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The Impact of GHG Emission Reduction on the Western European Materials System
D.J. Gielen
ECN-Policy Studies, PO Box 1, 1755 ZG Petten, The Netherlands
tel. +31-224-564460 E-mail: Gielen@ecn.nl
Preliminary analysis for the MATTER workshop Factor 2/Factor 10, Utrecht, 2 April 1998
Abstract
This paper discusses preliminary results for the analysis of Western European GHG emission reduction in the
materials system, based on MARKAL model calculations. The results show that the materials system contributes
up to 50% to the total emission reduction at moderate emission reduction goals. Major changes due to
GHG emission penalties occur in the materials production and in waste handling, while materials use is only
significantly affected at penalty levels abov 100 ECU/t CO2.
Introduction
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction is a key issue for environmental policies in the first half of the 21st
century. The countries of the European Union, the United States and Japan agreed at the UNFCCC conference
in Kyoto in December 1997 to reduce their emissions by 8, 7, and 6% in the period 2008-2012, respectively,
compared to their emissions for a reference year 1990 or 1995. Further emission reductions can be expected
beyond this period.
The Kyoto agreement covers six categories of greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous
oxide (N2O), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and sulphurhexafluoride (SF6). These emissions
are aggregated on the basis of their global warming potential (GWP) for a time horizon of 100 years.
A significant part of the GHG emissions can be attributed to the life cycle of materials. As a consequence, the
production and the use of materials will be affected by GHG emission reduction policies. However, GHG emission
reduction from a materials life cycle perspective has received little attention yet, and the impacts on the
materials life cycle are still unclear. This paper discusses strategies to reduce emissions that are related to the
life cycle of materials, and compares these strategies to other emission reduction strategies (see Figure 1). Special
attention is paid to the interaction of emission reduction strategies. “Materials” includes all substances that
are not produced for energy purposes. Food products are excluded from the category materials.
MINING/
CONVERSION
ENERGY SYSTEM
ENERGY
PRODUCTION
ENERGY
PRODUCTION
MATERIALS SYSTEM
MATERIALS
INDUSTRY
MATERIALS
PRODUCTION
CONSUMER
USE
WASTE
MANAGEMENT
ENERGY
RECOVERY
Figure 1 Definition of the energy system and the materials system