Low Emissions Development as instrument against poverty and climate change : A case study on the electricity sector of Ghana
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2010-08
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en
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Abstract
Poverty and climate change are two of the biggest challenges for humankind in the twenty-first
century. Developing countries suffer by far the most of these two problems. One way to deal with
these problems is via so called Low Emissions Development (LED). This is a policy instrument which
can assist developing countries to set a LED strategy for both development and climate change
mitigation actions. Therefore LED is both a policy instrument and a policy strategy.
This thesis looks into LED and finds out whether the Dutch government can use this instrument to
support the electricity sector of Ghana. The first part of this thesis deals with the question what Low
Emissions Development actually means. One very important difference that has to be made is to
separate whether one talks about LED for developed countries or LED for developing countries,
because the goals of these two kinds of LED are very different.
There are five main elements of a LED strategy that can be distinguished: (1) long and short term
vision, 2) analyses of greenhouse gas emissions and a reference of a global target, (3) assessment of
the additional technology, capacity and costs, (4) National Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) &
National Actions Plans on Climate Change and (5) monitoring of the results. All these five elements
need be part of a LED strategy in order to ensure that it is successful.
The second element, a reference to a global target, is very important to ensure that mitigation
actions within a LED strategy will contribute to the goal of keeping earth temperature increase below
two degrees Celsius. This thesis focuses on this target and sets criteria for both development (relative
strong economic growth) and low emissions (a target in 2050 which is the first step towards longterm
stabilisation of carbon dioxide concentration). With these criteria it can also be determined
whether a country has followed a LED path in the past or will follow one in the near future.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen