1 April 2014: The UNFCCC Secretariat has published the recommendation of the Joint Implementation (JI) Supervisory Committee (JISC) on aligning the JI accreditation system with that of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) (FCCC/SBI/2014/5).

The document contains a recommendation that proposes aligning the JI and CDM accreditation systems through the establishment of a joint accreditation committee which would, under the authority and supervision of the JISC and CDM Executive Board, carry out accreditation functions under both the CDM and JI. The proposed joint accreditation system would make use of the similarities and potential synergies between the CDM and JI accreditation systems, but also take account of the differences in the respective modalities and procedures/guidelines of the two mechanisms.

The recommendation also proposes that this system could apply the rules of CDM accreditation to JI, with the necessary changes, and share accreditation activities, while maintaining the separate accountability of the CDM Executive Board and the JISC to the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP). In this regard, the CDM Executive Board would retain formal accreditation responsibility in respect of designated operational entities (DOEs) and the JISC would retain responsibility for the accreditation of accredited independent entities (AIEs).

Among other benefits, the joint accreditation system would help reduce complexity in the accreditation infrastructure and reduce costs in implementing accreditation functions.

The JISC recommends that the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) consider forwarding to the CMP for consideration and adoption at its 10th session, a draft decision that, among other things, requests the CDM Executive Board and the JISC to establish a joint accreditation committee under their authority and supervision, and to collaborate to revise the regulations of the CDM and JI rules as needed for the operation of the joint committee. [Publication: JISC Recommendation on Aligning the JI and CDM Accreditation Systems]