Energy efficiency and carbon trading potential in Malaysia

The damage inflicted by global warming is happening far faster than any experts have predicted or anticipated. Since the Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997 to fight global warming through reducing global greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission, the world climate pattern has worsened at an accelerated rate beyond expectation. While developed countries sanctioned by the protocol are committed to achieve their GHG emission targets, developing nations play similar roles on a voluntary basis. Since almost all of the GHGs emissions come from energy sector, it is obvious that energy policy and related regulatory frameworks play imperative roles in realizing the Kyoto Protocol objectives. With carbon dioxide (CO₂) touted as the main remedy in the GHGs emissions, it is only reasonable that carbon trading becomes the essential element in the Protocol. Recently a milestone is marked in the Kyoto Protocol with the 2009 Climate Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, with all participating countries further committed themselves in fulfilling the protocol's obligations before the commitment period due in 2012. It is worthwhile to review the various energy efficiency efforts and carbon trading potential in Malaysia, a country which although does not bear any obligation, has ratified and lauded the cause of the protocol. Malaysia as a developing nation is seen as a direct beneficiary from carbon trading and in this paper, how the country energy policies have evolved over the years with concerted efforts from the government to minimize its carbon footprint through numerous energy efficiency implementations are discussed in length. The impact from the 2009 Climate Summit on Malaysia is also briefed.     

Forecasting based on sectoral energy consumption of GHGs in Turkey and mitigation policies

Recently, global warming and its effects have become one of the most important themes in the world. Under the Kyoto Protocol, the EU has agreed to an 8% reduction in its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2008–2012. The GHG emissions (total GHG, CO₂, CO, SO₂, NO₂, E (emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds)) covered by the Protocol are weighted by their global warming potentials (GWPs) and aggregated to give total emissions in CO₂ equivalents. The main subject in this study is to obtain equations by the artificial neural network (ANN) approach to predict the GHGs of Turkey using sectoral energy consumption. The equations obtained are used to determine the future level of the GHG and to take measures to control the share of sectors in total emission. According to ANN results, the maximum mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) was found as 0.147151, 0.066716, 0.181901, 0.105146, 0.124684, and 0.158157 for GHG, SO₂, NO₂, CO, E, and CO₂, respectively, for the training data with Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm by 8 neurons. R² values are obtained very close to 1. Also, this study proposes mitigation policies for GHGs.     

Turkish support to Kyoto Protocol: A reality or just an illusion

The long-term increase in Earth's temperature is known as the global warming or the greenhouse effect. Taking into account the fact that the ice age only involved a global temperature variation of around 4 °C, it is clear climate change is arguably one of the greatest environmental threats the world is facing today. The impacts of disruptive change leading to catastrophic events such as storms, droughts, sea level rise and floods are already being felt across the world. In this context, the signing of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 has been argued to be a historic step in reversing the inexorable increase in the emission of the greenhouse gases. The primary achievement of the Protocol has been so-called commitment of countries referred in the Annex I of the Protocol to reduce their emission of GHGs some 5% below their country specific 1990 level. On February 5, 2009, Turkish Parliament ratified an agreement to sign the Kyoto Protocol after intense pressure from both the European Union and international environmental organizations; however, so far it has not taken any step to bring about real reductions in emissions. In short, Turkey simply signed but ignored the Protocol. Present paper investigates Turkish position vis-à-vis Kyoto Protocol and critically questions Turkish policies in that area.     

