24 October 2011: The UNFCCC Secretariat has published a document containing recommendations by the Joint Implementation Supervisory Committee (JISC) on options for building on the approach embodied in joint implementation (FCCC/KP/CMP/2011/9).

The recommendations were made in response to a mandate given by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP) to the JISC. The COP/MOP decided to initiate, at its seventh session, the first review of the joint implementation (JI) guidelines and requested the JISC to make recommendations on options for building on the approach embodied in JI. In making the recommendations, the JISC focused on practical approaches to generating offset credits that would both ensure environmental integrity and compatibility with the domestic policy instruments otherwise implemented by parties.

The recommendations made by the JISC include that: the JI guidelines be revised to replace the current two-track approach with a single, unified project cycle; a new governing body be established for the single project cycle; the demonstration of additionality for activities be regulated primarily by host parties as part of their registration processes; the issuance of credits by the governing body should trigger a subsequent and equivalent deduction from the emission targets adopted by the respective host parties; further consideration be given to establishing an appeals process to allow consideration of appeals against decisions of the governing body; further consideration be given to the development of a unified accreditation process for JI and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM); and eligibility requirements be fulfilled by parties before they are able to participate as host parties or recipients of offset credits under JI.

The seventh session of the COP/MOP will take place in Durban, South Africa, from 28 November – 9 December 2011. [Publication: Recommendations on Options for Building on the Approach Embodied in Joint Implementation]