Japan's Environment Ministry Releases Manual to Evaluate Climate Change Projects Using the 'Co-Benefits' Approach

The Japanese Ministry of the Environment announced on June 12, 2009, the release of a manual for using quantitative methods to evaluate projects that use the co-benefits approach to address climate change, particularly under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). They were created with the goal of achieving proper environmental pollution control, as one of needs for sustainable development, in developing countries and greenhouse gas mitigation. The manual is aimed at encouraging businesses to proactively and effectively implement CDM and other mitigation projects, by helping to more easily quantify the benefits of such projects.

The CDM is intended to support sustainable development in developing countries, while meeting the emission reduction targets of developed countries. At present, many of the credits earned through CDM projects have little benefit other than the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, for example in projects to destroy chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs, one type of greenhouse gas). The importance of the co-benefits approach is therefore starting to attract more attention.

This manual focuses on using the co-benefits approach to evaluate CDM and other mitigation projects that also help to improve water pollution, air pollution and waste related problem, by providing specific evaluation indices and calculation methods to improve project benefits.

Co-benefits Approach to Climate Change and CDM in Developing Countries
http://www.kyomecha.org/cobene/e/index.html

Posted: 2009/10/12 06:00:15 AM