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Satellite Measurement of GHG Emissions: Prospects for Enhancing Transparency and Answerability under International Law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2019

Timiebi Aganaba-Jeanty
Affiliation:
School for the Future of Innovation in Society, appointed at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ (United States (US)). Email: taganabajeanty@asu.edu.
Anna Huggins
Affiliation:
Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane (Australia). Email: a.huggins@qut.edu.au.

Abstract

Recent technological advancements are facilitating the use of satellite remote-sensing techniques for the measurement of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions. This article evaluates the potential for these satellite-enabled measurements to contribute to transparency and answerability for state emissions, with a focus on international space law and policy, and the Paris Agreement to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. We show that in the context of the international space governance framework, the dissemination of integrated emissions data sets has the potential to enhance public answerability for the mitigation performance of states. Under the Paris Agreement, there is scope for space-based measurement techniques to provide an independent data source to support verification activities for national emissions inventories, and for aggregated data to be utilized as part of the global stocktake under Article 14. There are, however, a number of impediments to translating these transparency gains into enhanced answerability for states’ emissions reduction pledges.

Type
Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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Footnotes

We gratefully acknowledge the valuable comments and suggestions of the anonymous TEL reviewers.

References

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49 Aganaba-Jeanty, n. 4 above, p. 4.

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72 The aim is to sign a space climate observatory charter along the same lines as the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters: see, e.g., Israel, B.R., ‘Help from Above: The Role of International Law in Facilitating the Use of Outer Space for Disaster Management’, in Caron, D.D., Kelly, M.J. & Telesetsky, A. (eds), The International Law of Disaster Relief (Cambridge University Press, 2014), pp. 217–44CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

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75 Ibid., Art. 1.

76 Ibid., Art. 9; Aganaba-Jeanty, n. 4 above, p. 10.

77 UNGA Resolution 41/65, ‘Principles relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer Space’ (3 Dec. 1986), UN Doc A/RES/41/65 (Remote Sensing Principles), available at: http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/41/a41r065.htm.

78 Implementation of these principles at the domestic level takes different forms, ranging from a focus on the satellite system, the data, the transaction or a combination of these: Gabrynowicz, J.I., The Land Remote Sensing Laws and Policies of National Governments: A Global Survey (National Center for Remote Sensing, Air, and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, 2007)Google Scholar.

79 Aganaba-Jeanty, n. 4 above, pp. 10–11. To prevent the sharing of sensitive information, individual agreements can be entered into between the satellite asset owner and the sensed state. An example of this is the Kyl-Binganam Amendment to the 1997 US National Defense Authorization Act: see National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997, § 1064, 110 Stat. 2422 (1996) (enacted); and Zerbini, A. & Fradley, M., ‘Higher Resolution Satellite Imagery of Israel and Palestine: Re-assessing the Kyl-Binganam Amendment’ (2018) (Mar.) Space Policy, pp. 115Google Scholar. However, such agreements are rare as they run counter to the trend of open data policies, and would occur only in strategic circumstances.

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96 Paris Agreement, n. 9 above, Art. 4(2).

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98 However, there remains the risk that if large volumes of technical information on states’ progress towards their international environmental commitments are made available, yet require sophisticated expert knowledge and English language skills to interpret, the ability of some state and non-state actors to utilize this information for accountability purposes will be undermined.

99 Kyoto Protocol, n. 43 above, Art. 3(1).

100 Paris Agreement, n. 9 above, Arts 2 and 4(3).

101 Ibid., Art. 13.

102 Ibid., Art. 13(11).

103 Ibid., Art. 14.

104 Ibid., Art. 15.

105 Ibid., Art. 13(7).

106 Ibid., Art. 13(11).

107 Ibid., Art. 13(7)(a).

108 IPCC, n. 40 above.

109 IPCC, ‘2019 Refinements to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National GHG Inventories’, 2018, available at: https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/home/2019refinement.html.

110 IPCC, ‘44th Session of the IPCC: Decisions Adopted by the Panel’, 17–20 Oct. 2016, Bangkok (Thailand), p. 40, available at: http://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/p44_decisions.pdf.

