25 November 2011: The Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), at its 65th meeting, adopted various comprehensive standards, tools and procedures to guide the assessment work of third party certifiers and project participants, including standards for the demonstration of additionality and application of methodologies.

At the meeting, which was held from 21-25 November 2011, in Durban, South Africa, the Board also considered matters relating to: the CDM’s strategic planning and direction; performance management; the Board and its support structure; CDM panels and working groups; accreditation of operational entities; the CDM programme of activities; registration of project activities; issuance of certified emission reductions (CERs); and relations with forums and other stakeholders.

On regulatory matters, the Board adopted several standards and tools, including: “Standard for sampling and surveys for CDM project activities and programme of activities;” “Standard for demonstration of additionality, development of eligibility criteria and application of multiple methodologies for programme of activities;” the “CDM validation and verification standard;” and the “CDM project standard.”

The Board also approved the implementation plan for the CDM project standard, validation and verification standard and project cycle procedure, including its effective date and the transitional arrangements from existing to new processes. It also adopted the “Procedure for submission and consideration of microscale renewable energy technologies for automatic additionality.” The Board also considered the draft guidelines for completing the CDM project design document (PDD) form and the draft “Glossary of CDM terms,” and requested the Secretariat to continue its work on the guidelines and draft, for consideration by the Board at its 66th meeting.

On methodological standards for large-scale CDM project activities, the Board approved the following new methodologies and tools: “Installation of a new natural gas fired gas turbine to an existing CHP plant;” “Integrated Solar Combined Cycle (ISCC) projects;” “Project and leakage emissions from composting.” The Board agreed not to approve the proposed new methodology “Methodology for GHG Emission Reductions Using Advanced Electric Arc Furnace Integrated with High-efficiency Shaft-type Scrap Preheater”.

The Board also approved the new small-scale methodology “Methane oxidation layer (MOL) for solid waste disposal sites.” It also approved the following new afforestation and reforestation methodological tools: “Demonstration of appropriateness of allometric equations for estimation of aboveground tree biomass in A/R CDM project activities;” and “Demonstration of appropriateness of volume equations for estimation of aboveground tree biomass in A/R CDM project activities.” [Publication: Report of CDM EB65]