Role of the DOE
The process of certification of afforestation and reforestation (A/R) projects is performed by a designated operational entity (DOE):
In the case of afforestation and reforestation project activities under the CDM, a designated operational entity shall verify and certify net anthropogenic greenhouse gas removals by sinks (5/CMP.1, Annex, paragraph 6).
The provisions relating to the role of DOEs for large-scale non-forestry projects set out in the annex to 3/CMP.1 apply equally to A/R projects:
All provisions of section E of the CDM modalities and procedures, contained in the annex to decision 17/CP.7, shall apply mutatis mutandis to afforestation and reforestation project activities under the CDM (5/CMP.1, Annex, paragraph 6).
Therefore, DOEs may only perform either validation or verification and certification in respect of a single A/R project activity, unless the Executive Board specifically approves a request to allow a single DOE to perform all these functions:
A designated operational entity shall:
- Perform one of the following functions relating to a given CDM project activity: validation or verification and certification. Upon request, the Executive Board may, however, allow a single designated operational entity to perform all these functions within a single CDM project activity (3/CMP.1, Annex, paragraph 27(e)).
It is a matter for the project participants to select and engage a DOE to perform certification. The project participants have the discretion to decide which accredited DOE to engage and on what commercial terms.
The UNFCCC website includes a list with approved methodologies by sectoral scopes and shows the DOEs which are accredited to conduct certification in each sector.