Browsing by Subject "CDM"
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(2014)Purpose of this thesis is to estimate the carbon sequestration potential in eucalyptus plantations in Uruguay. This study also aims to show how beneficial these plantations are for carbon sinks. The aim of this research is calculate total carbon balance in eucalyptus plantations and compare the results to degraded lands. This study is first-of-its-kind study in Uruguay, but not unique globally. The objective was to use a modeling approach to formulate the results. The methodology of this study is based to the dynamic growth model (CO2fix V3.1). Model is developed to calculate and estimate forest carbon fluxes and stocks. In this study the model was utilized for estimating how much carbon is sequestered in eucalyptus plantations and soils. In this thesis the model was used to simulate eucalyptus forest plantations that stem from numerous studies and different data. Ad hoc Excel model was generated to form calculated results from the simulated data. A separate sensitivity analysis is also formulated to reveal a possible different outcome. The framework is based on a stand-level inventory data of forestry plantations provided by the Ministry of Uruguay (MGAP) and companies. Also multiple scientific reports and previous studies were used as guidelines for simulations and results. The forest stand, yield, soil and weather data used for this study are from three different departments. There are over 700 000 hectares of different species of eucalyptus plantations in Uruguay. The theoretical framework was tested computationally with eleven simulations. CO2fix was parameterized for fast-growing eucalyptus species used in different parts of Uruguay. The model gave outputs per hectare and then this result was scaled up to the national level. This study will also estimate how much grassland (Pampa) and former pasture land could sequester carbon. Situation prior to plantation is a baseline scenario and it is compared to the expected carbon sequestration of plantations. The model is also used to calculate the effect of changing rotation length on carbon stocks of forest ecosystem (forest vegetation and soil) and wood products. The results of this study show that currently the 707,674 hectares of eucalyptus plantations in Uruguay have the potential to sequester 65 million tonnes of carbon and reduce 238 million tonnes of CO2. The calculated carbon storage is 38 and simulated 25 million tonnes of C, products are deducted from the equation. During 22 years (1990–2012) the annual carbon sequestration benefit (afforestation-baseline) without products is 1 757 847 Mg C. The results suggest that it is reasonable to establish eucalyptus plantations on degraded, grassland (Pampa) and abandoned pasture land. The implications of the results are that eucalyptus plantations in Uruguay actually enhance carbon sequestration, are carbon sinks and store more carbon than grassland and abandoned pasture land. Plantations have a vast sequestration potential and are important in mitigating of CO2 emission and effects of the climate change. The findings endorse the significance of plantations to increase carbon sinks and this role will broaden in the future. The most relevant findings of this study are that afforestation increases the soil carbon in 10-year rotation plantations by 34% (101.1>75.6) and in 12-year rotation 38% (104.4>75.6 Mg Cha-1) in a 60-year simulation. The net (afforestation-baseline) average carbon stock benefit in the soil is 25.5 Mg C ha?1 in a 60-year simulation. The (CO2Fix) model indicate that the total average carbon sequestration for eucalyptus plantations is 92.3 Mg Cha?1. The average total carbon storage ranges from 25.8–138.5 Mg Cha?1 during a 60-year simulation. The simulations show that the net annual carbon storage in the living biomass is 29.1, 25.5 (soil) and 37.6 Mg C (products) on the average scenario. There is some fluctuation in the sequestration results in other 10 simulations. Previous studies have showed that the average carbon stock for eucalyptus plantations varies from 30–60 Mg C ha-1, when soil and products are deducted. The capacity of forest ecosystems to sequester carbon in the long run could be even more strengthened if a rotation length increases. Extending rotation from 10 to 12 years increased the average soil carbon stock from 25.5 to 28.8 Mg C (by 13%) in 60 year simulation. The results also indicate that mean annual precipitation (MAP) alters the carbon sinks of the forest ecosystem. There are some limitations in this study and they are clearly explained and analyzed. Hence, most of the results are estimations. Ministry and companies need to prolong planting of trees and even intensify annual programs in order to achieve carbon sequestration targets. Further research is needed to get an estimate of the total forest ecosystem carbon storages and fluxes.
