Small-Scale A/R Programme of Activities Design Document (CDM-PoA-DD-SSC-AR)

The project design document for a Programme of Activities (PoA) which involves small scale (SSC) afforestation or reforestation projects (A/R) (CDM-PoA-DD-SSC-AR) is divided into 6 sections:

General description of the A/R Programme of Activities (A/R-PoA);
Duration of the A/R-PoA;
Selection and application of a baseline and monitoring methodology for a typical SSC A/R CDM Programme Activity (CPA);
Environmental analysis;
Socio-economic impacts of PoA; and
Stakeholders' comments.

This form is for the submission of a CDM PoA whose CPAs apply a SSC A/R approved methodology.

At the time of requesting registration of the A/R PoA, this form must be accompanied by:

a CDM-CPA-SSC-DD form for A/R (CDM-CPA-DD-SSC-AR) that has been specified for the proposed SSC-A/R-PoA; and
one completed CDM-CPA-DD-SSC-AR using a real case.

The Executive Board has not yet adopted any guidelines for completing the CDM-PoA-DD-SSC-AR.

Section A – General description of small-scale A/R programme of activities (PoA)

A.1 Title of the small-scale A/R programme of activities

The coordinating / managing entity must record the title of the SSC-A/R-PoA.

A.2 Coordinating/managing entity and participants of SSC A/R PoA

This section must contain information identifying the:

coordinating or managing entity of the SSC-A/R-PoA, being a project participant authorised by all participating host country DNAs which communicates with the Executive Board, including on matters relating to the distribution of CERs (EB 32, Annex 38).
project participants being registered in relation to the SSC-A/R-PoA. Project participants may or may not be involved in one of the SSC-A/R-CPAs related to the SSC-A/R-PoA.

A.3 Description of the small-scale A/R programme of activities

The description of the SSC-A/R-PoA must include:

Information regarding the general operating and implementing framework of the SSC-A/R-PoA; and
Information regarding the policy / measure or stated goal of the SSC-A/R-PoA.

A.4 Confirmation that PoA is a voluntary action by the coordinating/managing entity

This section must confirm that the SSC-A/R-PoA is a voluntary action by the coordinating / managing entity.

A.5 Description of the location of the small-scale A/R programme of activities

This section must:

Describe the host Party(ies) participating in the SSC-A/R-PoA; and
Define the geographical location and boundary of the SSC-A/R-PoA by describing the geographical area (e.g. municipality, region within a country or country(ies)) within which all SSC-A/R-CPAs included in the SSC-A/R-PoA will be implemented. Definition of this boundary must take into consideration all applicable national and/or sectoral policies and regulations of each host country.

The boundary for a PoA is defined in the CDM Glossary of Terms , Version 03 as follows:

Definition of the boundary for the PoA is the geographical area (e.g. municipality, region within a country, country or several countries) within which all CDM programme activities (CPAs) included in the PoA will be implemented, taking into consideration the requirement that all applicable national and/or sectoral policies and regulations of each host country within that chosen boundary.

The physical boundary of a PoA may extend to more than one country provided that each participating non-annex I host Party provides confirmation that the PoA, and thereby all CPAs, assists it in achieving sustainable development.

A.6 Technical description of the small-scale A/R programme of activities

A.6.1 Description of how the net anthropogenic GHG removals by sinks are increased above those that would have occurred in the absence of the registered small scale A/R PoA (assessment and demonstration of additionality)

In order to prove the additionality of each SSC-A/R-CPA (and therefore of the SSC-A/R-PoA as a whole), the following must be demonstrated in this section:

If the SSC-A/R-PoA is implementing a voluntary, coordinated action, that that action would not be implemented in the absence of the SSC-A/R-PoA;
If the SSC-A/R-PoA is implementing a mandatory policy or regulation, that this policy or regulation would not be or is not enforced;
If the mandatory policy or regulation involved has in the past been enforced, that the SSC-A/R-PoA will lead to a greater level of enforcement.

More information on the demonstration of additionality is contained in the additionality section.

A.6.2 Description of a typical small-scale A/R CDM programme activity (CPA)

This section must describe a typical SSC-A/R-CPA, including a description of:

the approved simplified baseline and monitoring methodology of, and (as appropriate) the technology or measures to be employed by, the SSC-A/R-CPA;
the instructions or criteria for dealing with the species and varities selected;
the presence, if any, of rare or endangered species and their habitats;
measures to minimise leakage;
legal title to the land; and
current land tenure and rights to tCERs/lCERs for a typical SSC-A/R-CPA.

