Co-benefits Approach

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On November 5, 2009, the Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC), in joint sponsorship with the Ministry of the Environment, held the “Quantitative Assessment of Co-Benefits: Addressing Mitigation Actions and Local Benefits” side event at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s 9th session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex 1 Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP9) and 7th session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA7).

At this side event, the Ministry of the Environment, Japan reported their activities on co-benefits approach and also introduced quantitative assessment manual (version 1.0), which are concerned with the co-benefits approach and the accompanying climate change measures and development benefits, were introduced. The Ministry shared information about its actual experiences with activities based on the co-benefits approach and the future challenges it faces, and along with acknowledging the importance of the co-benefits approach concept and quantitative assessment, participants showed a lot of interests in the progress of the Ministry’s future activities.

• Taka Hiraishi, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)

• Ayako Suzuki, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
• Yoshihiro Mizuno, Pacific Consultants Co., Ltd.
• Makoto Kato, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC)

• Opening Remarks (Masaru Moriya, Ministry of the Environment, Japan)
• Chair’s Guidance (Taka Hiraishi, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies -IGES-)
• Activities for Promoting the Co-benefits Approach (Ayako Suzuki, Ministry of the Environment, Japan)
• “Manual for Quantitative Evaluation of the Co-benefits Approach to Climate Change (Version 1.0)” (Yoshihiro Mizuno, Pacific Consultants Co., Ltd.)
• Application of the Manual and Evaluating GHG reduction and Other Benefits at Project, Programme and Planning-levels (Makoto Kato, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC))
• Question and Answer Session

• Chair’s Guidance
  Takahiko Hiraishi, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) Presentation(PDF)
• Activities for Promoting the Co-benefits Approach
  Ayako Suzuki, Ministry of the Environment, Japan Presentation(PDF)

  Within the field of environmental pollutant control, co-benefits climate change actions and the clean development mechanism (CDM) aim to realize projects and measures that simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve the environments (reduction of environmental contaminants) of developing countries as a developmental need.

  Concerning the co-benefits approach which promotes initiatives contributing to both climate change and environmental pollution measures, the Ministry of the Environment, Japan is implementing tangible support measures which include: 1) co-benefits CDM model projects (subsidized projects), 2) the development of a quantified co-benefits evaluation methods and 3) bilateral co-benefits cooperation activities.

  Subsidized projects which were started in 2008 currently exist in the co-benefit CDM model projects category (1). As the result of a selection process based on co-benefits evaluation standards, in fiscal 2008 it was decided to support model projects in Malaysia and Thailand.

  In the area of bilateral cooperation (3), bilateral cooperative intent agreements for promoting the co-benefit approach were concluded in December of 2007 with the Indonesian Ministry of the Environment and the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection. And as a result of cooperative discussions the cities of Banjarmasin and Palembang in Indonesia and the city of Panzhuihua, Shichuan Province, China were chosen as model cities.

  Going forward, the Ministry, together with improving upon co-benefits quantitative evaluation tools, will continue to aim for the realization of tangible co-benefits climate change mitigation activities including CDM projects.

• Introduction of the “Manual for Quantitative Evaluation of the Co-benefits Approach to Climate Change (Version 1.0)”
  Yoshihiro Mizuno, Pacific Consultants Co., Ltd. Presentation(PDF)

  The manual is intended to encourage the promotion of co-benefits climate change actions and CDM projects by introducing a simple quantitative evaluation process. As categories for co-benefits climate change actions and CDM projects, the manual focuses on three: “water quality improvement”, “air quality improvement”, and “waste management”. And the manual provides an evaluation process and calculation formulas, and actual examples of calculations, in order to promote and support GHG reduction measures (mitigation) which contribute to environmental improvement at the same time.

  The process for implementing the co-benefit quantitative evaluation is 1) select a category to be evaluated (water quality, air quality, waste), 2) select one or several appropriate evaluation indicator, 3) select the evaluation level (Tier1, 2 or 3) and, 4) conduct the calculation in order to evaluate.

  Evaluation indicators for the three environmental pollution counter-measure categories include; for water quality improvements: chemical oxygen demand (COD), odors, and CO2; for air quality improvements: sulfur oxide (Sox), nitrogen oxide (NOx), soot and dust, and CO2; and for waste management: the establishment of waste management infrastructure systems, and the implementation of sound waste management. Using the selected indicator, calculations are carried out according to the selected evaluation level (Tiers 1 to 3). Tier 1 is the easiest level to implement because evaluations are carried out based on existing established quantitative evaluation standards in cases when quantitative evaluations cannot be done because it is difficult to obtain data or establish the necessary formula for effective calculations. Therefore it can be said that when Tier 1 is utilized it is a qualitative assessment.

  Going forward the manual will be revised with among other things the list of evaluation indicators being expanded and a means for converting the evaluation results into monetary values being developed. Additionally, the revised manual will reflect actual co-benefits calculations made by applying the manual to the co-benefits CDM model projects which the Ministry of the Environment, Japan has provided subsidies.

• Application of the Manual and Evaluating GHG reduction and Other Benefits at Project, Programme and Planning-levels
  Makoto Kato, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center (OECC) Presentation(PDF)

  The reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) is recognized as a major benefit of CDM projects, and quantitative assessments of GHG reduction effect (mitigation effect) achieved through the implementation of CDM projects are strictly monitored and carried out. Though environmental improvement outcomes and related benefits can be considered co-benefits of CDM projects, their quantitative assessment is not required under the current CDM scheme.

  Conversely, even when the key benefit is within a development activity (for example environmental management and stable supply of energy), though GHG reduction effect are achieved, quantitative assessments as to the level of reduction are generally not carried out.

  In formatting and implementing nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) for developing countries, while adjusting for each country’s existing development plan, it is important to reflect mitigation effects as co-benefits in existing or future development strategies/plans based on the conditions in each developing country. The quantitative assessment manual will help ensure the MRV (measurable, reportable and verifiable) noted in the Bali Action Plan.

  At the Copenhagen Talks in December, 2009, the Ministry of the Environment, Japan and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, China will organize joint side event present the results of joint study being conducted as a part of their bilateral co-benefits cooperation. This joint study is attempting a quantitative assessment of GHG reductions achieved through the implementation of city-level environmental pollutant control plan. The main purpose of the environmental pollutant control plan is to reduce pollutant (environmental improvement) and estimate GHG reduction effect (mitigation effect) as ancillary benefits. The quantitative assessment results will serve as useful information for the formulation and implementation of future strategies/plans.