Brussels / Panama City. The heavily contested hydro power project Barro Blanco, approved under the UN offsetting scheme, continues to impede ongoing peace talks between the Panamanian government and the indigenous Ngöbe-Buglé people over a law banning mining and hydroelectric projects in indigenous territories.
Durban, South Africa. As countries are negotiating a new global climate regime, a CDM Watch paper released today calls for immediate action to close loopholes in the rules under the current climate regime. The policy brief shows that the flawed rules could easily negate the reduction pledges developed countries have made for 2020 and in the worst case, even undermine a third commitment period.
Durban, South Africa. As countries are negotiating the global climate crisis, an open letter sent by a broad coalition of green groups including Greenpeace, WWF and Friends of the Earth to the COP Presidency today calls for an exclusion of coal power projects from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Groups claim such projects undermine the integrity of the CDM and the already weak climate targets.
Durban. A study released today confirms that over 20% of all carbon credits under the UN’s offsetting scheme could come from business-as-usual large hydro projects. The study also points out the significant social and environmental impacts of these projects and calls for an overhaul of the project evaluation process. Civil society groups call on Environment Ministers to address shortcomings at the upcoming climate change negotiations in Durban.
Durban, South Africa. In a crucial move, the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Executive Board yesterday suspended coal power offsetting projects because the rules used to calculate emission reductions cause artificial carbon credits. Pressure on the EU is mounting to call for a ban of these projects at the climate change conference starting next week in Durban.
Brussels. A report published today by the UNFCCC’s expert panel shows that coal power plants that receive climate finance through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) may receive millions of artificial carbon credits under current rules.
Brussels. A study released today identifies deep systematic flaws in the crediting rules of coal plants under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The research also shows that they do not reduce emissions compared to business as usual but could earn 451 million artificial carbon credits by 2020 and claim billions of Euros in climate finance. CDM Watch calls for the removal of this project type from the CDM.
Brussels. The CDM Executive Board approved two controversial Indian mega projects: a new coal fired power plant and a hydro power plant which had recently made headlines because of its non-additionality and the harm reportedly caused to the local population.
Brussels. CDM Watch and International Rivers call on the CDM Executive Board to reject the mega Rampur Hydroelectric Project in India from receiving CDM carbon credits because it does not comply with essential CDM requirements. They also call on the Swedish Energy Agency, as a party involved in the project, to prove compliance with World Commission of Dams criteria.
Brussels/Washington. The UN´s CDM Executive Board has once again failed to address flawed rules of controversial coal and HFC-23 projects. Environmental groups are now calling on the European Union to ban carbon credits from coal projects in the EU´s Emissions Trading Scheme. The groups also call for additional safeguards to exclude credits from projects linked to human rights abuses.
Kaisa Amaral, Communications Director
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