Program of Activities

A Programme of Activities (PoA ) is a type of project implementation under the two project-based mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol 's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM ) and Joint Implementation (JI ).

• 3.1 The central components of a JI PoA under Track II
• 3.2 Historical development of the implementation of PoAs in JI

Function and characteristics of a PoA

A PoA is a climate protection program, which can be composed of a plurality of individual mitigation. Only the overarching program must go through the usual CDM / JI approval procedures, but not the individual actions that take place under the umbrella of the program. The size of the program and the individual projects have not been determined, whereby the PoA other program activities may be added during the project period at the time of registration. This simplification and the combination of several individual measures may in particular small and very geographically distributed measures, eg Efficiency measures and decentralized renewable energy systems can be achieved through CDM and JI, which were not large enough in themselves to bear the transaction costs as individual projects under the CDM or JI can.

PoAs under the CDM

The introduction of PoAs in the CDM ( programmatic CDM) is closely connected with the aim of counteracting existing shortcomings of the CDM. So shall the CDM PoAs using the one in hitherto neglected sectors such as energy efficiency, transport and renewable energy venture and strengthened to address the energy use. Since the programmatic CDM is therefore also suitable for smaller developing countries that so far have benefited only marginally from the CDM, is thus also tries to mitigate the unequal geographical distribution of CDM projects.

The central components of a CDM PoA

For PoAs under the CDM can be made between the program level and the level of program activity ( CPA level): a) Programme Level ( PoA level) At this level, the organizational, financial and methodological framework for example, a government agency, a non-governmental organization (NGO) or a company defined by the so-called Coordinating Entity, can be. They applied for and coordinates the PoA and is responsible for the communication with the CDM Executive Board. The duration of a PoA is limited to max. Established for 28 years. b ) Program Activity level (CPA level) Subordinate to the program level is the level of program activities are realized on the actual emission reductions by several CDM programs Activities ( CPAs ). CPAs can be both individual measures and packages of measures that can be implemented either in a single location or at various locations. Since under certain conditions, the use of different baseline and monitoring methodologies permitted under a PoA, There are also various measures and technologies, such as Energy efficiency and renewable energy are combined. The agency responsible for the audit of the PoAs auditors ( Designated Operational Entity - DOE ) is responsible for adding more CPAs, whose term ( renewable twice ) is as in conventional CDM projects either 10 years (not renewable) or 7 years.

Historical development of the implementation of PoAs in the CDM

At the first Conference of the Parties in 2005, Member States agreed to the Kyoto Protocol that various project activities under a program of activities as a single CDM project can be registered. Responsible for the enforcement system of CDM projects CDM Executive Board ( CDM EB ) put at its 32nd session in June 2007 laid down the basic provisions for the registration of PoAs and defined the specifications for the distribution of the generated carbon emission. At its 36th meeting in November 2007, the CDM Executive Board approved the official forms to the project documentation ( Project Design Document - PDD ), is decided on the basis on the approval of projects.

Delineation of CDM project bundles

A relative of the PoA project implementation is the bundling of several CDM project activities under a single CDM project. By bundling the projects concerned may use common validation and certification reports, among others, and thus reduce their transaction costs. Must project bundle so far differ materially from PoAs, as in the clustering of projects have already been established at the time of registration, what activities make up the bundle. Subsequently add other projects as PoAs is therefore not possible.

PoA under JI

Under the Kyoto Mechanism, Joint Implementation basically two possibilities for the implementation of climate change projects: While under Track I the implementing rules are defined by the individual host countries and the JI project is carried out without the involvement of an international institution must under Track II, a common set of rules followed and an international body, the JISC (Joint implementation Supervisory Committee) are involved. Thus, the implementation under Track II more closely resembles the way the project of CDM projects. The implementation of JI PoA is possible under both tracks. Since the implementing regulations of PoAs are defined under Track I of the individual JI host countries, are addressed below only to the performing under Track II.

The central components of a JI PoA under Track II

Similar to the components of a PoA under the CDM, there are also at a JI PoA two levels: the program level and program activity level. a) the program level (PoA level) The JI PoA provides the framework in which the Coordinating Entity defines the conditions for achieving a defined objective or reacting a policy. In contrast to CDM PoAs the term of JI PoA is however not fixed. b ) Program Activity level (JPA level) On a program level, lower level several JI programs Activities ( JPAs ) are located, where the actual emission reductions are achieved. During the term of the JI PoA Coordinating Entity, the the program to add more JPAs.

Historical development of the implementation of PoAs in JI

Based on the development in the CDM JI PoAs were first developed in the Track I, in particular Germany. Based on the procedures for the implementation of JI PoAs under Track II were determined by the JISC at its 18th session in October 2009 and can be applied in December of the same year.

Current status of PoAs

On 31 July 2009 the first CDM PoA has been registered. Since then, the CDM Executive Board has ten other programs registered. Another 110 are currently still in the validation process (as of September 2011). The development of JI PoA is in contrast significantly. In addition to 22 JI PoAs under Track I, which are all carried out in Germany, located in the global JI pipeline so far only two PoAs under Track II