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Addressing carbon Offsetters’ Paradox: Lessons from Chinese wind CDM

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  • He, Gang
  • Morse, Richard

Abstract

The clean development mechanism (CDM) has been a leading international carbon market and a driving force for sustainable development. But the eruption of controversy over offsets from Chinese wind power in 2009 exposed cracks at the core of how carbon credits are verified in the developing economies. The Chinese wind controversy therefore has direct implications for the design and negotiation of any successor to the Kyoto Protocol or future market-based carbon regimes. In order for carbon markets to avoid controversy and function effectively, the lessons from the Chinese wind controversy should be used to implement key reforms in current and future carbon policy design. The paper examines the application of additionality in the Chinese wind power market and draws implications for the design of effective global carbon offset policy. It demonstrates the causes of the wind power controversy, highlights underlying structural flaws, in how additionality is applied in China, the Offsetters' Paradox, and charts a reform path that can strengthen the credibility of global carbon markets.

Suggested Citation

  • He, Gang & Morse, Richard, 2013. "Addressing carbon Offsetters’ Paradox: Lessons from Chinese wind CDM," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1051-1055.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:63:y:2013:i:c:p:1051-1055
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.09.021
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Paul J. Burke, 2016. "Undermined by Adverse Selection: Australia's Direct Action Abatement Subsidies," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 35(3), pages 216-229, September.
    2. He, Gang & Zhang, Hongliang & Xu, Yuan & Lu, Xi, 2017. "China’s clean power transition: Current status and future prospect," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 3-10.
    3. Röttgers, Dirk & Grote, Ulrike, 2014. "Africa and the Clean Development Mechanism: What Determines Project Investments?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 201-212.
    4. Sanya Carley & Elizabeth Baldwin & Lauren M. MacLean & Jennifer N. Brass, 2017. "Global Expansion of Renewable Energy Generation: An Analysis of Policy Instruments," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 68(2), pages 397-440, October.
    5. Jaraitė, Jūratė & Kurtyka, Oliwia & Ollivier, Hélène, 2022. "Take a ride on the (not so) green side: How do CDM projects affect Indian manufacturing firms’ environmental performance?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    6. He, Gang & Kammen, Daniel M., 2014. "Where, when and how much wind is available? A provincial-scale wind resource assessment for China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 116-122.
    7. Jiang, Jingjing & Xie, Dejun & Ye, Bin & Shen, Bo & Chen, Zhanming, 2016. "Research on China’s cap-and-trade carbon emission trading scheme: Overview and outlook," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 902-917.
    8. Wan, Panbing & Zhang, ZhongXiang & Chen, Lin, 2024. "Environmental co-benefits of climate mitigation: Evidence from clean development mechanism projects in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).

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