3
demand for fossil fuels has pushed up the price of world crude oil and gas. As an illustration, in mid 2008, the global price of crude oil was USD 140barrel, whereas
just six months previously the price was around USD 70-80barrel. The high price of fossil fuels and the need to curtail its use have encouraged
developed countries to institute economic policy to promote alternative energy, so- called biofuels. The other macroeconomic consequences of this policy are very
significant. Biofuel, which is derived from vegetable products such as beans and vegetable oils has raised food prices. Put another way, competition has emerged
between the food requirement and meeting the alternative energy needs stipulated by government policy. With food supply not expanding to meet additional demand, food
prices continue to spiral. This will become a serious issues for the global economy, in particular developing countries, where inflation caused by rising food prices will have
direct adverse impacts on people with low, fixed incomes. With most of their income allocated for food, any hike in food prices would detrimentally affect their already
difficult lives. Sporadically, cases of malnutrition have been found in families due to their inability to fulfill their nutritional needs.
So far it is clear that climate change not only destroys the environment, but also the economy. This paper will describe briefly the complexity of problems as well as
efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on the economy from the perspective of macroeconomic policies in emerging countries. Following this
introduction, the subsequent two chapters will explain the relationship between economic development imbalances and climate change as well as the macroeconomic
impacts of climate change. Prior to the conclusion, several economic policy implications from both global and indonesian perspectives will be elaborated.
II. ECO N O M IC D EVELO PM EN T IM BALAN CES AN D CLIM ATE CH AN GE
The issue of climate change corresponds closely to the strategy and
structure of global economic development, which creates imbalances in several
aspects of the global economy. Such imbalances include: i imbalances in the
growth of the physical economy and development of the green economy; ii
imbalances in the pace of global economic development; and iii imbalances in the
development strategies of various economic sectors. Inefficacious strategy and the sub-
Gross W orld Product, 1950-2007
10 20
30 40
50 60
19 65
19 73
19 77
19 81
19 85
19 89
19 93
19 97
20 01
20 05
tr ill
io n US
D
Chart 1. Gross World Product 1950-2007
Source: IMF, CIA World Fact Book
4
Total Energy Consumption by Region
20.000 60.000
100.000 140.000
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 Quadrillion btu
0.000 5.000
10.000 15.000
20.000 25.000
AsiaOceania North Am erica
Europe Eurasia
AsiaOceania North Am erica
Europe Eurasia
CentralSouth Am erica - rhs Africa - rhs
Middle East rhs
Quadrillion btu
optimal structure of global economic development in maintaining a balance between such aspects continue to accumulate and compound the climate change problems
experienced recently. The overarching influence of the prevailing attitude to prioritize physical
economic growth rather than maintain a balance with the global green economy is clear from recent economic developments. This has been reflected in the global
economy during the last decade before the expansionary trend Chart 1. The year 2004 was noted as the highlight of an expanding world economy, which grew by more
than 5. However, CO2 emissions from the combustion of fuel are also mushrooming. This pattern seems inescapable in a world where industrialization continues to play a
key role in global economic growth. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the current world development structure disregards environmental sustainability.
However, one should take a look at another facet of economic development. Increasing economic activity has driven demand for resources as production inputs, as
well as fossil fuels, for example oil, to ignite the growth engine. Along with geopolitical factors in oil-producing and trading countries, the complex interaction between supply
and demand for fossil fuels has pushed up the price of crude oil to historical highs, approaching US 150 in recent months. According to the Energy Information Agency,
world oil consumption is projected to grow by almost 900,000 barrels per day
bbld and by an additional 1.4 million bbld in 2009 Chart 2. Increased oil
consumption will clearly release more CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas for heat, power and transportation
produces CO2. Scientists concur that CO2 emissions are a key contributor to
global warming. The catalyst of such strong global economic growth is inseparable from the
robust economic development in developed countries compared to developing countries, and based on several studies it contributes significantly to climate change.
This relates to imbalances in global economic growth between developed and developing countries. The IMF 2007 has documented the contributions made by
developed countries to the reserves of CO2 accumulated emissions since 1750. The results indicate that annual emissions from developed countries as of 2004 account for
about 75-80 Chart 3. Latest indications show that several large emerging economies,
Chart 2. Total Energy Consumption by Region
Source: IEA
5
which are experiencing strong growth, have also contributed to the increase in emissions. The IMF study also details emissions per capita, which are about four times
as high in OECD countries compared to elsewhere; although relative to GDP, developing countries recorded higher numbers.
Chart 3. Greenhouse Gas Emission by Region
Source: WEO Oct 2007, IMF Source: WEO Oct 2007, IMF
Rapid development in the global economy has generally always been supported more by the industrial sector compared to other economic sectors, such as agriculture
and mining. The study results show that the industrial sector is a major contributor to CO2 emissions compared to other economic sectors. Using standard economic sector
classifications, emissions from electricity generation in the USA contributed the most to total gas emissions in 2006 Chart 4. The transportation sector and industrial sector
were second and third respectively. However, after being distributed among sectors, the industrial sector accounts for the largest proportion of US gas emissions Chart 5. A
similar story was repeated in Australia and Japan. Based on the 2007 report of Department of Climate Change in Australia, the largest single source of direct
emissions was the utilities sector electricity, gas and water, responsible for 35.5 of Australia’s total emissions while in Japan, the industrial sector consistently led
greenhouse gas emissions among other economic sectors.