Global warming mitigation and renewable energy policy development from the Kyoto Protocol to the Copenhagen Accord—A comment

Global warming is a grave environmental issue that has caught the attention of the globe. Due to the consequences of global warming, UNFCCC has established the Kyoto Protocol and the Copenhagen Accord as measures of combating climate change due to the emission of greenhouse gases. It has been three years since the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and the Copenhagen Accord was just newly established. Therefore, there is a necessity to evaluate the performance of the Kyoto Protocol and to comment upon the Copenhagen Accord in its contributions toward climate change mitigation. Major greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters who are among the Kyoto Protocol ratifying developed nations exhibit the potential to achieve the desired Kyoto pledges through the aid of Clean Development Mechanisms (mainly from using renewable energy), as proposed in the Kyoto Protocol. However, the nullifying effects from non-ratified major emitters like the US and ratified but still developing countries have difficulties in adhering to the Kyoto Protocol. The Copenhagen Accord, on the other hand, is considered to be less ambitious and provides limited financial aid through the Copenhagen Green Climate Fund. The formulation of such a document indicates that modern societies continues to waste time in negotiations that emphasize on individual economic and political advantages, rather than taking into account true global considerations. It raises questions regarding how much time is needed before we decide to fully commit to the effective and collective efforts of climate change mitigation.     

Kyoto Protocol implementation in Serbia as precognition of sustainable energetic and economic development

The paper gives reasons for low energy efficiency typical of the Serbian economy, which is based on outdated and dirty technologies. The comparison of selected economic indicators and indicators of energy efficiency in both Serbia and the European Union points out the benefits of the Kyoto Protocol implementation due to the growth of competitiveness in the global market. Serbia has no obligation to reduce GHG emissions, the authors point to the proposals whose implementation along with the mechanisms of the Protocol can enable Serbia the access to markets that trade GHG emissions and the access to dedicated funds, self-financing or attracting foreign investments to raise energy efficiency, which will be accompanied by adequate economic benefits. A similar principle can be applied in all countries that are not obliged to reduce GHG emissions. The application of different mechanisms aiming to increase energy efficiency in Serbia, could contribute to the increase of GDP annual growth rate from 5% to 7%, which cannot be achieved by any other economic instrument. Energy efficiency, which is actually a question of competitiveness of each economy, can finance itself through the mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol by selling excess emissions resulting from improved energy efficiency.     

The sustainability challenge of meeting carbon dioxide targets in Europe by 2020

Following the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union obligated itself to lower its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 20% below their 1990 level, by the year 2020. Carbon dioxide is the major GHG. To fulfil this obligation, the nations must meet the sustainability challenge of countering rising population plus affluence with the dematerialization of less energy per GDP plus the decarbonization of less carbon per energy. To test the feasibility of meeting the challenge, we analysed carbon dioxide emission during 1993–2004. Although emissions in the entire Union grew only by an average of 0.31% per year, emissions and their drivers varied markedly among the 27 member states. Dematerialization and decarbonization did occur, but not enough to offset the slight population growth plus rapidly increasing affluence. To fulfil its obligation in the next 12 years, the EU27 would have to counter its increasing population and affluence by a combined dematerialization and decarbonization 1.9–2.6 times faster than during 1993–2004. Hence, fulfilling its obligation by addressing fossil carbon emissions alone is very unlikely.     

ACROPOLIS: An example of international collaboration in the field of energy modelling to support greenhouse gases mitigation policies

Energy models are considered as valuable tools to assess the impact of various energy and environment policies. The ACROPOLIS initiative, supported by the European Commission and the International Energy Agency, used up to 15 energy models to simulate and evaluate selected policy measures and instruments and then compare their impacts on energy systems essentially in terms of costs of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction and energy technology choice. Four case studies are formulated considering policies and measures on renewable portfolio schemes and internationally tradable green certificates, emissions trading and global GHG abatement target, energy efficiency standards and internalisation of external costs. The main focus of the project is on the electricity sector. From a large set of quantified results, ACROPOLIS provides an international scientific consensus, on some key issues, which could be useful in assessing and designing energy and environment policies at the world, European and national/regional levels. It concludes that the Kyoto targets (and their continuation beyond 2010 in specific scenarios) could be achieved at a cost around 1% of GDP through global emissions trading, indicating also that this flexibility mechanism is a more cost-effective instrument for GHG mitigation than meeting the goal domestically without trade. It demonstrates that internalising external costs through a price increase reduces local pollutants (SO_x, NO_x, and others) and it produces other benefits such as triggering the penetration of clean technologies in addition to the curbing of CO₂ emissions.     