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(2013)This thesis studies market demand and supply in the voluntary forest carbon markets. The first section focuses on demand and provides an overview about the market mechanisms, buyer’s reasons to buy credits, and current demand in the markets. Supply will be studied with supply-chain approach. Supply-chain is a system moving a product or service from supplier to customer. The supply-chain section is divided into three parts. The first part finds out whether or not forests have the ability to sequester carbon and what kind of forest projects there has been. It also introduces the processes in which forest carbon credits are issued. The second part focuses on certification and verification schemes. Third part presents market places and the actors involved in carbon credit trading. Carbon markets will be evaluated on foreign and domestic basis. The aim of this thesis is to find out how well the voluntary carbon markets meet the conditions of perfect competition. The theory is based on the theory of competitive market structure and the price mechanism, where demand equals supply at the equilibrium price and quantity. The equilibrium should be found automatically within a perfectly competitive market when buyers and sellers interact. The empirical part of the study examines carbon credit issuance, project processes, certification and markets. The research questions are: 1. Do markets have infinite buyers and sellers? 2. Are products homogenous? 3. Do consumers and producers have perfect knowledge of price, utility, quality and production methods? 4. Is it easy to enter or exit the markets? The thesis is based on literature. Standards, marketplaces, and projects that were selected to the study were chosen according to the popularity based on market volume or forest-related characters. The research approach is qualitative. The collected data was analysed using content analysis. Economics and market theory form the theoretical basis of the analysis. Classification of the data is based on the theoretical framework. According to the theories a loose framework was formed to allow data reduction. Framework divides demand and supply-chain into separate parts. Research question number one is examined using a demand section. Research questions numbers 2-4 are examined using supply-chain sections. The study resulted in a conclusion that voluntary forest markets do not meet the conditions of perfect competition. Voluntary forest carbon markets are not perfectly competitive. Instead markets are uncompetitive where commodities are heterogeneous. There is only limited amount of forest projects and forestry based credits. Unit price is set to match the cost, in which case it is not determined by the market. Price-setting is possible because it is possible to differentiate projects. Imperfect competition in the market remains for mobility obstacles between markets have been set. Credit certified under certain standard, are not generally acceptable to another standard. The study results support the findings of studies conducted in the past.
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(2013)The objective of the study is to identify and analyse factors affecting the time from project submission to validation and project registration (lead time) of projects in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) pipeline. The hypothesis was that since projects have been implemented in China for the longest time and most projects have been in China, the process times would be shortest there. The first two phases of the CDM cycle, i.e. validation and registration, are considered. These are the most crucial stages for a CDM project, since a project will not start generating Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs) before it has been registered. The data used for the study is based on the CDM database collected by UNEP Risoe, which is gathered from the information found at the UNFCCC website. The cut-off date for projects considered in the thesis is the end of April 2010. Four factors influencing the lead times, that can be separated from the data, are considered in the thesis: 1) the validator of the project, 2) the queue in the pipeline at the time the project is submitted, 3) the type of a project and 4) in which region the project is implemented. Two methods were used in the thesis: an empirical study was conducted to assess the effects of the validator, project types, and regions on the lead times; and the effect of the queues in the process phases where analysed with regression analysis. The results show that the processing times in fact are much longer in general than they should be according to the rules and procedures of the CDM, which assign approximately 30 days for each phase. The study shows that queues have indeed had an effect on the lead times of the CDM. The results confirm the hypothesis: the longer the queue, the longer the lead time. The countries where most CDM projects have been developed, mainly China, India and Brazil, do surprisingly not have the shortest lead times. The lead times in China are the longest of all regions, even if only the projects entering the pipeline after 2007 are considered. It seems that other factors weigh more heavily in China’s favor for project implementation. It might be that since CDM projects have been implemented there for the longest time, the project developers are familiar with the process in China and prefer it for that reason.
Now showing items 1-3 of 3