2009年12月1日 星期二

UN HALTS CHINESE WIND FARMS AMID FUNDING DISPUTE

联合国(UN)掌管碳交易的机构已暂停核准数十家中国风力发电场,因为他们怀疑中国利用产业政策来在该体系下获取资金。

中国是所谓“清洁发展机制”(CDM)遥遥领先的最大受益国。这一碳交易体系旨在把富国的资金导向发展中国家,以减少温室气体排放。

根据英国《金融时报》的一项分析,中国现已获得1.53亿碳信用额(carbon credits),价值超过10亿美元,这几乎占CDM过去5年发放的总信用额的一半。每个碳信用额当前的交易价格约为10至15美元。CDM由联合国负责管理。

工业化国家可通过资助发展中国家的减排项目,来部分兑现它们在1997年《京都议定书》(Kyoto Protocol)中的承诺。《京都议定书》旨在对抗全球变暖。只有在申请者证明如果没有外来资助就不会建设相关项目的情况下,这些项目才有资格获得碳信 用额,这项条件被称为“额外性”。

围绕中国风力发电场和其它CDM项目的争议,将促使外界更强烈的呼吁在联合国哥本哈根会议上对这一体系做出全面改革。哥本哈根会议将于下周一开幕。

驻中国的咨询机构表示,位于波恩的CDM理事会在今年年中便开始拒绝核准中国风力发电项目,因为他们担心中国政府故意降低补贴,以使这些项目具备申请CDM资金的资格。

一致人和(Accord Global Environment Technology)总经理杨智良表示:“理事会现在突然表示这些项目不符合额外性,但在过去,他们不认为额外性方面有什么问题。他们指责中国政府及其 降低补贴的决定。”一致人和是中国领先的CDM咨询机构之一。

杨智良表示,中国政府在制定补贴政策时还有其它考虑,例如要遏制风力涡轮机行业的产能过剩。她说:“中国政府不会仅仅为了获取CDM资金而调整补贴政策。”

业内官员表示,CDM理事会已拒绝核准约50项风力发电项目。有关CDM未来会否提供资金的疑问,还促使发电企业推迟新的风力发电投资。

CDM理事会主席莱克斯•德容格(Lex de Jonge)证实,“有数个(中国的)项目”已被暂停核准,但拒绝披露原因。斯坦福大学(Stanford University)的迈克尔•瓦拉(Michael Wara)表示,中国项目在遵守CDM规则方面存在很多问题。

鉴于中国政府目前把重点放在中小型水电项目和风力发电上,即使没有CDM资金,它也会支持至少部分上述项目。

瓦拉说:“很难相信中国目前有很多能源项目都具备额外性。”

中国当地媒体援引中国政府官员的言论为CDM过程进行了辩护,称它是一种帮助发达国家减排的有效机制,也是让较贫穷国家发挥作用的唯一机制。

中国社会科学院(Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)的陈洪波表示,虽然该体系需要改革,但它应得到保留。他说:“我认为,CDM在2012年[《京都议定书》到期]后不能立刻停止。”

译者/何黎

UN HALTS CHINESE WIND FARMS AMID FUNDING DISPUTE


The UN body in charge of managing carbon trading has suspended approvals for dozens of Chinese wind farms amid questions over China's use of industrial policy to obtain money under the scheme.

China has been by far the biggest beneficiary of the so-called Clean Development Mechanism, a carbon trading system designed to direct funds from wealthy countries to developing nations to cut greenhouse gases.

China has earned 153 million carbon credits, worth more than a billion dollars and making up almost half of the total issued under the UN-run programme in the last five years, according to a Financial Times analysis. The credits are currently trading at about $10 to $15 each.

Industrial countries can meet part of their commitments under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol to battle global warming by financing projects that mitigate emissions in developing nations. Projects only qualify for credits if the applicants prove they would not have been built anyway, a condition known as “additionality”.


The controversy over Chinese wind farms and other CDM projects will intensify calls for the system to be overhauled at the UN's Copenhagen conference, which opens next Monday.

China-based consultants said the CDM's board in Bonn began refusing approval for Chinese wind power projects mid-year, over concerns Beijing had deliberately lowered subsidies to make them eligible for funding.

“The board now suddenly says the projects are not additional, whereas in the past they found no fault with additionality,” said Yang Zhiliang, general manager of Accord Global Environment Technology, one of China's leading CDM consultants. “They are blaming the Chinese government and its decision to lower subsidies.”

Ms Yang said Beijing had other aims, such as limiting overcapacity in the wind turbine sector, in setting subsidies. “The Chinese government wouldn't adjust subsidies just to bag CDM money,” she said.

Industry officials said the CDM board had refused approval for about 50 wind power projects. Doubts over whether CDM funding will be available in the future has also prompted power companies to stall new wind power investments.

Lex de Jonge, head of the UN board, confirmed “a handful of (Chinese) projects” had been suspended but declined to give reasons. Michael Wara, of Stanford University, said there are considerable problems in China with the CDM's rules.

With the emphasis that Beijing is now placing on both smaller hydro-electric projects and wind power, the government would have supported at least some of the projects receiving money under the CDM scheme anyway.

“It is hard to believe that there is additionality in many of the energy projects in China right now,” he said.

Chinese government officials quoted in the local media defended the CDM process as an effective mechanism for helping developed countries cut emissions and the only one which gave poorer nations a role.

Chen Hongbo, of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said although the system needed reform, it should be maintained. “I think that after 2012 [when Kyoto expires], the CDM cannot stop immediately,” he said.

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