Clean Development Mechanism

Once certified, emission reductions become a legal tender. They are globally transferable as tradable assets on a market that is determined by supply and demand.

 

On the greenhouse gas market, two cap and trade programs have set specifications for the level of emission reductions, the deadlines and the methodologies: the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (that went into effect on January 1, 2005 for the 25 EU member states; first phase is 2005-2007) and the Kyoto Protocol (first phase is 2008-2012).

 

Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol established the Clean Development echanism, designed to meet two main objectives: the promotion of sustainable developments in host countries and the creation of opportunities for investing parties to meet their reduction commitments. CDM reductions are called Certified Emission Reductions (CERs).

 

WWR offers CERs from its CDM-approved sustainable waste treatment projects, as an option to emitters to meet their caps.

 

For more information, see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change