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Introduction to the Kyoto Mechanism and Future of Kyoto in Canada

Introduction to the Kyoto Mechanism and Future of Kyoto in Canada. Presentation to: Canadian Bar Association’s National Business Law and National Environmental Energy and Resources Law Sections April 25, 2007 Gray E. Taylor Bennett Jones LLP taylorg@bennettjones.ca (416) 777 5769

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Introduction to the Kyoto Mechanism and Future of Kyoto in Canada

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  1. Introduction to the Kyoto Mechanism and Future of Kyoto in Canada Presentation to: Canadian Bar Association’s National Business Law and National Environmental Energy and Resources Law Sections April 25, 2007 Gray E. Taylor Bennett Jones LLP taylorg@bennettjones.ca (416) 777 5769 34th Floor 1 First Canadian Place Toronto, ON M5X 1A4 Other Bennett Jones LLP Offices:

  2. Outline of Presentation • International Law • UNFCC, Kyoto Protocol and Marrakesh Accords • Kyoto Protocol • General • Mechanisms • Compliance Requirements • Canada • Kyoto Target and Gap • Provincial Differences • Harper Government’s Plan and Former Liberal Government’s Plan • Current Canadian Bills and Legislation • Provinces • Alberta’s Climate Change and Emissions Management Act and Specified Gas Emitters Regulation • Issues for Business Lawyers

  3. International Law • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – 1992 • approximately 190 parties have ratified, including the U.S. • aim of stabilizing GHGs in atmosphere • based on precautionary principle • “common but differentiated responsibilities” – developed countries to bear greater burden • contemplated protocols (patterned on Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol)

  4. International Law (cont’d) • Kyoto Protocol • negotiated – December, 1997 but ratified and in force only on February 16, 2005 • ratified by 84 countries • Marrakesh Accords • agreed in 2001but only approved at COP/MOP 1 (Montreal) in force in December, 2005 • creates detailed “regulations” for implementing Kyoto Protocol

  5. Kyoto Protocol • numerical limits (“caps”) on developed country GHG emissions on average for five-year period 2008-2012 (see next slide for numbers) • GHGs are CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

  6. Kyoto Protocol (cont’d) • non-compliance • leads to Facilitative Branch of Compliance Committee and/or Enforcement Branch • enforcement includes • loss of use of Kyoto Mechanisms • requirement in next compliance period to achieve targets plus 130% of shortfall

  7. Country CAPS (% of 1990 (or other base year) emissions) *Countries that are undergoing the process of transition to a market economy **Countries that did not ratify Kyoto Protocol Note: no “caps” for developing countries such as China, India, Korea, Brazil and Mexico.

  8. Kyoto Mechanisms • Emissions Trading • On January 1, 2008, developed country parties are issued Assigned Amount Units (“AAUs”) equal to cap • Parties can sell unneeded AAUs • Primarily “economies in transition”(Russia, Ukraine, Poland, etc. have “hot air”) • Other countries may trade too • rely on other Kyoto Mechanisms • rely on buying later • rely on domestic reductions • Reserve requirement (must keep 90% of original allocation or five times most recent inventory)

  9. Kyoto Mechanisms (cont’d) • Clean Development Mechanism (“CDM”) • projects in developing countries that reduce GHG emissions against baseline • “baseline” is “what would have happened without project” • generates Certified Emission Reductions (“CERs”) that can be sold to developed country parties or authorized participants • sustainable development goals

  10. Kyoto Mechanisms (cont’d) • Joint Implementation • projects in developed countries (including Russia and the Ukraine) that reduce GHG emissions • generates Emission Reduction Units (“ERUs”) • host country converts AAUs into ERUs and assigns to another party or authorized participant

  11. Kyoto Mechanisms (cont’d) • Private entities can participate directly in Kyoto Mechanisms (CDM or JI) if authorized by a party • Canada can authorize participation of • Canadian subsidiaries of US companies • entities from other countries • provinces and cities • NGOs • but Canada will be responsible for ensuring each such entity’s participation complies with Kyoto

  12. What “Kyoto” means to Ratifying Developed Countries • Allocation to developed country parties of “permits” (i.e. AAUs) to emit GHGs • First Commitment period is 5 years (2008-2012) • Kyoto Registry • 5 x “cap” • allocated in AAU’s • Cap is “Country Cap” % x 1990 GHG emissions (e.g. Canada is 94% x approximately 596 MT = approximately 560 MT)

