deliver an environmental benefit, although this is potentially limited by a lack of transparency for secondary products. Investor motivations were identified, with climate change risk management seen as the dominant factor. Finally, barriers and issues were determined; with worrying conclusions around the finance and investment industry's level of education around climate change although promisingly few barriers specific to climate bonds as an asset class.