Defining Standardized Baseline: The role of DNAs Malin Ahlberg Co-Chair of the DNA Forum 13 March 2011, Bonn

SB: New responsibility for DNAs Dec.-/CMP.6, Further guidance relating to the CDM, para. 47: Decides that the application of the SBs shall be at the discretion of the host countries DNA. –In general: The involvement of a party in a CDM project is voluntary. –In this case: The application of the SB is not mandatory. Why should DNAs apply SB for project activities?

DNAs should apply SB –Standardized approaches can address several criticisms levelled at the CDM (additionality, regional distribution, time consuming, costly). –Ex-ante identification of project specific benchmarks simplifies and speeds up the project development as well as the approval process. –Inconsistency of decisions on project registration can be reduced. –Decrease of the overall transaction costs - especially if high numbers of projects are developed using the same standardized approach. –Access to the CDM for LDC and underrepresented regions could be improved.

Which sectors and project types? DNAs have to decide which sectors and project types should be prioritized for standardization: –Small and dispersed emissions sources or industrial emission sources? –Should the focus be placed on existing methodologies/sectors? –Should the focus be placed on sectors not currently well represented in the CDM? Conclusion out of the DNA-Forum: DNAs showed great interest in SB, some suggestion for sectors were made. These suggestions should be further elaborated at the regional DNA forum meetings.

Top-down development of SBs –CMP.6 requested the EB to develop SBs, as appropriate, in consultation with relevant DNAs (LDC, SIDS, parties with 10 or less registered projects) and underrepresented project types or regions, e.g. energy generation in isolated systems, transport and agriculture. Furthermore, –CMP.6 requested the secretariat to organize a workshop back-to-back to SBSTA on the issue of SB for facilitating the access to the CDM.

Standardized approaches and PoA –DNAs concern: How to assesses sustainable development impact of CPAs if host parties are only involved at one point in the project cycle (LoA for PoA). –Project developers criticize that in some countries each CPA has to be submitted to the DNA – no simplification. – Solution for DNAs could be to define sustainability criteria for CPAs on PoA level (comparable with the eligibility criteria for CPAs). Simplification of international regulations should be supported by appropriated simplification of national regulations.

Conclusion: The role of DNA –Defining priority areas for the development of SB. –Supporting the establishment of a data collection infrastructure. –…. including the data collection for the monitoring. – Supporting project developers in implementing projects. –Defining sustainability criteria for these project activities. Outlook: Mandate of DNAs in the post-2012 Climate Framwork could be extended to a coordinator of NAMAs.

Thank you for your attention Malin Ahlberg Internet: