'The Value of Carbon in China – Carbon Finance and China’s Sustainable Energy Transition', a China-based perspective of the impact of CDM in China with in-depth analysis of various project types, provinces and market survey.

Context

This report was written in the first part of 2008, when fuel prices increased substantially worldwide. These price increases and concerns over future energy security and climate change have pushed nations to initiate transitions to more sustainable energy sources, including the use of CDM. While the use of CDM in China has only recently been established, understanding its affects on China’s evolving sustainable energy market is important in how to best to further roll-out clean energy technologies moving forward.

Objective

This report’s object was to break down the entire pipeline and already registered CDM projects within China, looking at current market trends and giving key findings on the direction of the CDM market in China. China is host to the largest number of CDM projects for any country in the world. Therefore, understanding how CDM work (or doesn’t work) in China can help policy makers reform incentives to make CDM more flexible in its adaptation in the post-2012 timeframe.

Outcome

This project resulted in a news conference held in Hong Kong in July 2008 that received substantial amounts of media coverage. Furthermore, this report has been cited by many publications since, including work being done on CDM reform by the IPCC and other influential policy makers. Reform of CDM, especially given its bias toward large-scale projects instead of small and medium sized projects, is seen as important for policymakers and international negotiators to address in the run-up to a post-2012 agreement. And this report has played and continues to play an important role in discussions on how to reform CDM for the future, especially given China’s development and energy growth models.

Documents

The Value of Carbon in China | Download