A range of studies on nationally determined contributions (NDC) of parties to the Paris Agreement disclose, that temperature objectives of the Paris Agreement are not in reach if current NDCs are implemented. A new study, commissioned by German Environment Agency, compares pre2015 and latest levelized cost projections and shows, that certain key mitigation technologies, i.e. power generation from renewables and lithium batteries, will become substantially cheaper by 2025/2030 since the preparation of NDCs. Thus, parties to the Paris Agreement are now in the position to review and strengthen their NDCs by 2020 during the Talanoa Dialog. Quelle: www.umweltbundesamt.de
This study presents the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential of municipal solid waste (MSW) management in OECD countries as well as India and Egypt. Three detailed GHG balances for the USA, India, Egypt and one balance for the OECD countries are elaborated applying the life cycle assessment (LCA) method according to ISO 14040/14044 for waste management. For each balance the respective status quo is determined and compared with two scenarios to 2030. The methodology as well as the underlying data and assumptions were profoundly discussed at workshops with LCA experts and local stakeholders. A GHG calculation approach was developed, which uses harmonised emission factors to credit avoided emissions from material recycling. With regard to the status quo, the net results for the OECD countries, the USA, India and Egypt show that methane emissions from landfilling are the main contributor to the GHG burdens. Only OECD countries with little or no landfill of (organic) waste achieve a net credit (e.g. Japan). These credits are the more evident the higher recycling rates are and the more efficient energy recovery is. The findings of this study were presented in May 2014 at the environmental fair IFAT in Munich.