Facilitating the process of carbon abatement policymaking by exposing the complexities of GHG reduction

Abstract

Binding climate agreements and the necessity to lower greenhouse gas emission levels requires increasing implementation of carbon abatement options and supporting policies on a global level. Due to the wide range of possible strategies, policymakers experience problems in choosing the right carbon
abatement strategy. This challenge has led to the creation of the Y-factor, which provides a high-level overview of the complexities to deal with when implementing abatement options. However, the YFactor has not yet reached the stage of development to be ready for an introduction into the policy arena. It has not yet established a reputation, and is still relatively underdeveloped in comparison with alternatives and has no proven functionality in real-world situations. By applying the theoretical framework of the policy cycle, conducting focus group sessions and interviews with policymakers, this research has tested the applicability of the Y-factor for policymaking. This led to the conclusion that the Y-factor method could very well assist policymakers in the phase of policy formulation by highlighting the most important implementation barriers and facilitating discussions on how to tackle these. To increase its reliability and subsequently improve its usability for policymakers, it is advised to create carbon abatement reference curves on a national level.