CDM - Clean Development Mechanism

CDM helps to implement greenhouse gas reduction projects in developing countries by public or private investors with the aim of:

• promoting sustainable growth in developing countries
• contributing to the achievement of the Kyoto Protocol objectives by industrialised countries
• obtaining credits that can be traded on the carbon market or used by European companies falling within the scope of the Emission Trading Directive.

Legal Framework

The project compliance assessment is based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN operational body on climate change, coordinating the implementation of CDM projects and accrediting third-party audit bodies, called Designated Operating Entities (DOEs).

Validation Procedure

• Publication of the “Project Design Document” for comments on the UNFCCC website
• Validation of the project and evaluation of the comments received. If the comments are not sufficiently motivated, RINA may request clarifications from commentators.

Verification Procedure

• publication of the “Monitoring Report” on the UNFCCC website
• project verification.

Why RINA?

RINA is a Designated Operational Entity (DOE) accredited by UNFCCC to conduct validations and verifications of CDM projects in the following areas:

1. Energy industries (renewable/non-renewable sources) 
2. Energy distribution
3. Energy demand
4. Manufacturing industries
5. Chemical industry
6. Construction
7. Transport
9. Metal production
10. Fugitive emissions from fuels (solid, oil and gas)
11. Fugitive emissions from production and consumption of halocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride
13. Waste handling and disposal
14. Afforestation and reforestation
15. Agriculture

Q&A

Who presents a CDM project?
Public or private investors, belonging to industrialised or developing countries.

What is meant by validation and verification of projects?
It is an independent compliance assessment carried out by a third-party body, based on the CDM requirements available on the UNFCCC site.

How long does a validation process take?
On average between 9 months and 2 years: the duration depends to a large extent on the quality of the project presented.