Flexibility Mechanisms

The rationale behind Kyoto's "flexibility" mechanisms is to assist countries in achieving their targets by allowing emissions reductions to take place where they have the lowest possible costs.

The Kyoto Protocol includes four "flexibility" instruments, which enable countries to achieve these reductions with other states. Two of these are immediately relevant to CEE states:

1. Joint Implementation (JI) and
2. International Emissions Trading (IET).

The other two mechanisms of lesser current import to CEE countries are the Regional Bubble (Article 4) and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) (Article 12).

Two of these mechanisms, JI and CDM, are based on projects. Currently, neither mechanism is operational. However, Economies in Transition in CEE are involved in Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) as a pilot phase of JI.

The materials on this sight look at experience and lessons from AIJ in CEE. Case studies from individual CEE countries and assessment of regional experience in CEE provide lessons for project-based flexibility mechanisms and suggest actions that need to be taken by Annex I CEE governments and the COP.