111 HM Government, Department of Energy and Climate Change, ‘The UK's Second Biennial Report under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Dec. 2015, p. 25, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491405/UK_Second_Biennial_Report_Web_Accessible.pdf.

112 DeCola & WMO Secretariat, n. 64 above.

113 The system will consist of a suite of coordinated multi-scale, multi-type carbon observations, including aircraft, satellite, and in situ data, and a data assimilation system and distribution system: European Commission, ‘Towards a European Operational Observing System to Monitor Fossil CO2 Emissions: Final Report from the Expert Group’, Oct. 2015, p. 46, available at: http://edgar.jrc.ec.europa.eu/news_docs/CO2_report_22-10-2015.pdf.

114 Ibid., pp. 9, 46.

115 Ibid., p. 9.

116 Under Art. 13(9) Paris Agreement, n. 9 above, developed states are required to report on the financial, technology transfer, and capacity-building support they provide to developing countries. Developing countries should also report on the financial, technology transfer, and capacity-building support needed and received: ibid., Art. 13(10).

117 UNFCCC Secretariat, Decision 1/CP.21, ‘Adoption of the Paris Agreement’ (13 Dec. 2015), UN Doc. FCCC/CP/2015/10/Add.1, paras 84–85.

118 UNFCCC Secretariat, Draft Decision –/CMA.1, ‘Modalities, Procedures and Guidelines for the Transparency Framework for Action and Support Referred to in Article 13 of the Paris Agreement’ (15 Dec. 2018), UN Doc. FCCC/CP/2018/L.23, available at: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Informal%20Compilation_proposal%20by%20the%20President_rev.pdf.

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121 UNFCCC Secretariat, Decision 22/CMP.1, ‘Guidelines for Review under Article 8 of the Kyoto Protocol’ (28 Nov.–10 Dec. 2005), UN Doc. FCCC/KP/CMP/2005/8/Add.3, p. 51, at 62 para. 65.

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125 OECD, Environment Directorate, ‘Design Options for International Assessment and Review (IAR) and International Consultations and Analysis (ICA), prepared by J. Ellis et al., OECD/IEA Climate Change Expert Group Information Paper, Doc. No. COM/ENV/EPOC/IEA/SLT(2011)4, Nov. 2011, available at: https://www.oecd.org/env/cc/49101052.pdf.

126 Aganaba-Jeanty, n. 4 above, p. 9.

127 Planet Labs Inc., ‘Planet Imagery and Archive’, available at: https://www.planet.com/products/planet-imagery.

128 European Commission, n. 113 above, p. 8.

129 For an analysis of these issues in the context of the use of satellite imagery for monitoring compliance with domestic land-clearing laws, see Bartel, R.L., ‘When the Heavenly Gaze Criminialises: Satellite Surveillance, Land Clearance Regulation and the Human-Nature Relationship (2005) 16(3) Current Issues in Criminological Justice, pp. 322–39CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

130 DeCola & WMO Secretariat, n. 64 above.

131 Paris Agreement, n. 9 above, Art. 14(1) and 14(3).

132 Ibid. Art. 2. On mutual answerability or accountability, see Winkler, Mantlana & Letete, n. 38 above, p. 862.

133 UNFCCC Secretariat, Draft Decisions 1/CP.23 and 3/CMA.1, ‘Proposal by the President’ (15 Dec. 2018), Annex IX, para. 38(i), available at: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Informal%20Compilation_proposal%20by%20the%20President_rev.pdf.

134 Paris Agreement, n. 9 above, Art. 14(1).

135 Gupta & van Asselt, n. 12 above, p. 13.

136 Such stakeholders may include space agencies, governmental bodies, international organizations, private companies, universities, and research institutes.

137 Any cooperation that results from the New Delhi Declaration is likely to be implemented by a web of memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and implementing agreements, either between states or agency-to-agency. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission governance structure provides an interesting example of such an arrangement: see further Aganaba-Jeanty, n. 4 above, pp. 14, 16.

138 Purdy, R., ‘Using Earth Observation Technologies for Better Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement of Environmental Laws’ (2009) 22(1) Journal of Environmental Law, pp. 5987CrossRefGoogle Scholar, at 86.