Apeaning, Raphael

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Biography

Raphael Apeaning is a Lead Researcher in the Climate and Sustainability Program at KAPSARC and an integrated assessment modeler with expertise in energy transition strategies and policy. Prior to joining KAPSARC, he was a researcher at the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal in Washington, DC, where he contributed to expanding the portfolio of carbon dioxide removal technologies for climate modeling and to developing market mechanisms for negative emission technologies.

Publications

See all Raphael’s publications
  • Discussion papers
Integrating Fairness Principles into Global Net-Zero Targets A Systematic Exploration of Fair Climate Policy

Integrating Fairness Principles into Global Net-Zero Targets A Systematic Exploration of Fair Climate Policy

Equity is a cornerstone of international climate policy, yet operationalizing “fair” burden-sharing remains challenging. Here we present a comprehensive effort-sharing framework that systematically spans a broad spectrum of principles, rather than limiting analysis to a few discrete definitions, to allocate the remaining global mitigation burden. We integrate these diverse fairness criteria with varying regional mitigation rates and limits on negative emissions, thereby bridging the gap between committed and fair net-zero target years.

1st June 2025
Limiting Carbon Dioxide Removal Could Exacerbate Global Economic Inequality

Limiting Carbon Dioxide Removal Could Exacerbate Global Economic Inequality

The Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius (°C), and ideally 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels, places significant emphasis on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies. However, the global landscape for CDR deployment remains uneven, with significant disparities in technological capacity, economic readiness, and regional ambition. This study investigates how limited access to CDR technologies could exacerbate global economic inequality under a 1.5°C pathway. Using the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM v6.0), six scenarios – ranging from unrestricted CDR availability to constrained deployment – are evaluated. Our findings reveal that constrained CDR availability significantly increases median global carbon prices, rising from US$588 per ton of carbon dioxide (tCO2) in the full CDR portfolio scenario to $937/tCO2 by 2055 in the most restrictive scenario. By 2100, some regions will face prices exceeding $3,000/tCO2, underscoring stark regional inequalities. These elevated carbon prices could deepen economic disparities, particularly in developing nations and fossil fuel-dependent economies. Furthermore, constrained CDR availability could also amplify inequalities in energy and food security, disproportionately affecting poorer regions. The study underscores the need for equitable CDR access to support a just global transition to a low-carbon future, offering valuable insights for policymakers designing more equitable climate strategies.

16th April 2025
Key Drivers of Decarbonizing Hard- to-Abate Energy- System Sectors by Midcentury

Key Drivers of Decarbonizing Hard- to-Abate Energy- System Sectors by Midcentury

To limit global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C, achieving a net-zero or near-zero greenhouse gas emission energy system by midcentury is essential. This ambitious target requires the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors, particularly transportation and heavy industry. This study employs an integrated energy-economic-climate assessment model to explore decarbonization pathways aligned with these temperature goals.

2nd December 2024

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