Net Climate Change Mitigation of the Clean Development Mechanism

The document evaluates the net climate mitigation impact of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), arguing that its success in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions depends heavily on the additionality of large-scale power projects. It notes that while the CDM was originally designed to shift the location of emission reductions, subsequent international agreements like the Cancun Agreements aim for a net global decrease in emissions. The authors suggest that if large-scale power projects are non-additional, the CDM could potentially increase global greenhouse gas emissions.

• The net mitigation impact of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is primarily dependent on whether large-scale power projects are additional, as these projects are expected to produce most of the future CDM credits.
• If large-scale power projects are truly additional and operate beyond the credit issuance period, they will reduce global greenhouse gas emissions; conversely, if they are mostly non-additional, they may increase global emissions.
• The CDM was originally intended to shift the location of emission reductions without creating a net mitigation impact, but the Cancun Agreements and subsequent COPs called for mechanisms that ensure a net decrease or avoidance of global greenhouse gas emissions.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2014). Net Climate Change Mitigation of the Clean Development Mechanism. https://www.sei.org/publications/net-climate-change-mitigation-of-the-clean-development-mechanism/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Net Climate Change Mitigation of the Clean Development Mechanism. 2014. https://www.sei.org/publications/net-climate-change-mitigation-of-the-clean-development-mechanism/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Net Climate Change Mitigation of the Clean Development Mechanism |date=22 May 2014 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/net-climate-change-mitigation-of-the-clean-development-mechanism/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2014net, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Net Climate Change Mitigation of the Clean Development Mechanism}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2014}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/net-climate-change-mitigation-of-the-clean-development-mechanism/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }