Climate Change--

Audit of measures to combat

Climate Change

Nameeta Prasad,

Director (Training and Research)

iCED

Climate change

• According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

– “Climate change refers to a change in the state of the climate that can

be identified by changes that persists for an extended period, usually

decades or longer”.

– IPCC 2014: evidence of impacts of climate change

• The UN Development Programme (UNDP)

– climate change the greatest global challenge of this century, as

increased exposure to droughts, floods and storms is already limiting

opportunities and reinforcing inequality

• Climate change is a natural process, but it is the recent rapid

changes induced by human activity that have made the issue

important

Impact of climate change: global

perspective

• Ecosystems

– Approximately 20 to 30% of plant and animal species assessed so far likely to be at increased risk of extinction if increases in global average temperature exceed 1.5 to 2.5°C

• Food

– Crop productivity projected to increase slightly at mid to high latitudes for local mean temperature increases of up to 1 to 3°C depending on the crop, and then decrease beyond that in some regions

– At lower latitudes, especially in seasonally dry and tropical regions, crop productivity is projected to decrease for even small local temperature increases (1 to 2°C),

• increase the risk of hunger

Impact of climate change

• Coasts

– floods due to sea level rise

• The numbers affected will be largest in the densely populated and

low-lying megadeltas of Asia and Africa while small islands are

especially vulnerable

• Health

– Increase in malnutrition

– increased deaths, diseases and injury due to extreme

weather events

– increased burden of diarrhoeal diseases

Impact of climate change

• Water

– exacerbate current stresses on water resources from

population growth and land-use change

– Widespread mass losses from glaciers and reductions in snow

cover over recent decades projected to accelerate throughout

the 21st century, reducing water availability, hydropower

potential, and changing seasonality of flows in regions supplied

by meltwater from major mountain ranges (e.g. Hindu-Kush,

Himalaya, Andes)

– Changes in precipitation and temperature lead to changes in

runoff and water availability

Impact of climate change

• Extreme events

– Altered frequencies and intensities of extreme weather,

together with sea level rise, are expected to have mostly

adverse effects on natural and human systems like

• Warm spells/heat waves,

• Heavy precipitation events

• Area affected by drought increases

• Intense tropical cyclone activity increases

Government response

to climate change

Action to combat climate change

• The terms “adaptation” and “mitigation” are two important terms that

are fundamental in the climate change debate.

– While mitigation tackles the causes of climate change, adaptation tackles

the effects of the phenomenon.

• Climate mitigation is any action taken to permanently eliminate or

reduce the long-term risk and hazards of climate change to human life,

property.

• Climate adaptation refers to the ability of a system to adjust to climate

change (including climate variability and extremes) to moderate

potential damage, to take advantage of opportunities, or to cope with

the consequences.

Government response through Mitigation

• Mitigation in relation to climate change is

– reducing Greenhouse gas emissions nationally or globally

– enhancing removal by sinks which take up carbon, such as

trees

– remove carbon from the atmosphere in other ways.

Key Issues:

– Commitments and targets for reduction of emissions

– Agencies involved (departments like MoEF, power,

Transportation, urban development etc )

– policy instruments for meeting emission targets

Mitigation strategies

Sector Key mitigation technologies and practices currently commercially available

Key mitigation technologies and practices projected to be commercialized before 2030

Energy sector

Improved supply and distribution efficiency; fuel switching from coal to gas; nuclear power; renewable heat and power (hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal and bioenergy); combined heat and power; early applications of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

CCS for gas, biomass and coal-fired electricity generating facilities; advanced nuclear power; advanced renewable energy, including tidal and waves energy, concentrating solar and solar PV.

Transport sector

More fuel efficient vehicles; hybrid vehicles; leaner diesel vehicles; biofuels; modal shifts from road transport to rail and public transport systems; non-motorised transport (cycling, walking); land-use and transport planning.

Second generation biofuels; higher efficiency aircraft; advanced electric and hybrid vehicles with more powerful and reliable batteries.

Buildings Efficient lighting and daylighting; more efficient electrical appliances and heating and cooling devices; improved cook stoves, improved insulation ; passive and active solar design for heating and cooling; alternative refrigeration fluids, recovery and recycle of fluorinated gases.

Integrated design of commercial buildings including technologies, such as intelligent meters that provide feedback and control; solar PV integrated in buildings.

Industry More efficient end-use electrical equipment; heat and power recovery; material recycling and substitution; control of non- CO2 gas emissions; and a wide array of process-specific technologies.

Advanced energy efficiency; CCS for cement, ammonia, and iron manufacture; inert electrodes for aluminium manufacture.

Mitigation strategies

Sector Key mitigation technologies and practices currently commercially available

Key mitigation technologies and practices projected to be commercialized before 2030

Agriculture Improved crop and grazing land management to increase soil carbon storage; restoration of cultivated peaty soils and degraded lands; improved rice cultivation techniques and livestock and manure management to reduce CH4 emissions; improved nitrogen fertilizer application techniques to reduce N2O emissions; dedicated energy crops to replace fossil fuel use; improved energy efficiency.