A.6.3 Technology or measure to be employed by the proposed CPA

Here, the project participants must outline the technology or measures to be employed by the proposed SSC-A/R-CPA.

A.6.4 Transfer of technology/know how if applicable

CDM project activities should lead to the transfer of environmentally safe and sound technologies:

The Conference of the Parties, ...

Further emphasizing that clean development mechanism project activities should lead to the transfer of environmentally safe and sound technology and know-how in addition to that required under Article 4, paragraph 5 of the Convention and Article 10 of the Kyoto Protocol (17/CP.7, preamble).

Project participants must confirm in the CDM-PoA-DD-SSC-AR that the project achieves this technology transfer.

A.6.5 Eligibility criteria for inclusion of a SSC A/R CPA in the PoA

This section must include a description of:

the eligibility criteria for including an SSC-A/R project activity as an SSC-A/R-CPA under the SSC-A/R-PoA (including criteria for the demonstration of additionality); and
the type and/or extent of information (e.g. criteria, indicators, variables, parameters or measurements) that shall be provided by each SSC-A/R-CPA in order to ensure its eligibility, including eligibility of land.

A.6.5.1 Eligibility criteria and parameters for assessing additionality of a CPA

Here the coordinating or managing entity of the SSC-A/R-PoA must provide the criteria for assessing additionality of a SSC-A/R-CPA when proposed to be included in the registered SSC-A/R-PoA. The criteria shall be based on the additionality assessment undertaken in section C.4 below.

Note: Information provided here shall be incorporated into the CDM-CPA-DD-SSC-AR that has been specified for this SSC-A/R-PoA and shall be included in the documentation submitted by project participants at registration of the SSC-A/R-PoA.

A.6.5.2 Eligibility criteria for methodological choices

If applicable, the coordinating or managing entity shall provide the criteria for ensuring that the methodological choices made in section C.5 below (for example on selection of carbon pools, sources of leakage and project emissions) are justified for the actual SSC-A/R-CPA to be included in the SSC-A/R-PoA (for example, calculation of baseline net GHG removals by sinks, selection of carbon pools, sources of leakage and project emissions .

A.6.6 Approach for confirming that the proposed small-scale CPA included in the PoA is developed or implemented by low-income communities and individuals as determined by the host Party

This section must describe the approach for confirming that the proposed SSC-A/R-CPA included in the SSC-A/R-PoA is developed or implemented by low-income communities and individuals as determined by the host Party.

A.6.7 Approach for addressing non-permanence

Non-permanence involves the risk that emission removals by sinks are reversed, because forests are cut down or destroyed by natural disaster. Therefore, the CDM rules require project participants to adopt an approach to address the risk of non-permanence.

Participants must identify whether they have selected the lCER or tCER approach to dealing with non-permanence by selecting one of the following:

Temporary CER (tCER)
Long term CER (lCER)

The modalities and procedures for A/R projects establish these two approaches as methods to deal with the potential non-permanence of emission removals by sinks.

The issuance of temporary certified emission reductions (tCERs) deals with non-permanence by providing for the expiry of the credits (and their compulsory replacement) at the end of the commitment period in which they were issued. The issuance of long-term certified emission reductions (lCERs) deals with non-permanence by providing for the expiry of the credits at the end of the crediting period in which they were issued.

Both approaches insure against non-permanence by making sure that credits issued to these projects are replaced by other credits after a period of time.

Once selected, the approach to non-permanence selected by the project participants remains fixed for the entire crediting period, including any renewals of the crediting period.

A.6.8 Operational, management and monitoring plan for the programme of activities

A.6.8.1 Operational and management plan

The coordinating / managing entity is required to establish operational and management arrangements for the implementation of the SSC-A/R-PoA. In this section the project participants must describe the proposed operational and management plan in detail including the proposed:

record keeping system for each SSC-A/R-CPA under the SSC-A/R-PoA;
system or procedure to avoid double accounting (e.g. to avoid the situation where a new SSC-A/R-CPA is added to the SSC-A/R-PoA which has already been registered either as an individual CDM project activity or a CPA of a different PoA) (EB 32, Annex 38); and
provisions to ensure that those operating the SSC-A/R-CPA are aware and have agreed that their activity is being subscribed to the SSC-A/R-PoA.

