The main goal of the thesis is to develop a monitoring instrument for climate policy that is based on the Kyoto Protocol and the IPCC guidelines. The instrument developed is based on a "Full Carbon Accounting" approach which takes into account the carbon flows of the biosphere as well as those related to society's metabolism. Conceptually the analysis is based on the epistemological concept of society nature interaction comprising society's metabolism and colonisation of nature as main starting points. This leads to the empirical concept of material flow analysis. The thesis quantifies the carbon flows and the related uncertainties of the Austrian economy for 1990 for selected areas in a consistent way. The thesis also tries to build up a framework for system of indicators that would allow evaluating climate policy. (author´s abstract)

Food waste is a desirable feedstock for anaerobic digestion because it is high in moisture and is an easily degradable material. However, mono-digestion of food waste often fails due to the accumulation of volatile fatty acids. Supplementing trace elements is one strategy to combat this issue. This study examined the effect of supplementing trace elements (iron, nickel, selenium, molybdenum, magnesium, zinc, calcium, copper, manganese, cobalt) on the methane yield and organic waste destruction of anaerobically digested food waste. Methane yield of food waste with and without the inorganic salt trace element was determined by the gas density-based biomethane potential method at mesophilic (37°C) conditions over 30 days. The three treatments were inoculum only, food waste and inoculum, and food waste and inoculum with an added trace element solution. There was no significant difference between treatments in terms of waste stabilization (percent volatile solids, total solids, and total chemical oxygen demand reduction) between treatments. The average cumulative biogas produced was 41% higher, and the average total cumulative methane produced was 23% higher in the treatment with the trace element supplement. Mean methane yield was not different (p > 0.05) between treatments over the 30 days, and there was no difference (p > 0.05) in biomethane potential between treatments. In addition, greenhouse gas reduction potential was estimated from food waste streams in Montgomery, VA using anaerobic digestion. The purpose of this work was to (1) estimate the total mass of food waste produced in Montgomery, VA in a year, (2) use the results from the biomethane potential analyses to inform the sizing of a theoretical community digester in Montgomery, VA, and (3) estimate the greenhouse gas reduction potential of anaerobically digesting the food waste instead of sending it to landfill. Greenhouse gas reduction was calculated using the Climate Action Reserve Organic Waste Digestion Project Protocol guidelines. The greenhouse gas reduction potential was estimated as 6,532 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year (tCO2e/year), with approximately 693 m3 methane produced per day. In one year, the digester would generate an estimated 7370 kWh of energy which has the potential to power 149 homes for a year in Montgomery, VA. In addition, 4130 tonnes/year of composted digestate would be available as fertilizer for surrounding farms. / Master of Science / Currently, about one-third of the entire U.S. food supply is lost or wasted. A large portion of that food waste is sent to landfills, where it produces methane, a greenhouse gas. Instead, food waste can be broken down to produce biogas during anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is a process in which microorganisms break down organic materials in the absence of oxygen to produce biogas and digestate, a material used as a soil amendment or fertilizer. However, anaerobically digesting food waste often leads to process instability and failure due to a buildup of undesirable intermediates. Microorganisms in anaerobic digestion require certain trace elements (i.e., iron, copper) that food waste often lacks; therefore, supplementing key trace elements may improve the anaerobic digestion of food waste. This research aimed to assess the effect of supplementing key trace elements (iron, copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium, nickel, manganese, selenium, molybdenum, cobalt) on organic matter degradation and methane yield. Methane yield of food waste with and without the inorganic salt trace element was determined by the gas density-based biomethane potential method at mesophilic (37°C) conditions over 30 days. The average cumulative biogas produced was 41% higher, and the average total cumulative methane produced was 23% higher in the bottles containing a trace element supplement. No significant difference was seen in the two groups when comparing organic matter degradation. These results demonstrate that supplementing trace elements can improve biogas and methane production. Greenhouse gas reductions from anaerobically digesting food waste instead of sending it to landfills were determined for Montgomery, VA. The results from the biomethane potential test informed the design of a theoretical community digester. Greenhouse gas reduction was calculated using the Climate Action Reserve Organic Waste Digestion Project Protocol equations. The greenhouse gas reduction was determined as 6,532 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year (tCO2e/year). The digester would produce approximately 693 m3 methane/day, which has the potential to power 149 homes for a year in Montgomery, VA. In addition, 4130 tonnes/year of compost would be produced and available as a fertilizer for surrounding farms.

隨著氣候變遷及其不利影響的科學證據日益明確，國際社會與主權國家從1980年代以來關懷思考如何因應氣候議題。台灣受限於特殊的國際地位，難以參與《氣候變遷綱要公約》與《京都議定書》為主的國際氣候談判，但是台灣如何因應氣候議題，對於國內與國際都具有重要性。對於國內而言，氣候變遷產生議題連結的效果，加劇環境退化現象，觸發極端氣候事件的頻率與程度，衝擊處於生態脆弱的台灣。對於國際而言，台灣屬於主要的排放溫室氣體國家，意謂台灣是否願意承諾積極的減排責任，對於全球氣候行動舉足輕重。然而，當台灣從2005年推動《溫室氣體減量法》的立法過程，卻採取消極的政治立場，不僅不願意建立積極的減量目標與期程，同時立法院也不願意通過該法以因應全球氣候倡議。本研究討論不同國家面對國際氣候行動採取各自的政治立場，台灣為何選擇消極的政治立場。 在研究理論與方法上，本研究提出修正的利益解釋模型，該模型認為有兩個因素得以解釋國家因應國際環境倡議的立場。第一個因素是風險認知，其認為國家面對國際環境倡議的政治立場，考量國內民眾對於生態脆弱性的風險認知。第二個因素是考量污染減量經濟成本，國內決策者基於各自的成本與利益考量，在決策過程中彼此協商，形塑國家減量成本與利益盤算，當減量成本越低，則國家越傾向於支持國際環境行動，反之亦然。基於修正模型的假定，本研究利用不同的研究方法與資料，分析上述兩項因素。在風險認知面向，本研究利用中央研究院社會學研究所進行台灣社會變遷基本調查2010年六期一次問卷Ⅱ環境題組的實證資料進行統計分析。在減量成本面向，本研究就《溫室氣體減量法》立法過程涉及相關行為者進行深度訪談，透過質化分析理解不同行為者在決策過程的互動。 在研究結果上，本研究發現在風險認知上，台灣民眾儘管認知氣候風險的嚴重性，但是考量氣候變遷的不利影響與後續因應都具有長期特性，降低民眾支持台灣採取積極的政治立場以因應氣候議題的意願。在減量成本上，因應氣候議題的決策形成一種姿態政治（gestural politics），儘管積極倡議台灣必須因應國際氣候議題，但是卻不願意制訂涵蓋積極減量目標與總量管制的《溫室氣體減量法》，其原因在於氣候決策嵌入能源與產業結構的挑戰。在能源結構上，台灣面對核能使用的政治爭議，加以再生能源短期難以巨幅成長，使得台灣仍然呈現以化石燃料為主的能源結構。在產業結構上，既有發展型國家的思維使得政治菁英傾向於強調發展的重要性，依賴高污染、高耗能與高排碳產業推動國家經濟發展，而難以透過調整能源價格等政治策略，改變依賴高排碳產業的產業結構。