CDM Gold Standard - NGO capacity building workshop

CDM Gold Standard - NGO capacity building workshop

On September 8, 2010 CANGO and CCAN hosted a capacity building workshop with the goal to support more participation and contribution of civil society and NGOs to China s CDM project developments. So far, NGO participation in Chinese CDM or voluntary carbon market projects has been relatively low. International and Chinese experts from The Gold Standard Foundation presented several ways in which NGOs can participate in CDM project development and even become small-scale project developers themselves.

Gold Standard offers much potential for NGOs to participate in CDM or other voluntary projects in two ways. The first is as Gold Standard project developers to implement small scale projects contributing to rural energy development, poverty reduction, health improvements and supporting local clean energy industries. Especially technologies such as household biogas, solar collectors and improved cooking stoves are suitable technology options through which NGOs can develop projects. These projects can generate a new source of revenue for NGOs through the voluntary global carbon market where Gold Standard certified emission reduction can be traded at premium prices. The Gold Standard experts presented several case studies of NGOs which implemented successful projects in rural areas of the provinces Ningxia, Yunnan and Guangxi.

Another possible role for Chinese NGOs is becoming a Gold Standard supporter. This enables NGOs to provide input into CDM project development processes and, if necessary, require project developers to change their project plans if environmental and social sustainability criteria are not sufficiently considered. NGO supporters also play an important role in the local stakeholder consultation meetings ensuring proper facilitation and exchange between local communities and project developers.