In Focus

CDM auditors gather in Seoul for annual calibration meeting

The UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) should continue to nurture the significant expertise that has been built over the past 15 years in the designated operational entities (DOEs) that validate CDM projects and programmes and verify/certify emission reductions from those projects and programmes.

This was the key message from 20 participants from 11 DOEs around the world who gathered for the two-day calibration workshop in Seoul, Republic of Korea, last week. The workshop calibrated the DOEs with the recent changes in the CDM standards and procedures as well as brought them to a common understanding by discussing real-life cases. The workshop also provided an excellent platform to share experiences and best practices among participants, besides helping the UN Climate Change secretariat take feedback for future revision of regulatory documents.

“The two-day workshop was very helpful and fruitful,” said Werner Betzenbichler, Chair of the designated operational entity and accredited independent entity Coordination Forum. “The CDM Executive Board should attempt to make this training mandatory for all DOEs and ensure access to presentations and training material to all auditors including those who could not attend this workshop.”

“The secretariat and the CDM Executive Board always want to ensure that the DOEs perform at the highest level so that Parties, the public and all stakeholders have absolute faith in the integrity of the CDM,” said Rajesh Sethi, Manager, Registration and Issuance Unit, at the UN Climate Change secretariat and Secretary to the CDM Executive Board. “Any wrong assessment or slip by a DOE can spoil the environmental integrity of the CDM. Accordingly, the role of DOEs and calibration of understanding of CDM standards and procedures are extremely important.”

The logistics of the workshop were provided by Korea Energy Agency, a government agency, which provided visa support to participants and a venue for the workshop.

Currently there are 31 CDM DOEs across the world and the CDM has catalysed the registration of more than 8,100 projects and programmes of activities in 111 developing countries and has led to the issuance of more than 2 billion certified emission reductions from these projects and programmes.