Joint implementation and the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

This paper critically assesses the potential role of joint implementation (JI) in contributing to the achievement of the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, namely, the stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations at levels which are nonthreatening to human societies and ecosystems. This requires, among other actions, a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions within the next few decades, which in turn requires limitation of population growth, dramatic reductions in industrialized country per capita emissions , and sharply constrained growth in per capita emissions from the developing world. We examine the potential role of JI in assisting development aimed at meeting basic human needs - a pre-requisite for population stabilization - and conclude that JI has little to offer and may indeed be counterproductive. We also examine JI as a vehicle for technology transfer, and conclude that, if JI is to play a useful role here, it must be accompanied by fundamental reform in the nature of current technology transfer and official development assistance. Furthermore, for JI to be effective in limiting the growth of developing country emissions through technology transfer, accelerated development of advanced and renewably based energy technologies by the industrialized world is required, which is unlikely unless these countries commit to making strong emissions reductions of their own. (C) 1997, Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. Ail rights reserved.