Introduction to Framework
Stage 1
- 2.1. Assess current country plans, policies, practices, and capacities
- 2.2. Compile lessons learned and good practices from ongoing and previous sustainable development efforts in the country
- 2.3. Assess public and private sector capacity to support initiatives
- 2.4. Assess and improve the national GHG inventory and other economic and resource data as needed for LEDS development
- Greenhouse Gas Inventory Development Toolkit
- 3a. Analytical Decision Making - Developing BAU Scenario
- 3b. Analytical Decision Making - Assessing Opportunities
- 3b.1. Assess technical potential for sector technologies
- Renewable Energy Technical Potential Toolkit
- Building Energy Assessment Toolkit
- Power System Screening and Design Toolkit
- Land Use Assessment Toolkit
- Bioenergy Assessment Toolkit
- Transportation Assessment Toolkit
- 3b.2. Assess economic and market potential of technologies and initiatives
- Clean Energy Market Analysis Toolkit
- 3b.3. Prioritize development options
- 3c. Analytical Decision Making - Developing and Assessing Low Emissions Development Scenarios
- 3c.1. Develop low emissions growth scenarios
- 3c.2. Assess institutional framework for LEDS
- Financing Initiatives Toolkit
- Policy and Program Design Toolkit
- 3c.3. Assess in-depth contributions of selected scenarios to goals across sectors
- Land-use Scenario Analysis Toolkit
- Energy System and Scenario Analysis Toolkit
- 3c.4. Perform multi-criteria impact analysis and assess stakeholder responses
- Clean Energy Impact Assessment Tool
- Sustainable Land-use Impact Assessment Toolkit
Introduction
The primary purpose of this framework is to support the creation of country-driven, analytically rigorous low emission development strategies (LEDS). LEDS will enable countries to transition to low carbon economic development resulting in sustained growth in employment and investment, increased financial flows through carbon markets, reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and other social, economic, and environmental benefits. As communicated in the Copenhagen Accord, development priorities of partner countries will remain paramount in the evaluation of opportunities through LEDS.
This website, building on a review of similar methodologies and experiences with LEDS internationally, serves as a generalized framework to guide countries through the development of LEDS. A low emissions development strategy is not a fixed process. The application of this framework must be flexible in adapting to a variety of current and projected country conditions and in complementing existing climate- and development-related programs. To enable its portability in different settings, the framework emphasizes the purpose, resources, and products of each component. Thus each country can customize its framework by selectively choosing the components and resources needed to achieve a comprehensive, integrated, and stakeholder-based action plan for high-priority sectors. The detailed steps within this framework provide a sample step-by-step process, and are provided as guidance rather than as a prescriptive method.
The framework is designed to ensure that low emission development strategies remain country-driven, focused on benefits to developing countries, and able to attract significant private sector investment. The U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have developed this framework in coordination with international partners and U.S. government agencies (Agency for International Development (USAID), Department of State, Environmental Protection Agency), and Department of Agriculture. This paper supports an interagency U.S. government initiative--Enhancing Capacity for Low Emission Development Strategies--to assist developing countries with preparation and implementation of LEDS, and will continue to evolve and support this dynamic process through multiple iterations.
Guiding Principles
- Strong in-country leadership: The strategy should be led by the country (including sub-national entities and stakeholders) and reflect buy-in and commitment to action; international support should focus on building capacity to apply methods and tools, assisting with broad stakeholder engagement, and sharing of approaches and experiences across countries.
- Alignment with development plans: Development goals should be central to low-emissions development strategies; end products need to demonstrate concrete economic, social, energy security, and environmental development benefits, climate resiliency, and be linked to implementation of existing development programs.
- Centrality of private sector: The private sector and non-governmental community should be engaged in all phases; the plan should continually produce actions that will catalyze sustained private investment.
- Clear linkage with other climate initiatives: This initiative should be closely linked to other programs supporting the UNFCCC, including Market Readiness, Major Economies Forum, Technology Needs Assessments, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions, National Adaptation Plans of Action, and bilateral programs; the framework should support effective integration of complementary efforts across agencies and international donors, enabling leveraged resources and impact.
- Portability of framework: The framework needs to be adaptable to a variety of country conditions (e.g., regulatory capacity, resource availability, level of political support, private sector investment) and be able to effectively plug into and build from previous and existing studies and programs.
- Sustained implementation and plan refinement: The framework should include steps for achieving effective implementation and concrete results and an iterative process for continual monitoring of progress and refinement of the plan.