The George
Washington University
Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Department (EMSE)
Environmental & Energy Management Program (E&EM)
Fall 2003 (Volume 4, Number 2)
E&EM Graduate Student Dulce Meldau Starts Internship with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Geneva, Switzerland
UNCTAD is the focal point within the United Nations for the integrated treatment of trade and development and the interrelated issues in the areas of finance, technology, investment and sustainable development. In co-operation with other organizations and donor countries, UNCTAD provides technical assistance tailored to the needs of the developing countries, with special attention being paid to the needs of the least developed countries, and countries with economy in transition.
E&EM
graduate student Dulce Meldau is currently working in the DITC (Division on
International Trade in Goods and Services and Commodities), Trade, Environment
and Development Branch in the Climate Change Programme and Biotrade Initiative.
The UNCTAD Earth Council Carbon Market Programme or Climate Change Programme
is a programme focused on exploring the economic, trade and investment impacts
of climate change in developing and transitional countries, and works to promote
their effective participation in the emerging carbon market. This program
has several projects related with the Kyoto Protocol and other measures to
address climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, industrialized countries have taken binding limits
on their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. They aim to reduce overall GHG emissions
by 5.2% below their 1990 levels between the years 2008- 2012. Six GHGs are
covered including: CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs and SF6. This agreement authorizes
four flexible mechanisms in order to reduce the cost of meeting this target.
These are: Emissions Trading, the Clean Development Mechanism, and Joint Implementation.
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is one of three mechanism established
by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to meet the goals
of the Kyoto Protocol. Under the CDM, an investor from a developing country
invests in a project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and claims those
reductions. After passing certain certification requirements, reductions in
emissions convert into ''credits'' for the environmental benefit brought by
the investment, and value of the credit is shared between the investor and
the project developer.
Dulce's activities at UNCTAD are direct linked with domestic climate policies
and the application of CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) in developing countries.
She is working on several initiatives to engage the private sectors in CDM.
Among these activities, she is involved in formatting a compilation of projects
and programmes in Brazil that are developing clean technologies, renewable
sources of energy and reforestation with a view to reduce greenhouse gases
emissions. The objective of this study is to provide a general picture of
the activities being carried out in Brazil to combat global warming, which
could eventually be eligible for the CDM. This mechanism is expected to be
initiated anytime soon with the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol.
For more information about other projects, you can visit UNCTAD's
web site. For information about the Biotrade Initiative visit it's web
site.
To contact Dulce Meldau:
Dulce
Helena Meldau
Climate Change Programme and Biotrade Initiative
UNCTAD - Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10 – Switzerland
e-mail: dulce.meldau@unctad.org
Tel. +41 22 917 4124
Fax.+41 22 917 0044
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