Recommendations for appeals against decisions of the Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism

The document argues that a robust appeals procedure for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is essential for protecting human rights, ensuring climate integrity, and promoting accountability. Carbon Market Watch recommends that the procedure allow both positive and negative appeals, be open to a broad definition of affected stakeholders beyond project proponents, and cover both procedural and substantive violations. It further suggests that the appeals body must be independent and accountable, and that a separate grievance mechanism is necessary to address adverse social and environmental impacts occurring during project implementation.

• The appeals procedure should cover both positive and negative decisions of the CDM Board, meaning appeals should be allowed against project approvals and the issuance of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs), not just rejections.
• Access to the appeals process must be extended to a broad range of affected stakeholders and civil society, rather than being limited to project proponents or those living in the immediate vicinity of a project.
• Grounds for appeal should include both procedural violations, such as failure to conduct environmental impact assessments or invite stakeholder participation, and substantive challenges regarding a project's baseline, additionality, and contribution to sustainable development.
• A dedicated grievance mechanism is required to address adverse social and environmental impacts that occur during project implementation, as the proposed appeals procedure focuses primarily on compliance with CDM modalities and procedures.

APA

Carbon Market Watch (2016). Recommendations for appeals against decisions of the Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/FINAL-CMW_Position_CDM-appeals-procedure.pdf

Chicago

Carbon Market Watch. Recommendations for appeals against decisions of the Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism. 2016. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/FINAL-CMW_Position_CDM-appeals-procedure.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Carbon Market Watch |title=Recommendations for appeals against decisions of the Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism |date=November 2016 |url=https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/FINAL-CMW_Position_CDM-appeals-procedure.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{carbonmarketwatch2016recommendations, author = {{Carbon Market Watch}}, title = {{Recommendations for appeals against decisions of the Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism}}, publisher = {Carbon Market Watch}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/FINAL-CMW_Position_CDM-appeals-procedure.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }