Designing the Clean Development Mechanism to meet the needs of a broad range of interests

The document analyzes the struggle over the design of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) established by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. It identifies three proposed implementation models—bilateral, multilateral, and unilateral—and notes that the choice of model affects which countries and project types benefit. The authors propose an "open architecture" CDM that allows these designs to complement each other, arguing this is the only way to satisfy diverse interests and reach a consensus in climate negotiations.

• There are three primary proposed implementation models, or architectures, for the Clean Development Mechanism: bilateral, multilateral, and unilateral. The selection of one model over others will determine which countries benefit most and which project types are favored.
• The authors propose an "open architecture" for the CDM, which would allow different design models to complement each other. This approach is presented as a means to deliver a wider range of sustainable development and climate benefits while reconciling conflicting visions to help reach a consensus in climate talks.
• Failure to adopt an open architecture may result in a lack of consensus and an inability for the CDM to meet the diverse interests of the Protocol Parties and its overall expectations.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Designing the Clean Development Mechanism to meet the needs of a broad range of interests. https://www.wri.org/research/designing-clean-development-mechanism-meet-needs-broad-range-interests

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Designing the Clean Development Mechanism to meet the needs of a broad range of interests. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/designing-clean-development-mechanism-meet-needs-broad-range-interests.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Designing the Clean Development Mechanism to meet the needs of a broad range of interests |url=https://www.wri.org/research/designing-clean-development-mechanism-meet-needs-broad-range-interests |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutenddesigning, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Designing the Clean Development Mechanism to meet the needs of a broad range of interests}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/designing-clean-development-mechanism-meet-needs-broad-range-interests}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }