98
N. Kidunduhu
Petrochemicals have wide range utility including making up critical
components of turbines, solar panels, batteries and electric vehicle car
parts. Such application is both non-energy intensive and also low carbonintensive. Petrochemicals are thus a way for African countries to not only
sustainably exploit their fossil fuel reserves but also to develop both their
economies and technology.
The disposal of petrochemicals, however, presents environmental
pollution challenges and countries will, therefore, need to complement
their production with waste management practices such as recycling.
3.4.1.4 Emissions Management for Exports
Historically, carbon emissions referred to the domestic emissions
produced within the territory of a country. Over time, it became
apparent that this narrow definition of carbon emissions failed to
consider carbon-intensive imports consumed within the territory of that
same country or the inverse—carbon-intensive exports are taken out
of that country’s territory. Indeed, empirical research has shown that
net fossil fuel exporters such as Australia and Russia have relatively low
territorial emissions but very high extraction-based emissions.
96 As such
carbon emissions are now considered to be the total carbon emissions
from using or producing products and services to satisfy annual national
consumption.
African countries looking to capitalize their discoveries and exporting
them must thus bear this in mind. African countries do not have
binding commitments. It is however evident that emissions from their
nascent discoveries would certainly take the world beyond the 1.5C
warming above pre-industrial levels target and yet African countries
cannot mitigate this because they are not eligible for emissions trading.
In order to offset their extraction-based emissions, African countries
would need to participate in emissions trading. To this end, African
countries should consider accepting binding commitments and thereby
96 Fakhri Hasanova et al., ‘The Impact of International Trade on CO 2 Emissions in Oil
Exporting Countries: Territory vs Consumption Emissions Accounting’ (2018) Vol 74 Energy
Economics.
N. Kidunduhu
Petrochemicals have wide range utility including making up critical
components of turbines, solar panels, batteries and electric vehicle car
parts. Such application is both non-energy intensive and also low carbonintensive. Petrochemicals are thus a way for African countries to not only
sustainably exploit their fossil fuel reserves but also to develop both their
economies and technology.
The disposal of petrochemicals, however, presents environmental
pollution challenges and countries will, therefore, need to complement
their production with waste management practices such as recycling.
3.4.1.4 Emissions Management for Exports
Historically, carbon emissions referred to the domestic emissions
produced within the territory of a country. Over time, it became
apparent that this narrow definition of carbon emissions failed to
consider carbon-intensive imports consumed within the territory of that
same country or the inverse—carbon-intensive exports are taken out
of that country’s territory. Indeed, empirical research has shown that
net fossil fuel exporters such as Australia and Russia have relatively low
territorial emissions but very high extraction-based emissions.
96 As such
carbon emissions are now considered to be the total carbon emissions
from using or producing products and services to satisfy annual national
consumption.
African countries looking to capitalize their discoveries and exporting
them must thus bear this in mind. African countries do not have
binding commitments. It is however evident that emissions from their
nascent discoveries would certainly take the world beyond the 1.5C
warming above pre-industrial levels target and yet African countries
cannot mitigate this because they are not eligible for emissions trading.
In order to offset their extraction-based emissions, African countries
would need to participate in emissions trading. To this end, African
countries should consider accepting binding commitments and thereby
96 Fakhri Hasanova et al., ‘The Impact of International Trade on CO 2 Emissions in Oil
Exporting Countries: Territory vs Consumption Emissions Accounting’ (2018) Vol 74 Energy
Economics.