Markets must increase climate ambition – Carbon Market Watch priorities at the COP23 in Bonn

BRUSSELS 3 November 2017. The next round of UN climate talks takes place in Bonn from 6 to 17 November, under the Fijian Presidency, on how to implement the Paris climate deal. One open question is the role carbon markets will play in meeting global climate targets. Carbon Market Watch will be in Bonn to follow …

CDM credits not fit to meet Paris goals – study

A recent study by Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) looking at credits issued under the UN offsetting measure, the Clean Development Mechanism, warns governments against using them to meet their pledges under the Paris Agreement. In the past, when judging the quality of an offsetting project, most people looked at questions such as: is the methodology used to …

Markets negotiations make little progress in Bonn

Despite the political uncertainties around US’ participation in the Paris Agreement, technical negotiations on how to implement the landmark climate deal, including through carbon markets, continued at the UN Climate Conference earlier this month. While delegations underlined continued commitment to the Paris Agreement goals, little progress was made on the Article 6. Disagreements over the …

Building blocks for a robust Sustainable Development Mechanism

The Paris Agreement marks a new era for international climate action in general, and specifically for international carbon markets. Though the agreement does not mention markets per se, Article 6 paragraph 4 establishes what has become to be known as the Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM) which builds on and shares some features of the Kyoto flexible mechanisms namely the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI).

Recommendations for the review of the modalities and procedures for the Clean Development Mechanism

Prepared for Subsidiary Body for Implementation, 46th Session, 8-18 May 2017 Carbon Market Watch welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the discussions on the review of the modalities and procedures for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – SBI agenda item 7. While the Clean Development Mechanism plays no role in the Paris Agreement, the ongoing …

Fostering sustainable development through climate action – what should the future UN mechanism look like?

In May, climate negotiators will again gather to flesh out the rules to implement the landmark Paris climate agreement. One of the topics on the agenda is the Sustainable Development Mechanism. To be effective, the successor to the Clean Development Mechanism must guarantee real, measurable and long-term benefits both in terms of emission reductions and …

Good-Bye Kyoto: Transitioning away from offsetting after 2020

The 2015 Paris Agreement, which sets out the framework for global climate action after 2020, includes the establishment of the Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM). The goals of the SDM are to promote higher ambition that contributes to emission reductions and sustainable development, and deliver an overall mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.

New study adds urgency to end UN carbon offsetting scheme

Brussels 19 April 2017. The European Commission has released a new study showing major flaws in carbon offsets from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). As countries flesh out the rules to implement the Paris Agreement, Carbon Market Watch calls for an end to the scheme, and a shift away from offsetting as a climate policy …