Ausweitung der Mittel zur Bekämpfung des Klimawandels durch inländische Offset-Projekte

In diesem Bericht umreißt die französische Finanzinstitution Caisse des Dépôts die Vorteile inländischer Offset-Projekte, u.a. Kleinkredite für Verkehr, Wohnungswesen und Agrarprojekte, für den europäischen Emissionshandelsmarkt.

In a new report, the Climate Task Force of Caisse des Dépôts says domestic projects such as those developed by Canada, New-Zealand, Australia and the United States could be an efficient way of tackling emissions from sensitive sectors such as housing, transport and agriculture where emission are diffuse. 

Caisse des Dépôts says so-called ‚domestic offset projects‘ already provide these countries and sectors with a „pricing signal for carbon“ and help „decarbonise the economy while reducing the overall cost of emissions reductions.“ 

„In France, the European CO2 emissions trading scheme, which applies to leading industrial and power-producing emitters, covers less than 30% of the country’s total emissions. The remaining 70% are not subject to any incentive through carbon pricing, and it is these emissions that are increasing most rapidly,“ the report says. 

The report argues that similar domestic offset projects, if provided with a dedicated fund, could be applicable to European countries as well. The state would distribute loans and subsidies for smaller-scale projects in agriculture, building or transport that cannot be integrated into the much larger EU-ETS. In France, Caisse des Dépôts says it could be implemented as early as 2006. Possible beneficiaries in the agriculture sector for instance could include farming co-operatives and other farmer groups as well as large industrial food groups. 

Caisse des Dépôts argues that „if this system were tied to the European emissions trading market, it would increase the market’s liquidity by contributing new assets.“

Four options are possible for project-related emissions reductions, according to Caisse des Dépôts: 

• the sale by the State of a portion of its Kyoto allowances (Assigned Amount Units, or AAUs), possibly as from 2008, 

• the use of European allowances based on the EU-ETS (but that would need a revision of the EU-ETS) 

• the supply of Kyoto credits purchased by the State in the international market, 

• the establishment of reciprocal agreements with European partners to enter into the framework of Kyoto projects 

Download the full report  [in French] and executive summary [FR] [EN] 

See also related study on domestic offset projects around the world [FR] [EN]