Joint Implementation (JI) projects are supported by public and private organisations in the industrialised countries (Annex I), contributing to the achievement of the Kyoto Protocol objectives and obtaining emission reduction units (ERUs).
The JI works in a similar way to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), with the exception that the host country is not a developing country, but one of the countries listed in Annex I.
All Annex I countries are potential hosts for JI projects, including those with a transition economy: the latter are the most likely candidates to host JI projects, due to the lower costs associated with their implementation.
The interested party informs the Secretariat of its Designated Focal Points (DFPs) and the national guidelines for JI project approval procedures. The interested party may authorise legal persons to participate in JI projects. These can only transfer and/or acquire ERU if the authorising party meets the requirements to do so. These requirements are further defined by the Marrakesh Accords.
JI procedure: If the host country meets all eligibility requirements, it may apply its JI project selection rules, choose the criteria to be used, and then register and transfer the credits to the participants.
The JI procedure is under the supervision of the host country: the determination of project eligibility, monitoring and verification of emissions reductions is subject only to national rules and procedures.
RINA, as a Designated Operational Entity (DOE) accredited for CDM under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, may approve projects that generate emission reduction units under the JI procedure for industrialised countries (Annex I). In some countries, such as Bulgaria, project approval can be carried out by an organisation accredited by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Executive Board.