12 November 2015, IISD news - The UNFCCC Secretariat has released the annual report of  the Executive Board (EB) of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to the 11th  session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties  to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 11), covering the period from 1 October 2014 to 16  October 2015. The report highlights that the CDM is challenged by continuing low  demand for certified emissions reductions (CERs) and resulting difficulties in  continuing implementation or operation of CDM projects.

Other challenges outlined in the report include: withdrawal of several  designated operational entities (DOEs) as a result of low CER demand; lower  expected future demand through the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU  ETS); and uncertainty regarding the use of the CDM beyond 2020.

Achievements for the reporting period include: registration of more than  7,900 projects and programmes in 107 countries issuing more that 1.6 billion  CERs; establishment of an online platform for the voluntary cancelling of CERs;  and continued use of the CDM by the World Bank for results-based financing  programmes.

With regard to requests made at CMP 10 related to afforestation and  reforestation, the EB recommends, inter alia: revising relevant  methodological standards to sampling methods for the estimation of forested and  non-forested areas; and that the CMP provide further guidance regarding the type  of revegetation activities that would be eligible to determine whether existing  modalities and procedures for revegetation can be applied or new ones need to be  developed.

With regard to simplification and streamlining of the CDM, the EB recommends  that the CMP allow: submission of requests for the revision of a methodology  without a project design document (PDD) if they can be assessed without  project-specific information; and that a DOE may conclude validation without  written approval from the designated national authorities (DNAs) of the host  Party and other Parties involved.

The report contains four Annexes listing: deliverables in response to CMP 10  requests and encouragements; entities accredited or provisionally designated;  regulatory documents approved or revised by the EB; and meetings of the EB and  its regulatory bodies, forums and workshops.

Source:  http://nr.iisd.org/news/cdm-executive-board-reports-to-cop-21/