Chart 4. Emission Allocated to Economic Sector in US Chart 5. Emission with Electricity Distributed
to Economic Sector in US
Source: US EPA Source: US EPA
6
20 40
60 80
100 120
140 160
Jun-87 Jun-90
Jun-93 Jun-96
Jun-99 Jun-02
Jun-05 Jun-08
USDbarel
The impact of imbalances in strategy support among economic sectors on climate change has the potential to continue, particularly in light of current global
economic problems; namely rising energy prices Chart 6. This primarily relates to several global strategies to reduce dependence on oil. Dependence on oil has many
inherent risks that could exacerbate climate change. In response to unpredictable
future movements in oil prices, many governments have rolled out policies
and programs to minimize socio- economic impacts by reducing
consumption and dependence on oil. The most notable endeavors taken to
reduce dependence on oil and other kinds of fossil fuels are through the
promotion and use of alternative energy. Some important alternative fuels or biofuels include biodiesel, bio alcohol ethanol,
vegetable oil, non-oil natural gas, and other biomass sources. To increase biofuel production, countries are beginning to grow sugar crops sugar cane, sugar beet and
sweet sorghum or starch corn and use fermentation techniques to produce ethanol; and to grow plants that produce oils, such as oil palm, soybean, or jathropa, to be
directly used as fuels or to be chemically processed to produce biofuels. The major driving force behind the development of biofuel production and use stems from the
desire to achieve independence from petroleum, to moderate the global oil price, and to produce environmentally friendly fuel
3
. However, the promotion of biofuels has come under the spotlight due to the
significant side effects the production of these alternative fuels is starting to have. The use of food plants to produce biofuels has brought about a significant agricultural shift
in resources away from food production to biofuels. Initially, stronger demand for agricultural products to produce biofuels raised food commodity prices and intensified
global inflationary pressures Chart 7. Subsequently, however, the trend of rising food commodity prices aggravated the problems associated with climate change.
3
The world initiators in biofuel development and use are United States, Brazil, France, Sweden and Germany. U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act 0f 2007 that requires the American fuel producers
to use at least 36 billion gallons of biofuels in 2022. The European Union in its biofuels directive has set the goal that for 2010 each member state should achieve at least 5.75 biofuel usage of all used traffic
fuel and by 2020, the figure should be increased to 10 .
Chart 6. Oil Price Monthly Average
Source: EIA
7
Causes of Tropical Deforestation 2000-2005
Small Holder Agriculture
35 - 45 Other
5 Cattle Pasture
20-25 Large Scale
Agriculture 15-20
Logging 10-15
World Commodity Prices
200 400
600 800
1000 1200
1400
1 4
20 00
7 4
20 00
1 4
20 01
7 4
20 01
1 4
20 02
7 4
20 02
1 4
20 03
7 4
20 03
1 4
20 04
7 4
20 04
1 4
20 05
7 4
20 05
1 4
20 06
7 4
20 06
1 4
20 07
7 4
20 07
1 4
20 08
7 4
20 08
USDbushel
2 4
6 8
10 12
14 16
18
USDbushel
White Rice 5 thailand CPO
Cornrhs Soybeans rhs
Source: Bloomberg
Yet, another effect of sky-high agricultural commodities that requires closer attention is land conversion into arable land in order to maximize profits from the
soaring prices of agricultural commodities. A new round of competition between land for fuel and land for food has brought immense environmental impacts on the increase
of critical land area. Recent developments include rising demand for palm oil in Europe, which has consequently led to the razing of huge tracts of Southeast Asian
rainforest and the overuse of chemical fertilizer
4
. The conversion of tropical forest into
arable land has occurred rapidly around the world. This is a result of economic incentives
offered by higher international commodity prices. Deforestation is the unwelcome result of several
key causes. During the period of 2000-2005, tropical deforestation was attributable to small-
holder agriculture still pose as largest cost, large-scale agriculture, logging and cattle pasture
Chart 8. Economic incentives for the production of food crops have also played an important role
in deforestation. Land conversion occurs as a deliberate economic activity to facilitate
agricultural expansion for crop production.
4
As reported by the International H erald Tribune,
Chart 7. World Commodity Price
Chart 8. Causes of Tropical Deforestation 2000-2005
Source: Mongabay.com
8
The time has now come to rethink our priorities. Deforestation mainly in tropical areas accounts for up to one-third of total carbon dioxide emissions. It is a
clear-cut contradiction to the nature of developing and using of biofuels due to the subsequent rise in crop prices but with a very limited effect on reducing greenhouse
emissions and nearly no impact on moderating conventional fuel prices.
III. M ACRO ECO N O M IC IM PACTS O F CLIM ATE CH AN GE