Global warming agreements,international trade and energy/carbon embodiments: an input–output approach to the Italian case

In the Kyoto Protocol the absence of Green House Gases (GHGs) commitments of developing countries (non-Annex I) and the more flexible terms of implementation which are allowed to countries shifting toward a market economy (transition economies) naturally lead to the absence or to less constraining national measures and policies of reduction of the GHGs emissions which, in turn, may determine a comparative advantage in the production of the highest energy/carbon intensive commodities for these countries. These arguments are valid also considering the future implementation of the European Emission Allowance Trading Scheme (EATS). Thus, developing countries may become a haven for the production of not environmental-friendly commodities; in this case, the so-called Pollution Haven Hypothesis, stating that due to freer international trade the comparative advantage may change the economic structure and consequently the trade patterns of the countries linked by trade relationships, could occur. This would lead to the increase of the transfers of energy and carbon embodied in traded commodities from developing countries and transition economies toward Kyoto or EATS constrained countries.     

Life Cycle Analysis of wind–fuel cell integrated system

After ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, Canada’s Kyoto greenhouse gas (GHG) emission target is 571 Mt of CO₂ equivalent emitted per year by 2010; however, if current emission trends continue, a figure of 809 Mt is projected by 2010 (Cote C. Basic of clean development mechanism—joint implementation and overview of CDM project cycle, 2003 regional workshop on CDM-JI, February 2003, Halifax). This underscores the need for additional reduction of 240 Mt. The Federal Government Action Plan 2000 aims to reduce this gap from 240 to 65 Mt (Cote C. Basic of clean development mechanism—joint implementation and overview of CDM project cycle, 2003 regional workshop on CDM-JI, February 2003, Halifax). In order to accomplish this goal, renewable energy use in all sectors will be required, and this type of energy is particularly applicable in power generation. Traditional power generation is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions after industrial and transportation sectors (Environment Canada. Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990–1998. Final submission to the UNFCCC Secretariat, 2002 [Available from: http://www.ec.gc.ca/climate/resources_reportes-e.html]. Although wind energy, solar power and other forms of renewable energy are non-GHG emitting in their operation, there are GHG emissions in their different stages of life cycle (i.e. material extraction, manufacturing, construction and transportation, etc.). These emissions must be accounted for in order to assess accurately their capacity to reduce GHG emission and meet Kyoto targets. The current trend in electricity generation is towards integrated energy systems. One such proposed system is the wind–fuel cell integrated system for remote communities. This paper presents a detailed Life Cycle Analysis of the wind–fuel cell integrated system for application in Newfoundland and Labrador.The study confirms that wind–fuel integrated system is a zero emission system while in operation. There are significant emissions of GHGs during the production of the various components (wind turbine, fuel cell and electrolyzer). However, the global warming potential (GWP) of wind-integrated system is far lower (at least by two orders of magnitude) than the conventional diesel system, presently used in remote communities.     

Kyoto protocol and Nepal's energy sector

Nepal has recently ratified Kyoto Protocol, which considers justifiable use of resources to limit or reduce the emission of gases that contribute to green house gas inventory in the atmosphere. Nepal's per capita green gas (GHG) emission from energy use is insignificant. However, it is important for Nepal to adopt environmentally friendly energy options based on local resources like hydropower and biomass.     

Review on Malaysia's national energy developments: Key policies,agencies, programmes and international involvements

This paper aims to present a review on Malaysia's national energy developments by looking at various angles in terms of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Energy demand and consumption by sectors are presented as well as the fuel mix in electricity generation. Key energy policies implemented from the incorporation of Malaysia's national oil company, Petronas in 1974 until the National Green Technology Policy 2009 and a future policy will be addressed. The roles of key players as well as important agencies in energy development are briefly presented. Key programmes in energy development such as Malaysian Industrial Energy Efficiency Improvement Project, Small Renewable Energy Power Programme and Building Energy Efficiency Programme are discussed as well as successful initiatives from the programmes. Malaysia's international involvements towards reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon emissions especially Montreal Protocol and Kyoto Protocol are highlighted. As a conclusion, Malaysia is aware of its role in formulating its national energy development policies, sensitive towards the country's development towards the environment and utilization of energy resources as well as conscientious and responsive towards the call for sustainable development in promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency.     