  13. What “Kyoto” means to Ratifying Developed Countries (cont’d) • Total GHG emissions in First Commitment Period • cannot exceed AAU’s UNLESS • country uses the Kyoto Mechanisms • Total GHG emissions to be less in total than all AAUs + CERs + ERUs + RMUs* *RMUS are “removal units” generated by a land use, land use change or forestry sinks in a developed country during a commitment period

  14. Kyoto Target Analysis for Canada “Business as Usual” Compared to Kyoto Commitment* 850 approximately 830 2003 Emissions: 740 MT GHG Emissions in Megatonnes (millions of tonnes) of CO2 equivalent “Business as Usual” Gap is approximately 265 MTon average over 2008-2012 2003 GAP 180 MT approximately 596 approximately 560 MT 1990 2000 2008 2010 2012 * Based on 2006 data

  15. Canada’s Kyoto Challenge (as seen in 2002) Business as Usual 2010 Emissions 800 Mt 850 800 1999 705 Mt 750 BAU GAP 238 Mt or 30% Mt CO2 equivalent 700 1990 Emissions 607 Mt 650 600 Kyoto Target 571 Mt 550 500 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Source: Canadian Climate Change Secretariat, January 2002

  16. National Unity: GHG Emissions by Province, 2004 * Will Alberta or other Provinces challenge constitutionality of federal Kyoto legislation?

  17. Harper Government’s Plan • Bill C-30 and Notice of Intent to Regulate (October, 2006) • mixed regulation of GHGs with regulation of air pollutants • targets • 2010-2015  target setting based on emissions intensity • 2020*-2025  more stringent emissions intensity targets • 2050*  absolute reductions of 45% to 55% against 2003** levels • cost Rona Ambrose her job • Canadian public, even in Alberta, is pro climate change regulation and largely pro Kyoto * What happened to 2015-2020 and to 2025-2050? **Kyoto Protocol uses 1990 and this got Canada a “fossil of the day” award in Nairobi at COP/MOP2

  18. Harper Government’s Plan (cont’d) • New Plan • to be announced this week(?) according to Environment Minister Baird • “made in Canada” solution • clearly hostile to “country to country” AAU emissions trading as may involve “hot air” • likely hostile to Joint Implementation trading as may involve “hot air” • possibly open to Clean Development Mechanism trading on a limited basis

  19. Canada: Principal Elements of Project Green (May, 2005) – Former Liberal Government * cap of $15/tonne on cost of shortfall credits **doubtful because of mountain pine beetle

  20. Canadian Statutes • Clean Air Act: Bill C-30 • government vs. opposition • both deal with GHGs and air pollutants (constitutional issue?) • opposition prescribes • meeting Kyoto targets • use of Green Investment Bank to issue credits at $20/tonne in 2008, $25/tonne in 2009 and 2010 and $30/tonne in 2011 and 2012 and • reduction targets for 2020, 2035 and 2050 of 20%, 35% and 60%-80% from 1990 levels (see revised Bill C-30 at http://cmte.parl.gc.ca/cmte/CommitteePublication.aspx?SourceId=198462) • government argues this is cost prohibitive (see “The Cost of Bill C-288 to Canadian Families and Business” athttp://www.ec.gc.ca/doc/media/m_123/report_eng.pdf

  21. Canadian Statutes (cont’d) • Kyoto Implementation Act: Bill C-288 • requires Government to submit a plan to meet Kyoto targets within 180 days • passed Commons and now in Senate (Baird testimony) • Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 • GHG reporting already • GHGs already declared “toxic” and can be regulated (including emissions trading provisions) • may be used as Harper government will not likely proceed with Bill C-30 and detests Bill C-288

  22. Alberta • Climate Change and Emissions Management Act • Program • Specified Gas Reporting Act • Bill 3 (now law) and Specified Gas Emitters Regulation (pending) Other Provinces • Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia • Voluntary Emissions Reductions (VERs) • standards, trading

