CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION IN THE ENERGY AND FORESTRY SECTORS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIESfn1

The continued accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is expected to severely impact the earth's natural resources and agriculture. Greenhouse gas emissions from the developing world are rising faster than those from other countries, and many studies have noted that it would not be possible to stabilize climate change without reducing the growth of these emissions. Can this be achieved without affecting economic growth and social fabric in these countries? Mitigation studies indicate that if energy efficiency and forestry options are implemented judiciously, emissions can be reduced at a negative cost without affecting economic growth. The studies also suggest that this would increase significantly the worldwide demand for natural gas and renewable technologies. Country studies show that the aggregate mitigation potential in the forestry sector is higher, and the costs per tonne of carbon are lower, than reported earlier by global studies. Barriers to the implementation of energy and forestry options need to be explicitly taken into consideration because these may change the priority of options and the choice of policy measures.