Anja Kollmuss
SEI Associate
Zurich, Switzerland
anja.kollmuss@cdm-watch.com
skype: anja667
+41 (77) 485 3667
Anja is an SEI Associate. She is an independent consultant and works with CDM Watch, a watchdog organization that lobbies to improve the environmental and social integrity of carbon markets. She is based in Zurich, Switzerland.
Prior to that she worked at SEI, researching cap-and-trade and carbon offset programs. She has written several comprehensive reviews of offset programs and standards and developed the Carbon Offset Research and Education - CORE website. Anja was a contributing author to the IPCC's Third Assessment Report, for which she researched the climate impacts of waste management. She has worked on researching and implementing low-carbon strategies for over 15 years and has extensive experience in energy-efficiency strategies for residential buildings.
Anja did her undergraduate studies at the ETH in Switzerland and at Harvard in Biology and Environmental Studies. She holds an MA in Urban and Environmental Planning from Tufts University. In her spare time, she enjoys performing and improvising.
Recent Publications by Anja Kollmuss
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GHG schemes addressing climate change – How ISO standards helpInternational Standards for Business, Government and Society (ISO) brochure Author(s): Baumann, T. ; Kollmuss, A.Year: 2011 Research Area(s): Emissions Trading & Offsets Description: This brochure provides information to potential users of GHG standards and programs, including 1) an overview of the climate change context including a map of available GHG standards, as well as those currently in development; 2) information on how GHG standards, such as ISO 14064, can provide the tools for implementing climate mitigation and adaptation strategies; 3) an overview of the future of GHG standards and how they can promote a faster up-take of new green technologies and low-emission practices; 4) opportunities to enhance current GHG standards and standards development; 5) proposed changes to address concerns and help maximize the effectiveness of GHG standards in moving the world to a more sustainable future.Download PDF External Link |
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Industrial N2O Projects Under the CDM: The Case of Nitric Acid ProductionSEI Working Paper WP-US-1007 Author(s): Kollmuss, A. ; Lazarus, M.Year: 2010 Research Area(s): Emissions Trading & Offsets Description: This paper evaluates nitric acid projects under the CDM and considers whether they may pose a risk to environmental integrity. The paper finds that the CDM successfully fostered abatement in this sector which previously had not engaged in abatement practices. It further finds that carbon leakage is unlikely for this project type and that there is no evidence that would indicate widespread gaming in order to maximize emissions reductions. The conclusions provide recommendations on how the current nitric acid methodologies could be improved and simplified through the use of a common benchmarking approach.More information Download PDF |
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Industrial N2O Projects Under the CDM: Adipic Acid - A Case of Carbon Leakage?SEI Working Paper WP-US-1006 Author(s): Schneider, L. ; Lazarus, M. ; Kollmuss, A.Year: 2010 Research Area(s): Emissions Trading & Offsets Description: This paper evaluates projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) that abate N2O emissions from adipic acid production. The research shows that carbon markets enabled N2O emissions abatement levels that had not previously been achieved. However, the analysis shows that the CDM appears to have caused significant carbon leakage during the economic downturn in 2008 and 2009. We estimate that about 20% of the CERs issued for CDM adipic acid plants for 2008 and 2009 - totaling to about 13.5 MtCO2e - do not represent real emission reductions. The paper also evaluates policy solutions to prevent carbon leakage in the future.More information Download PDF |
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How offset programs assess and approve projects and creditsCarbon Management 1:1, 119-134 Author(s): Kollmuss, A. ; Lee, C. ; Lazarus, M.Year: 2010 Research Area(s): Emissions Trading & Offsets Description: Over the past decade, some offset programs have developed sophisticated processes to review offset projects, approve or reject them, and issue credits based on their performance. This paper reviews offset project approval and credit issuance processes for three compliance market programs and five programs that issue offset credits for the voluntary carbon market. It is important for policymakers to understand differences and recognize lessons learned from existing programs for the design and possible linking of future offset programs and markets. This paper provides an initial comparison of the decision-making structures of offset programs and discusses best practices. It suggests that an in-depth evaluation and comparison of program performance will be necessary to identify how program design impacts offset performance and quality.External Link |
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Buying and Cancelling Allowances as an Alternative to Offsets For the Voluntary Market: A Preliminary Review of Issues and OptionsOECD Environment Working Paper No. 21 Author(s): Kollmuss, A. ; Lazarus, M.Year: 2010 Research Area(s): Emissions Trading & Offsets ; Climate Mitigation Policy Description: This paper explores scenarios under which, as an alternative to offsets, voluntary buyers could instead buy and cancel allowances from compliance markets. The purchase and cancellation of allowances reduces the available allowances in a cap-and-trade system, "tightening the cap" and, in principle, reducing the emissions that can be produced by covered sources. By this logic, purchasing and cancelling an allowance compels covered sources to achieve additional mitigation.More information Download PDF External Link |