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ISSN:2325-6192 (print)
ISSN:2325-6206 (online)
Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management
António Mendes Lopes (editor), Jiazhong Zhang(editor)
António Mendes Lopes (editor)

University of Porto, Portugal

Email: aml@fe.up.pt

Jiazhong Zhang (editor)

School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710049, China

Fax: +86 29 82668723 Email: jzzhang@mail.xjtu.edu.cn

Hydropower’s Contribution to the Environmental Integrity of the Embryonic Chinese Carbon Market

Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management 2(1) (2014) 91--103 | DOI:10.5890/JEAM.2014.03.007

Kai Whiting$^{1}$; Lara Jin Qiu-ting Esser$^{2}$; Alicia Valero Delgado$^{1}$

$^{1}$ CIRCE – Research Centre for Energy Resources and Consumption, Mariano Esquillor, 15, 50018 , Zaragoza, Spain

$^{2}$ International Center on Small Hydro Power (ICSHP), 136 Nanshan Lu, Hangzhou, 310002 China

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Abstract

This paper discusses how hydropower can contribute to the environmen- tal integrity of the Chinese carbon market and support low carbon initia- tives and policies in China. It also explores the scientific research that questions the carbon neutrality of hydropower due to the release of nota- ble quantities of greenhouse gases through the creation and operation of a hydroelectric reservoir. The authors provide a comprehensive analysis of how current carbon market mechanisms and management should be maintained, strengthened and/or enhanced in order to optimise the pro- vincial carbon markets of 2014. Based on the literature review and dis- cussion, the authors provide nine principle recommendations. Such rec- ommendations include a verification of the data provided regarding hy- dropower installations and watersheds through various means such as GIS, aerial photography and the cross-referencing of records; and the use of the Strategic Environmental Assessment in addition to the already pre- scribed Environmental Impact Assessment and guidelines for small hy- dropower Should these recommendations be followed it would result in more robust emission trading policies and practices within the hydropow- er sector which could then be used as a template for other carbon reduc- tion technologies within the Chinese power industry.

Acknowledgments

All at ICSHP but especially: Liu Heng, Hu Xiaobo and Huang Yan. Also to Alfonso Buj Laborda, Edward Simpson (University of Abertay Dundee) José Ignacio Fau Vidal, Katy Yan (International Rivers), Wang Xie Ji and A Yang.

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