Improvements of crops yields.

Forestry/ forests

Afforestation; reforestation; forest management; reduced deforestation; harvested wood product management; use of forestry products for bioenergy to replace fossil fuel use

Tree species improvement to increase biomass productivity and carbon sequestration. Improved remote sensing technologies for analysis of vegetation/ soil carbon sequestration potential and mapping land use change.

Waste management

Landfill methane recovery; waste incineration with energy recovery; composting of organic waste; controlled waste water treatment; recycling and waste minimization.

Biocovers and biofilters to optimize CH4 oxidation.

Government response through

adaptation

Climate Change adaptation refers to an adjustment of

human or natural systems in response to actual or

expected climate stimuli or their effects

• Key Issues

– Objectives and targets of adaptation policies (no public

commitments)

– Policy instruments for adaptation

– Public players and their roles and responsibilities

Adaptation strategies

• Key strategies outlined by UNFCCC

– long-term strategies to strengthen response capacities and

preparedness including disaster preparedness

– Examples of adaptation measures include

• using scarce water resources more efficiently

• adapting building codes to future climate conditions and extreme weather events

• building flood defences and raising the levels of dykes

• developing drought-tolerant crops

• choosing tree species and forestry practices less vulnerable to storms and fires

• setting aside land corridors to help species migrate

Audit of governments efforts to

combat climate change

Audit criteria

1. International agreements: UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol

– UNFCCC is the main global response to the challenge of climate change

– UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol spell out a number of commitments for

Parties, and it is thus where we must start looking for audit criteria

– Annex I Parties are those countries that were members of the Organisation for

Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1992, and a number of

countries defined as economies in transition (EITs).

– Annex II Parties are a sub-group of the Annex I countries. They include the

members of the OECD, but not the EITs.

– Non-Annex I Parties are all other countries which are party to the UNFCCC.

They also include the least developed countries and other countries especially

vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.

Audit criteria

• Annex 1 and Annex 2 countries

– The emission targets established by the Kyoto Protocol are

binding on all Annex I Parties which have ratified the Protocol.

These would have:

• Mitigation commitments

• Monitoring and reporting commitments for mitigation

• Adaptation Commitments

• Commitments on technology, funding and research

• Non Annex countries:

– These countries are encouraged to reduce GHG emissions, to

cooperate on research and technology and to protect sinks,

but are not bound by other obligations like the Annex I and II

countries.

• This category currently includes 153 countries including India

Audit criteria

2. National policies, plans and strategies

– India’s National Action plan on Climate change

• The plan identifies eight core “national missions” running through 2017 and directs

ministries to submit detailed implementation plans to the Prime Minister’s Council on

Climate Change by December 2008.

• National Solar Mission

• National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency

• National Mission on Sustainable Habitat

• National Water Mission

• National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem

• National Mission for a “Green India

• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture

• National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change

– State level plans: West Bengal, Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra

Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Orissa etc.,

Planning audit of mitigation efforts of

government (INTOSAI Guidelines)

Step 1

• Identify the emissions

Step 2

Map the government’s response in mitigating

climate change

Step 3: Choose

audit topics and

priorities

Step 4: Design

the audit

Step 1: Identify the emissions

• What are the overall trends and projections for GHG

emissions?

– 6 GHGs

• carbon-dioxide (CO2)

• methane (CH4)

• nitrous oxide (N2O)

• hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

• perfluorocarbons (PFCs)

• sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)

Step 1: Identify the emissions

main sources of GHG emissions

• What are the main sources of GHG emissions?

Step 2: Map the government’s response in

mitigating climate change

1. What are the international and national mitigation

commitments?

2. Which are the relevant responsible public bodies and

what are their roles and responsibilities?

3. What are the key policy instruments for reducing GHG

emissions?

1. Mitigation: Commitments/targets

• What are the objectives and targets for mitigation made by

government?

– International commitments

• United Nations Convention of Climate Change (1992)

• Kyoto Protocol under the UNFCCC (1997)

• The Gotenburg Protocol (1999) controls the emissions of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx)

– National targets

• Overall goals and strategies

• Emission reduction targets in sectors

– Regional agreements

– National and sectoral goals

• Low carbon economy

• Greening India

• National Action plan on Climate Change

2. Mitigation: Responsible players

• Who are the responsible players?- Usually, there is a ministry responsible for coordinating climate

policies

- Also public agencies responsible for monitoring GHG emissions

as well as other climate related activities

- However, as mitigation is a cross-sectoral challenge goals and

responsibilities are often related to ministries responsible for

emission sectors

25

Example of

governmental

player map

26

Ministry of Environment

Government

Sector Ministries

Public agency for climate and environment

Ministry of Finance

3. Mitigation: Policy instruments

• What are the policy instruments for mitigation?