Mitigating the anthropogenic global warming in the electric power industry

One of the most current and widely discussed factors that could lead to the ultimate end of man's existence and the world at large is global warming. Global warming, described as the greatest environmental challenge in the 21st century, is the increase in the average global air temperature near the surface of the Earth, caused by the gases that trap heat in the atmosphere called greenhouse gases (GHGs). These gases are emitted to the atmosphere mostly as a result of human activities, and can lead to global climate change. The economic losses arising from climate change presently valued at $125 billion annually, has been projected to increase to $600 billion per year by 2030, unless critical measures are taken to reduce the spate of GHG emissions. Globally, the power generation sector is responsible for the largest share of GHG emissions today. The reason for this is that most power plants worldwide still feed on fossil fuels, mostly coal and consequently produce the largest amount of CO₂ emitted into the atmosphere. Mitigating CO₂ emissions in the power industry therefore, would significantly contribute to the global efforts to control GHGs. This paper gives a brief overview of GHGs, discusses the factors that aid global warming, and examines the expected devastating effects of this fundamental global threat on the entire planet. The study further identifies the key areas to mitigate global warming with a particular focus on the electric power industry.     

History and current status of the motor vehicle energy labeling and its implementation possibilities in Malaysia

The road transport and particularly the passenger cars are responsible for increasing the share of transport energy consumption and harmful emissions level growth. The fuel economy label is an informative tool to influence customers and manufacturers to put special care to the energy efficiency issue. The implementation of fuel economy label for motor vehicles in Malaysia will prevent the up going trend of petroleum consumption which will be beneficial to consumer and society. As a consequence, the harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are the main causes of the global warming and air pollution will be reduced. Studies in developed countries show that implementing the fuel economy label is beneficial for society, government and the environment. This paper focused on a review of international experiences on fuel economy label. It also attempts to discuss about the energy savings possibilities that lead to reduce GHG emissions by implementing the program. The last but not least recommendation is the fact that the sooner the fuel economy label applies for the passenger cars in Malaysia will be more beneficial for the country.     

American policy conflict in the greenhouse: Divergent trends in federal,regional, state,and local green energy and climate change policy

Climate change threatens significant impacts on global ecosystems and human populations. To address this challenge, industrialized nations have ratified the Kyoto Protocol and undertaken commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, the primary agents linked to anthropogenic alteration of earth's climate. By contrast, the US government, led by the Bush Administration, has rejected mandatory targets for curbing emissions under the Protocol, and has instead pursued voluntary mitigation measures amid a larger push for clean coal and “next generation” nuclear technologies. These actions in total have fueled global perceptions that the US is not acting in substantial ways to address climate change. Nevertheless, action within the US is indeed moving forward, with states, cities and regional partnerships filling the federal leadership vacuum. This paper reviews the diverse policies, strategies, and cooperative frameworks that have emerged at regional, state and local levels to guide climate protection, and identifies the environmental and economic benefits linked to such programs. The paper also attempts to explain the existing federal impasse on climate policy, with attention given to how sub-national efforts may ultimately obviate national governmental inaction.     

