ran?d

trim Implementation

,7 .?ttinoml from page i

j?m pr?gram mare workable. including

a creation of a governmental

cretariatfspecial staff to help administer

:3 and serve as a focal p?lnl to hElP
?image the program. Another important

ue was not limiting the concei3t ?3 

This will allow projects it] be
galuaied on the basis of greenhouse gases

iiti it reduces. avoids or sequesters.

comments more com-

erte definitions or clarifications of proce-

. res were left for an Evaluation Panel.

these procedures are eventually clari-

?a i could have a significant impact on

ustry. 

5 *ie GCC remains strongly concerned

at the concept of "additionality." The

. sed groundrules appear to require that

programs include specific measures

reduce or sequester greenhouse gas

ssions that would not otherwise have

5. it taken.

dustry is concerned with how this term

.: ultimately be defined and thinks that
'rverly stringent application of the crite-
.-vou d make viable projects difficult.

. firms would be able undertake joint

lementation projects solely on the

as of reducing greenhouse gas emis-

us. although this consideration could be
.cient to tilt the balance in favor of an

ranvise marginal economic venture.

'2 acts that achieve emissions reductions

::.rld be provided appropriate recogni?

regardless of the motivation for

:ing the investment. In summary. overly
?t interpretation of ?f?additionalityf? could

.: .gtantially limit U.S. industry participa-

in joint implementation projects under

Q). jjy

. .5. business and industry can con-

.ttE to and benefit from participation in

"ojects. Such efforts will help identify

markets and strong overseas partners.

s. rnote the exchange of technology and

table information. reduce costs. bring

i?tCl rates of return on investments. and

opportunities to diversify and obtain

ti't? commercial benefits. Joint imple-

2'rtation should be defined so as to

aurage collaborative projects that make

economic sense and reduce green-

se gas emissions. That is the spirit of

president?s Climate Change Action

s. a spirit American industry can enthu-

:-:ically support. .

CLIMATE WATCH

 

 

emissions in developing nations.

related to joint implementation.

 

STATE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHES GROUNDRULES 
FOR TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION

What is the US. Initiative on joint Implementation 

program that aims to encourage private sector investment and innovati
development and dissemination of technologies that reduce greenhous

What were the key changes made in the guidelines! GCC and other groups
voiced concerns that evaluating projects based on ?net'emissions.? as the
groundrules originally proposed. could be interpreted as requiring submitters to
total their domestic and international emissions from all projects. The State
Department changed the language throughout the text to ensure that projects will
be evaluated on the basis of the emissions that they reduce or sequester.

The department also extended the definition of eligible participants to include
groups. thereby taking into account "the potential for a consortium of companies
coordinate in the preparation and implementation of a ll project.? .

The department. again incorporating comments. deleted the requirement
that projects be registered under the 1992 Energy Policy Act. it also left room to
include projects begun before the Framework Convention. provided that submit-
ters demonstrate that the projects were implemented in anticipation of joint
implementation andfor that the project was altered to reflect considerations

The panel also may consider a project's potential to lead to reductions else-
where and its potential effects apart from greenhouse gas reductions and seques-
tration. Domestic emissions reduction and sequestration efforts by both US. and
foreign participants also may figure into the panel's evaluation. 

a

The USIJI is a pilot

oninthe
a gas

 

 

ewly released proposed guide?
lines for the voluntary report-
ing of greenhouse gas emis?
sions reductions by utilities
and other entities reflect a level of flex-
ibility that is engendering optimism
amongseveral GCC are
now examining the documentation
more closely. Required by the 1992
Energy Policy Act. the guidelines have
been cited by many industries as the
key to their continued voluntary efforts
in support of President Clinton?s
Climate Change Action Plan.

The proposed guidelines. published
by the Department of Energy on lune
l. outline rules for the voluntary
reporting of reductions of carbon
dioxide. nitrous oxide. methane and
halogenated carbon substances. The
guidelines establish the framework for
the forms to be developed by the
Energy Information Administration for
the voluntary reporting of greenhouse

 

 

gases.

 

 

GCC MEMBERS OPTIMISTIC AFTER RELEASE OF
VOLUNTARY REPORTING GUIDELINES

To encourage broad participation
and small-scale initiatives. the DOE
proposes to allow any US. citizen or
resident alien. incorporated group or
government entity to report its reduc-
tion or sequestration efforts as long as
it can ?define a project and report

physical data in enough detail to quan-
tify results of the activity.? Similarly.
DOE is not proposing a minimum
reporting threshold and is suggesting
that third parties. such as trade associa-
tions. be able to report aggregate data

from the reduction or sequestration

efforts of multiple entities.

DOE also is broadening its criteria for
eligible projects. so that participation
in the Climate Challenge program will
not be limited to projects that result in
net greenhouse gas emission reduc-
tions. ?Project-level reporting provides
maximum is
facilitated since growing entities would
be able to report. even though their

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