  23. Where Did We Start in Alberta? • Climate Change and Emissions Management Act (CCEMA) – in force 2003 • CCEMA provided a legislative framework to regulate GHGs, but was very dependent upon future regulations • Specified Gas Reporting Regulation (SGRR) – in force 2004 • SGRR requires specified gas reports from large GHG emitters

  24. What’s New? • Bill 3 - Climate Change and Emissions Management Amendment Act (announced March 2007 and in force April 2007) • Bill 3 is largely an amendment to the enforcement provisions of the CCEMA • Broad inspection and investigation powers • Compliance orders • Administrative Penalties/Offences/D&O Liability • Limited appeals to Environmental Appeals Board • Specific regulation of GHGs is covered in the new proposed regulation

  25. Specified Gas Emitters Regulation (SGER) • Basic Obligation – 12% Emissions Intensity Reduction • Applies to “facilities” that release 100,000 tonnes or more of specified gases into the environment in a year • 2007 Emissions Intensity Limits – “net emissions intensity” for “established facilities” must be 88% of “baseline emissions intensity” (“BEI”) for the period July 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 • 2007 Emissions Intensity Limits – vary for “new facilities” • “New facilities” may include currently operating facilities

  26. Baseline Emissions Intensity (BEI) • Part 4 of SGER • Application for BEI • apply for BEI by September 1, 2007 if established facility or in fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth year of commercial operations in 2007 • thereafter all new facilities must apply by June 1 of fourth year (starting 2008)

  27. Baseline Emissions Intensity (BEI) (cont’d) • BEI • Established facility BEI is either • average of 2003, 2004 and 2005 emissions intensities • not production weighted average so anomalous years impact baseline; or • alternative method approved by Alberta Environment • consider applying for alternative if early action reduced emissions • New facility • emissions intensity for 3rd year of commenced production

  28. Baseline Emissions Intensity (BEI) • Alberta Environment has ability to give different BEI than requested • may consider • technologies used by others at comparable facilities (laggards may be punished) • BATEA for the facility (potential to set higher BEI to reward BATEA implementation and protect new facility from intensity improvement requirements immediately?)

  29. Baseline Emissions Intensity (BEI) (cont’d) • New BEI Determination (Section 25) • Alberta Environment may review BEI, order a new application or require a new BEI if • BEI is inaccurate • facility has “expanded or significantly changed” • otherwise appropriate in Alberta Environment’s view

  30. SGER – Net Emissions • “net emissions intensity” based on a formula set out in section 4(3) for 2007 requirements • (Half year emissions – “offsets and credits”)/production • “net emissions intensity” for 2008 and beyond based on formula in section 5(3) • Intensity targets appear to stay at 12% for “established facilities” – however Minister may set additional NEI • Intensity targets for “new facilities” ramp up to 12% in 2% annual increments

  31. Net Emissions Intensity Calculation • Formula NEI = (TAE – (EO+FC+EPC)) P where NEI is net emissions intensity; TAE is total annual emissions; EO is allowable emission offsets applied by the person responsible; FC is allowable fund credits applied by the person responsible; EPC is allowable emission performance credits applied by the person responsible P is production for the year.

  32. Total Annual Emissions NEI = (TAE – (EO+FC+EPC))P where NEI is net emissions intensity; TAE is total annual emissions; EO is allowable emission offsets applied by the person responsible; FC is allowable fund credits applied by the person responsible; EPC is allowable emission performance credits applied by the person responsible P is production for the year. • TAE is defined as total direct emissions (TDE), not including industrial process emissions (IPE) • TDE is total of direct emissions (DE) • includes GHG emissions “from sources actually located at a facility” (emphasis added) • excludes indirect emissions • excludes mobile sources (?) such as vehicles (?) • TAE excludes IPE • IPEs are emissions from an industrial process involving chemical reactions other than combustion where the process’ primary purpose is not energy production • e.g. exclude CO2 from lime production • e.g. many refinery/upgrader operations (but not distillation)?

