The Executive’s Daily Green Briefing

April 13, 2008

Environmental Benefit Of CDM Questioned, Again

cdm2.jpgU.N. regulators who administer the Clean Development Mechanism have objected to dozens of developing-world projects in recent months, questioning whether projects produce a real environmental benefit and raising concerns about some independent auditors of the projects, the Wall Street Journal reports.

In June, one senior figure suggested there may be faults with up to 20 percent of the carbon credits already sold. Since these are used by European governments and corporations to justify increases in emissions, the effect is that in some cases the process has added to the net amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.

In 2007, the CDM’s executive board rejected nine percent of proposed projects and held up another 21 percent for further review. In previous years, practically every project was passed.

If the CDM’s approach were to be discredited, companies could be forced to stop buying carbon credits and will have to cut their own emissions - a move that would cost companies and consumers significantly more.

A member of the U.N. board recently expressed concern that the system may be open to what she called “collusion” between auditors and project developers to push through environmentally dubious projects.

The stakes for both groups are huge. The global carbon market will see 4.2 billion tons carbon emissions transacted during 2008, up 56 percent from last year, according to research from Point Carbon. At today’s prices, that would make the market worth $92 billion.

A report written last month by the Stockholm Environment Institute and commissioned by WWF Germany examined the voluntary carbon offset market.

Join the Discussion

Today's News

Recycle To Save Energy–The Sooner The Better

Recycle To Save Energy–The Sooner The Better

Recycling rates in the U.S. are low and getting lower. The U.S., by far the world's biggest consumer of aluminum ... continue »

Using Green IT To Get Out Of The Red And Into The Black
Measuring, Managing, Saving: Making Energy Efficiency Visible
Lean And Clean With Green Purchasing
‘Recyclable’ Is So Last-Century
Environmental Initiatives Top Of Mind For Financial Services Execs

Environmental Initiatives Top Of Mind For Financial Services Execs

Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of financial institution executives say they plan to build new or undergo a major remodel of an existing ...

click to view full size chart »

Consumers Want Brands To Solve Climate Crisis
Belief In Global Warming Slips
U.S. Lags Behind On Green Consumption And Behavior
Restaurants Explore Sustainability With ‘Conserve’ Initiative

Restaurants Explore Sustainability With ‘Conserve’ Initiative

This promotional video features restaurateurs discussing sustainable solutions and Conserve, the environmental initiative of the National Restaurant Association....

click to view video »

Polar Bears On Thin Ice, Listed As ‘Threatened’
HP Exec On Product Takeback
Sony, Mohawk Bring Greener Products To Market
The Bottom Line

Marketing

Consumers Reward Good Corporate Behavior - Unless There’s A Big Sale

Green Meetings Don’t Have To Cost More Green

Green Marketing Campaigns Not Sticking

Emissions

Mars Snackfood Unwraps Landfill Gas Project

Honeywell, Airbus, JetBlue, IAE Developing Aviation Biofuel

EnerNOC Buys Offsets To Remain Carbon Neutral

Hi-Tech

EPS Developing Energy Use Monitoring System

Dell To Increase PC Energy Efficiency 25% By 2010

HP Exec On Product Takeback

Efficiency

Restaurants Explore Sustainability With ‘Conserve’ Initiative

ASHRAE Best Design Practices Could Cut Warehouse Energy Use 30%

Environmental Initiatives Top Of Mind For Financial Services Execs

Manufacturing

Dupont, Genencor Invest $140M In Cellulosic Ethanol Joint Venture

Smart Papers Installing Honeywell Biomass Co-Gen Plant

Ford Racks Up Another Environmental First

Carbon Offsets/RECs

Voluntary Carbon Market Tripled In 2007, Hit $331M

Enel Buys $232 Million Of Carbon Credits From China’s Wuhan Steel

RGGI Cap And Trade To Go Online Sept. 10

CSR Reports

Starbucks Plans Renewable Energy Buy, Green Building Standards

Brazilian, Indian Companies Dominate GRI Reporting Awards

CSR: Chevron To Invest $2.5B in Alternative, Renewable Energy Tech

Major Players

Recycle To Save Energy–The Sooner The Better

With $100M, Duke Energy Joins Rooftop Solar Movement

Sony, Mohawk Bring Greener Products To Market

See All Topics »