Quantifying SD-PAMs: National energy models and international allocation models for climate change mitigation: South African case study. Energy Research Centre, University of Cape Town.

Winkler, Harald; Marquard, Andrew; Manley, Jonathan; Davis, Stephen; Trikam, Ajay; den Elzen, Michel; Höhne, Niklas; Witi, Jongikhaya

Quantifying SD-PAMs: National energy models and international allocation models for climate change mitigation: South African case study. Energy Research Centre, University of Cape Town.

Working Paper

2008

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Energy Research Centre

Faculty

Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment

Abstract

Sustainable development policies and measures (SD-PAMs) are an approach to stimulating action on climate change mitigation in developing countries. Instead of starting from explicit climate targets, the approach deliberately sets out to start from development objectives. This strategic approach taps into the primary motivation for developing countries, namely development. Defining more sustainable pathways to meet given development objectives has significant climate co-benefits. These co-benefits are by now broadly accepted (IPCC 2007, 2001b; Robinson et al. 2006; Winkler et al. 2006; Szklo et al. 2005; Munasinghe & Swart 2005; Baumert & Winkler 2005; Bradley et al. 2005; IISD 2005), the question is how to capture these benefits in the multi-lateral climate regime. A new strategic approach is needed, and SD-PAMs offers one possible approach. This approach provides a means to identify ‘nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing country Parties in the context of sustainable development, supported and enabled by technology, financing and capacity-building, in a measurable, reportable and verifiable manner’ (UNFCCC 2007). Sustainable development is part of core balance between sub-paragraphs 1b(i) and 1b(ii), in that mitigation actions by developing countries are qualified as being ‘in the context of sustainable development’.