Direct and Indirect Human Contributions to Terrestrial Carbon Fluxes A Workshop Summary (2004) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
2 Policy Perspective
2 Policy Perspective
Pages 11-18
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 11... ...
This chapter summarizes workshop discussions on the policy context for the science of direct and indirect human contributions to terrestrial carbon fluxes. TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS, CARBON STOCKS, AND INTERNATIONAL ACTION At the workshop, Bob Watson, chief scientist at the World Bank, described terrestrial carbon stocks and the activities of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
|
From page 12... ...
serving as the meeting of the Parties to this Protocol shall, at its first session or as soon as practicable thereafter, decide upon modalities, rules and guidelines as to how, and which, additional human-induced activities related to changes in greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removals by sinks in the agricultural soils and the land use change and forestry categories shall be added to, or subtracted from, the assigned amounts for Parties included in Annex I, taking into account uncertainties, transparency in reporting, verifiability, the methodological work of the IPCC, the advice provided by the SBSTA [Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical Advice] in accordance with Article 5 and the decisions of the COP.
|
From page 13... ...
The proper management of carbon sinks can deliver enormous atmospheric and social benefits; however, the inclusion of carbon sinks in greenhouse gas accounting creates significant and currently unresolved challenges. For example, year-toyear natural global carbon uptake varies by as much as 2 Pg C/yr, and fluctuations from natural causes such as El Niño can be large compared to the yearly commitments specified in the Kyoto Protocol.
|
From page 14... ...
Watson commented that there is some debate as to whether the pre-1989 human-induced terrestrial uptake can be factored out with existing scientific capabilities and, if not, whether simple discounting can be fairly applied. He also noted that comprehensive accounting has problems due to the natural variability in carbon fluxes from year to year, but this variability might be addressed by using longer accounting periods, a carbon credit to "banking" system across commitment periods, or continental-scale reporting units to spread out the spatial variability.
|
From page 15... ...
Third, inventories can improve our understanding of global greenhouse gas budgets, helping to determine whether all the sources have been included. Kruger stated that national greenhouse gas inventories provide average annual point estimates for the six greenhouse gases covered by the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol (CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorochemicals, and sulfur hexafluoride)
|
From page 16... ...
The first part is an extensive set of data tables, including the input data used for the estimates; the second part is the national inventory report, which describes how the estimates were developed and provides documentation and reference material. Under the Kyoto protocol, the parties provide the greenhouse gas inventory, as defined by the UNFCCC, along with supplemental information required for the Kyoto Protocol.
|
From page 17... ...
Climate Change Science Program related to carbon budgets and quantifying specific processes. He noted that the Bush administration had just released the strategic plan for the science program, which consists of a near-term climate change research initiative, includes the carbon cycle as one of its major elements, and proposes longer-term fundamental and applied research.
|
From page 18... ...
The administration wants to know the implications for emissions inventories in the context of the voluntary emissions program being pursued. Hannegan said he hoped the workshop could inform policy makers as they grapple with the mechanics of accounting and try to identify specific practices and expected outcomes, so that people are accurately rewarded for sequestering carbon and engaging in practices that will lead to sequestration.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.