Standardized baselines

What is standardized baseline framework? Why are standardized baselines needed? How to develop standardized baselines?

• By far the determination of baseline and demonstration of additionality are the most complex and time consuming aspects related to a the evaluation of mitigation outcome in terms of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reduction  project activities under CDM for individual project activities or PoA. A standardized baseline (SB) simplifies these aspects by defining a standardized baseline scenario, baseline emission factor and/or additionality criteria for a sector, which could potentially be applicable to all mitigation activities  in this sector. The standardized baseline is the key regulatory reform of CDM to make it simple, cost effective, objective, predictable and scalable.

•  At the sixth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) in 2010, Parties requested the CDM Executive Board (the Board) to develop standardized baselines (SBs), as appropriate, in consultation with relevant designated national authorities (DNAs). The SB framework was developed by the Board at its 62^nd meeting in July 2011 which became the basis for development of standardized baselines. The SB framework is being continuously improved based on the lessons learned. The documents related to SB framework are available on CDM website on this link. The webpage contains the key documents for development and submission of SBs including submissions of SBs made by Designated National Authority (DNA) of various Parties, the SBs which are being developed through top-down process and approved SBs by the Board.

• The regulatory framework contains all the necessary documents required to plan an SB; collect and check the data for the requisite quality; develop/ evaluate/ approve an SB; and develop/validate/verify the projects that uses an SB. This diagram
  
  depicts the elements of SB framework supporting various phases of SBs.