Co-benefits of climate policies: a potential keystone of climate negotiations?

This paper analyzes the challenges related to the assessment of co-benefits of climate policies underpinned by the implementation of multi-objective policies which seek synergies between climate policies and other development objectives (poverty alleviation, employment, health etc.). The analysis highlights the increasing interest in co-benefits in the latest 5th IPCC report, in particular by integrated models. Nevertheless, the quantified evaluation of co-benefits is still confronted to several methodological limitations which reduce the scope of co-benefits, particularly at the global level. In a growing context of climate-development approaches in climate negotiations, this article insists on the need to also assess cobenefits of other policies which induce a significant part of GHG emissions. Considering climate policies focused only on Greehouse Gases emissions reduction limits the range of policy instruments to carbon taxation, tradable carbon emissions permits or dedicated mitigation and adaptation funds. This also hinders the integration of climate objectives in non-climate policies. Analyzing impacts of development policies on Green Gases emissions in the form of co-benefits requires to broaden the range of policy instruments and to take into account other drivers of emissions such as land dynamics. Including these mechanisms in integrated models therefore represents new scientific frontiers for integrated models in the coming years.
Cet article 1 examine les enjeux sous-jacents à l'évaluation des cobénéfices des politiques climatiques dans le cadre de la mise en oeuvre de politiques multi-objectifs, au sein lesquelles des synergies sont recherchées entre la lutte contre le changement climatique et des objectifs de développement (emploi, santé, sortie de la pauvreté, etc.). L'analyse du cinquième rapport du groupe III du GIEC montre en effet un intérêt grandissant dans la littérature pour les évaluations quantifiées des cobénéfices, en particulier à l'aide de modèles numériques intégrés. Néanmoins, l'évaluation quantifiée à une échelle globale des cobénéfices est confrontée à des difficultés d'ordre méthodologique qui expliquent l'écart entre les pratiques des modélisateurs et la vision théorique des économistes qui repose sur l'analyse coûts-bénéfices. L'article revient enfin sur la nécessité d'élargir le champ d'investigation de l'évaluation des cobénéfices aux politiques non climatiques qui déterminent une part importante des émissions de GES, et constituent un des enjeux majeurs des approches intégrées climat-développement qui montent en puissance dans les négociations climat en cours. Abstract – Co-benefits of climate policies: a potential keystone of climate negotiations? This paper analyzes the challenges related to the assessment of co-benefits of climate policies underpinned by the implementation of multi-objective policies which seek synergies between climate policies and other development objectives (poverty alleviation, employment, health etc.). The analysis highlights the increasing interest in co-benefits in the latest 5th IPCC report, in particular by integrated models. Nevertheless, the quantified evaluation of co-benefits is still confronted to several methodological limitations which reduce the scope of co-benefits, particularly at the global level. In a growing context of climate-development approaches in climate negotiations, this article insists on the need to also assess co-benefits of other policies which induce a significant part of GHG emissions. Considering climate policies focused only on Greehouse Gases emissions reduction limits the range of policy instruments to carbon taxation, tradable carbon emissions permits or dedicated mitigation and adaptation funds. This also hinders the integration of climate objectives in non-climate policies. Analyzing impacts of development policies on Green Gases emissions in the form of co-benefits requires to broaden the range of policy instruments and to take into account other drivers of emissions such as land dynamics. Including these mechanisms in integrated models therefore represents new scientific frontiers for integrated models in the coming years.