- International policy instruments

- National economic policy tools

- The polluter pays principle

- Tax levied on activities creating GHG emissions

- Tradable permits

- Subsidies and grants promoting reduction activities

3. Mitigation: Policy instruments

- Legislative instruments

- Cross-sectoral vs. sector-specific instruments

- Technology development, deployment and transfer

– Legislative and other administrative instruments

- regulations instructing emission levels, technology standards and

abatement technology to minimise emissions

- standards for, e.g. energy efficiency and requirements for

buildings

Step 3: Choose audit topics and priorities

• Are targets and objectives being achieved?

• Are there risks related to the use of policy instruments?

– Economic benefits vs. environment benefits

– offsets

• Is the government doing things in the right way?

– Compliance to programs/guidances

– Coordination with multifaceted agencies

• Will the government meet its emissions targets or commitments?

• Are policy instruments effective?

• Is the governance of the climate change response efficient?

Step 4: Design the audit

• Compliance audit

• Performance audit

– Audit objectives

– Scope

• Setting Criteria

Audits of government’s efforts at

mitigation

• The SAI of Brazil: Performance Audit to assess public

policies regarding Legal Amazon forest region, considering

mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions

• The SAI of Canada: Reducing GHGs emitted during energy

production and consumption

• The SAI of the Netherlands: The European Trading Scheme

and its implementation in the Netherlands

• The SAI of Canada: Managing the Federal Approach to

Climate Change

• The SAI of Ukraine: Performance audit to assess the

implementation by Ukraine of the Kyoto Protocol

commitments

Planning audit of adaptation efforts of

government

Step 1

Get an overview of

the country’s vulnerability

to climate change

Step 2:

Map the government’s response in adapting to climate change

Step 3: Choose

audit topics and

priorities

Step 4: Design

the audit

Step 1: Get an overview of the country’s

vulnerability to climate change

• What are the actual and potential impacts of climate

change?

– Flooding due to sea rise

– Extreme events

– Water stress

– Effects on agriculture

– Health impacts

Step 1: Get an overview of the country’s

vulnerability to climate change

• What is the adaptive capacity?

– Ability or potential of a system to respond successfully to

climate variability and change

• It includes adjustments in behaviour, resources and technologies

– Depends on availability of resources, awareness, education,

income, health standards

• What is the vulnerability to climate change?

– Vulnerability to climate change depends on the actual and

potential impacts and adaptive capacity

– Dependent on the geographical, social and sector context

Step 2: Map the government’s response

in adapting to climate change

• What are the objectives and targets of adaptation

policies?

• What are the policy instruments for adaptation?

• Who are the public players and what are their roles and

responsibilities?

Adaptation: objectives and targets

• What are the objectives and targets of adaptation

policies?

– International commitments

– Regional agreements

– National policies

Adaptation: objectives and targets

• International commitments

– UNFCCC

• Not time bound or country specific

• Commitments:

– Formulate and implement programmes including adaptation

measures

– develop and elaborate appropriate and integrated plans for coastal

zone management, water resources and agriculture, and for the

protection and rehabilitation of areas affected by drought and

desertification, as well as floods

– Take climate change considerations into considerations when

planning and use appropriate methods such as impact assessments

to minimize adverse effects

– Developed countries shall assist developing countries

– Cooperation, e.g. on scientific research

– Transfer of technology

Adaptation: objectives and targets

• National policies

– Overall: legislative framework

– Facilitating adaptation:

• Reducing vulnerability of people and infrastructure

• Providing infromation on threats

• Protecting public goods (habitats, species, resources)

Adaptation: responsible players

• Who are the players and what are their responsibilities?

– Ministries

• Overall responsibility

• Sector responsibility

– Regional and local levels of government

– Other players involved: private sector, research community,

citizens

Step 3: Choose audit topics and

priorities

• Has the government assessed the key vulnerabilities in a proper manner?

• Has the government addressed the need for climate change action in the most vulnerable sectors and areas

• Have the responsible ministries identified the climate change-related threats?

– Agriculture

– Disaster management

– Water resources

• Does the government have in place an overarching policy, plan or strategy?

• Is the adaptation governance efficient?

Step 4: Design the audit

• Compliance audit

• Performance audit

– Audit objectives

– Scope

• Setting Criteria

Adaptation audits

• The SAI of United Kingdom: Adapting to Climate Change

• The SAI of Brazil: Performance audit to assess adaptation

measures towards agriculture and livestock sector

considering climate change scenarios

• The SAI of Canada: Managing Severe Weather Events –

Environment Canada (2008)

• The SAI of Tanzania: Floods in Babati – a performance

audit of the management of prevention and mitigation of

floods at central, regional and local levels of government

• The SAI of Canada: Adapting to the Impacts of Climate

Change