High-Level Panel on the CDM Policy Dialogue

The panel has been established to conduct a dialogue on the past and future of the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). It consists of distinguished policy makers and representatives of civil society and business who will engage a wide range of stakeholders through meetings and studies to gain a full and unbiased picture of the operations, benefits and shortcomings of the CDM.

The aim of the CDM policy dialogue, which was launched by the UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres and the Chair of the CDM Executive Board Martin Hession at the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban in 2011, is to take stock of the lessons learned implementing the CDM and recommend how to position the mechanism going forward.

Although the policy dialogue was an initiative of the CDM Executive Board, the high-level panel on the CDM policy dialogue will work independently and make its own recommendations. The policy dialogue will be conducted from January to September 2012 and the panel’s work will be submitted to the CDM Executive Board and published in a report immediately afterwards.

The report is expected to provide recommendations for the future design and operations of the CDM, as well as inform negotiations on related issues, including potential new market-based mechanisms.

At its first meeting, the high-level panel on the CDM policy dialogue decided to focus on developing recommendations about the future of the CDM.

The panel affirmed its intention to give due consideration to the evolving policy context, relevant lessons learned, effectiveness, efficiency and integrity, as well as mitigation and sustainable development impact. It committed to undertake this task in an independent, inclusive and transparent manner, with stakeholder input.

This website will be live for a limited period of time and will be closed down when the high-level panel’s work has been concluded. The panel’s final report will be available on the UNFCCC/CDM website.