Croatia energy planning and Kyoto Protocol

Croatia as an Annex I country of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and a country that has pledged in the Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol to reduce its GHG emissions by 5% will have to envisage a new energy strategy. Compared to the energy consumption collapse in some transitional countries, Croatia has passed through a relatively short-term reduction of GHG emissions since 1990 because of higher energy efficiency of its pretransition economy. It is expected that in case of baseline scenario, it will breach the Kyoto target in 2003. Several scenarios of power generation are compared from the point of view of GHG emissions. The cost-effective scenario expects a mixture of coal and gas fired power plants to be built to satisfy the new demand and to replace the old power plants that are being decommissioned. More Kyoto friendly scenario envisages forcing the compliance with the Protocol with measures only in power generation sector by the construction of mainly zero emission generating capacity in the future, while decommissioning the old plants as planned, and is compared to the others from the GHG emissions point of view. The conclusion is that by measures tackling only power generation, it will not be possible to keep GHG emission under the Kyoto target level. The case of including the emissions from Croatian owned power plants in former Yugoslavia is also discussed.     

《京都议定书》动态评述

由于俄罗斯最终的批准,《京都议定书》将于2005年2月16日生效,标志着国际社会深化减缓气候变化行动的新时代的开始。但如何实施和实现《京都议定书》规定的减排目标,附件1缔约方面临不同的国情和挑战。其中欧盟的温室气体排放量在2008年至2012年间有望比1990年时的水平减少8.6％,完全有可能实现《京都议定书》目标。而日本和加拿大等国家将面临比较大的困难。《京都议定书》只是人类社会应对全球气候变化挑战的第一步。国际社会将不迟于2005年开始讨论2012年以后(即后京都)的气候政策问题。如何促使美国回到国际气候进程中来,以及促使发展中国家参与,将是谈判的重点。     

Clean development mechanism as a solution to the present world energy problems and a new world order: a review

One of the important responses of Kyoto Protocol towards mitigation of global warming is the clean development mechanism (CDM) that has garnered large emphasis amidst the global carbon market in terms of certified emission reduction (CER). CERs are the carbon credits issued by the CDM executive board for emission reductions achieved by CDM projects and verified by designated operational entity (DOE) under the rules of the Kyoto Protocol. While CDM aims to achieve sustainable development in energy production and consumption in developing countries, the results achieved through its implementation are still uncertain. More than 400 studies have been undertaken since 1997 on the CDM. Albeit, hitherto no compilations of key issues pertaining to the CDM and different points of views on its implementation and achievement have been attempted. This paper envisages to assess the contributions of the CDM towards sustainable development and its impact in various sectors.     

Analysis of PV/wind potential in the Canadian residential sector through high‐resolution building energy simulation

Rising fuel prices and global warming are two major issues that concern people today. In this paper, the effect that the integration of the hybrid photovoltaic (PV)/wind‐turbine generation can have on conservation of energy and reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) has been studied. Base‐case energy demands were calculated using building energy simulation software and then the residential buildings were equipped with the PV/wind‐turbine electricity generation devices. The results show that the integration of those equipments can reduce both cost of fuel and GHG emissions to a fair amount. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of Turkey's performance of greenhouse gas emissions and local/regional pollutants with EU countries

Turkey signed the Kyoto Protocol on February 17th, 2009. Therefore, to fulfill the liabilities of the Kyoto Protocol, she has to review her status and make strategic plans to hold the emissions at the levels specified in the protocol. For this purpose, in this study employing data envelopment analysis (DEA), Turkey's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and local/regional pollutants compared to the European Union (EU) countries have been put in place. Since the data on Malta and Cyprus was inadequate, these two nations were excluded from the evaluation. As a candidate for EU, Turkey is required to reduce the emissions by 8% until 2012 within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol.     

发达国家碳排放贸易政策对比分析

《京都议定书》第17条规定附件1国家之间可以通过排放贸易帮助其实现温室气体量化减排承诺。欧盟、新西兰、澳大利亚等附件1国家还在区域、国家和地方层面制定和实施了排放贸易政策,通过设定温室气体排放配额,并允许国家、企业和个人交易这些配额来达到成本有效地控制温室气体排放的目的。但各国的排放贸易政策存在很大差别,从政策制定过程、政策的性质、排放目标的设定、排放配额的分配、排放量的测量报告和核查以及市场运行方面都存在明显的国家或区域特征,本文旨在挖掘和分析这些特征,建立对发达国家实施排放贸易这一市场手段的更深入的理解。