  33. Allowable Emission Performance Credits NEI = (TAE – (EO+FC+EPC))P where NEI is net emissions intensity; TAE is total annual emissions; EO is allowable emission offsets applied by the person responsible; FC is allowable fund credits applied by the person responsible; EPC is allowable emission performance credits applied by the person responsible P is production for the year. • EPC (see Sections 10 and 11) • created when Actual Emissions Intensity (AEI) is less than required NEI • AEI also excludes IEPs • 2007 EPCs may be banked • 2008 EPCs may not be banked • all must be used by other facilities, thus EMISSIONS TRADING likely necessary • guidelines may be issued which must be complied with to use EPCs • if jointly held, holders use pro rata, thus ownership/disposition provisions in joint venture agreements desirable

  34. Allowable Offset Credits NEI = (TAE – (EO+FC+EPC))P where NEI is net emissions intensity; TAE is total annual emissions; EO is allowable emission offsets applied by the person responsible; FC is allowable fund credits applied by the person responsible; EPC is allowable emission performance credits applied by the person responsible P is production for the year. • OC (See Sections 8 and 11) • means off-facility site reduction in GHG emissions, thus EMISSIONS TRADING likely necessary • note that reductions in IPE not offsets (e.g. CCS not available for IEPs) • note facility definition is broad and flexible (opportunity?) • must be a reduction in Alberta • again pro rata use by joint holders • guidelines may be issued by Alberta Environment which must be complied with • NB – credit for actions from January 1, 2002 • project types • press release mentions only low tillage agriculture • other possibilities • lower N2O use; animal management (diet); manure and other agricultural waste management; forestry (afforestation, reforestation, preservation?); biofuels, energy efficiency; CCS (?); landfills (?); Demand Side Management (?)

  35. Allowable Fund Credits NEI = (TAE – EO+FC+EPC))P where NEI is net emissions intensity; TAE is total annual emissions; EO is allowable emission offsets applied by the person responsible; FC is allowable fund credits applied by the person responsible; EPC is allowable emission performance credits applied by the person responsible P is production for the year. • FC (See Sections 9 and 11) • one credit of one tonne of reductions for each $15 contributed • must be contributed by March 31 of year following year of use • January 1/March 31 only for previous year • guidelines may be issued by Alberta Environment and must be complied with Note: -the Fund is created by the Climate Change and Emissions Management Act and specifies categories of use for funds -government indicates Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), such as CO2 pipeline, may be funded projects -is there room for private sector involvement in management of Fund?

  36. Production NEI = (TAE – EO+FC+EPC))P where NEI is net emissions intensity; TAE is total annual emissions; EO is allowable emission offsets applied by the person responsible; FC is allowable fund credits applied by the person responsible; EPC is allowable emission performance credits applied by the person responsible P is production for the year. • Production • quantity of “end product” produced by a facility, expressed in “the applicable unit of production” • end product not defined • Climate Change and Emissions Management Act focuses on GHG Emissions per $ of Gross Domestic Product • goal is 50% of 1990 levels • should “end product” be measured in $? or “widgets”? or “BTUs”? • multiple product facilities need clarity

  37. SGER – True-up • True-up – concerns the availability of “offsets & credits” to the “person responsible” for subtraction from annual or half-year emissions • “Offsets & credits” that may be used are those that are available on the earlier of • Date compliance report is submitted; and • Deadline for submitting a compliance report • Use ‘em or lose ‘em?

  38. SGER – Duty to Comply • Responsibility for compliance rests with the “person responsible” • If more than one “person responsible” during a designated period, then compliance duty rests with the “person responsible” as of December 31

  39. SGER – Reporting/Confidentiality/Audits • “person responsible” on December 31 of a year must submit a compliance report by March 31 of following year • Compliance report must • Confirm that NEI have been met or provide a plan to meet; • Be certified; and • Be verified by a “third party auditor” • Director may be required to make CR available to the public • Confidentiality • Third Party Auditors

  40. Issues for Business and Environmental Lawyers • Issues • Reporting • CEPA 1999 notice requires GHG reporting • Ontario and Alberta have provincial reporting and now Alberta SGER • securities laws – disclosure of “risks” to financial health of business • Transactions • allocate liability and credits in large emitters deals

  41. Issues for Business and Environmental Lawyers (cont’d) • Offsets • value and deal with “offset” opportunities regarding broad sectors of economy • Litigation • tort actions underway in US • CEAA and Provincial Environmental Assessments • need to incorporate GHG issues

  42. THANK YOU Gray E. Taylor Bennett Jones LLP taylorg@bennettjones.ca (416) 777 5769 34th Floor 1 First Canadian Place Toronto, ON M5X 1A4 509585

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