At the last CDM Executive Board (EB) meeting in October 2010, the EB discussed a proposal to make CDM auditors (DOEs) which originally approved the project liable for excess carbon offsets from approved projects[1]. The EB did not make a final decision on the issue of liability but did make several important recommendations for reform that could help improve the quality of auditors’ work. The EB recommended a procedure that would automatically suspend DOEs from the market while mistakes are investigated and would cancel identified excess CERs within 30 days after the end of an investigation. Furthermore, DOE performance will be made publicly available to improve transparency and access to information on the performance of DOEs.

CDM Watch very much welcomes this proposal by the secretariat that would ensure full transparency on the performance of DOEs and recommends adopting the draft procedures as proposed.