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Theme: Carbon markets that benefit the poor

Project Name: The Clean Development Mechanism

Introduction:

Many people working in land use and forestry are becoming increasingly aware of the inclusion of their sector in international policy discussions about climate change. Rising levels of atmospheric carbon are a major cause of global climate change. Land-based ecosystems act both positively as a ‘sink’ for carbon (sequestering carbon through photosynthesis), and negatively as a ‘source’ of carbon (through deforestation, decomposition, soil erosion, etc).
Of particular importance to developing countries is the emergence of new opportunities for developing, and attracting foreign investment into, carbon mitigation projects. For the land use sector, this includes afforestation and reforestation. These opportunities are provided within the context of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol, the international agreement on climate change.


Objectives:

IIED is particularly interested in how the CDM can provide benefits to marginalized communities and poor countries. Several publications have been produced on this topic. This project aimed to produce a ‘users’ guide’ to the Clean Development Mechanism.

Key findings/progress to date:

This project enabled the publication of a booklet and creation of a website designed to provide information to forestry and land use audiences, principally in developing countries, who want to find out more about the CDM and how it affects their activities. The existing policy and regulatory framework of the CDM are introduced, and guidance on the eligibility of different project activities is given. The booklet and website also lay out what countries can do to prepare for CDM in the land use sector, as well as providing insight into the wider implications and future development of the CDM.

Key Publications:

• Aukland, L., P. M. Costa, S. Bass, S. Huq, N. Landell-Mills, R. Tipper and R. Carr (2002) Laying the Foundations: Preparing the Land-Use Sector – A Quick Guide to the Clean Development Mechanism. IIED, London. Provide link to report and translated versions

Additional publications/reports on the CDM:

• Huq, S. and H. Reid (2005) ‘Benefit sharing under the clean development mechanism’. In D. Freestone and C. Streck (2005) Making Kyoto Work: Legal Aspects of Implementing the Kyoto Protocol Mechanisms. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Pp 229 – 247.
• Reid, H. and S. Huq (forthcoming) Available Approaches and Tools to Assess Sustainable Development for Efficient National CDM Operation. Paper prepared for UNDP for the Asia Meeting on Clean Development Mechanism Operation, April 2003.
• Huq, S. (2002) Applying sustainable development criteria to CDM projects: The PCF experience. PCFplus Report 10, Washington D.C.

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