DENR issues rules on clean development mechanism

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Michael T. Defensor issued on Aug. 31 the rules and regulations for the screening and evaluaton of clean development mechanism (CDM) project activities.

With the promulgation of these rules and regulations, the Philippines can now formally play host to CDM projects that contribute to sustainable development. This will, at the same time assist industrialized countries in achieving part of their quantified greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions limitation and reduction commitments under the Kyoto agreement that went into force on Feb. 16, 2005.

The rules went through a series of roundtable discussions and multi-stakeholder consultations.

The national criteria set in the rules and regulations seek to encourage project developers to find ways to break the traditional link between economic progression and emissions growth and allow the government to select CDM project activities with the largest development benefits that optimize the synergies among collective environmental, economic and social responsibilities. These are particularly those that lead to the transfer of environmentally safe and sound technology and know how, conservation of biological diversity and sustainable use of natural resources, poverty alleviation, and compliance with pertinent laws and regulations.

The DENR is urging the private sector to tap this opportunity and make further progress in the direction of gaining sound project level experience as soon as possible as neighboring Asian countries like India have already taken advantage of CDM.

The national CDM approval process hopes to cultivate a favorable climate for change in the country toward truly sustainable forms of development with the infusion of new and additional investments in GHG-reducing and sustainable development-compliant project activities.