A.6.8.2 Monitoring plan

The coordinating / managing entity must choose a method or approach to be used by Designated Operational Entities (DOEs) to verify the emission reductions achieved by SSC-A/R-CPAs under the SSC-A/R-PoA. That method or approach may involve random sampling to avoid the need to verify each SSC-A/R-CPA.

The emission reductions or net anthropogenic removals by sinks of each CPA shall be monitored as per the registered monitoring plan according to the methodology applied to the registered PoA. The method or approach used to verify emission reductions or removals by sinks (that may include random sampling) shall ensure the accuracy of these emission reductions (EB 32, Annex 38).

If the verification method selected involves random sampling, this section must describe the proposed statistically sound sampling method or procedure that has been selected.

If the verification method selected does not involve random sampling, but instead verifies each SSC-A/R-CPA (whether in groups or not and whether or not different or identical verification periods are involved), this section must define and describe:

the transparent verification system that has been selected;
how that system ensures that no double accounting occurs; and
how that system ensures that the status of verification can be confirmed at any time for each SSC-A/R-CPA.

A.7 Public funding of the programme of activities

If public funding is used for a SSC-A/R-PoA, a confirmation that official development assistance is not being diverted to the implementation of the SSC-A/R-PoA must be included in this section of the CDM-PoA-DD-SSC-AR.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) has emphasised that projects funded by official development assistance are not eligible to be registered under the CDM:

Emphasizing that public funding for clean development mechanism projects from Parties in Annex I is not to result in the diversion of official development assistance and is to be separate from and not counted towards the financial obligations of Parties included in Annex I (17/CP.7, preamble).

Section B – Duration of the small scale A/R programme of activities

B.1 Starting date of the small scale A/R programme of activities (dd/mm/yy)

Project participants must set out the starting date for the SSC-A/R-PoA here.

Starting date for a SSC-A/R-CPA is defined as follows in the CDM Glossary of Terms 2003, v.3:

The starting date of a CDM programme activity [CPA] is the earliest date at which either the implementation or construction or real action of a programme activity [CPA] begins. The starting date of the CPA cannot be before the date of registration of the PoA.

To be applied mutatis mutandis to P-C{A, SSC-CPA, A/R-CPA, SSC-A/R-CPA – Starting date of a CDM programme activity.

B.2 Duration of the small scale A/R programme of activities (years and months)

EB 32, Annex 38 provides:

The duration of a PoA, not exceeding 28 years and 60 years for A/R project activities, shall be defined by the entity at the time of request for registration of the PoA.

Section C – Selection and application of a small-scale A/R baseline and monitoring methodology

This section must demonstrate the application of the baseline and monitoring methodology for a typical SSC-A/R-CPA. The information provided below defines the SSC-A/R-PoA specific elements that are to be included in preparing the CDM-CPA-DD-SSC-AR form to add an SSC-A/R-CPA to this SSC-A/R-PoA.

C.1 Title and reference of the small-scale A/R simplified baseline and monitoring methodology applied to each SSC A/R CPA included in the PoA

Project participants must state the approved simplified baseline and monitoring methodology applying to each SSC-A/R-CPA to be included in the SSC-A/R-PoA. If project participants wish to propose a new methodology, this should be proposed using the Proposed new baseline and monitoring methodologies for A/R form (CDM-AR-NM).

Note: That the approved SSC-A/R baseline and monitoring methodology are applicable to both CDM project activity and to CPA under a PoA unless stated otherwise.

C.2 Justification of the choice of the methodology

In this section project participants must provide information to justify that the approach in the selected simplified methodology is applicable to the potential areas to be included as CPAs within the PoA taking into consideration the characteristics of the typical CPA within the PoA such as geographic, climatic soil, and other parameters as appropriate.

Note: In the case of CPAs which individually do not exceed the SSC-A/R threshold, SSC-A/R methodologies may be used once they have first been reviewed and, as needed, revised to account for leakage in the context of SSC-A/R-CPA.

C.3 Application of baseline methodology to the proposed CPA and description of the identified baseline scenario for a typical CPA

If required by the applied methodology, project participants must here describe how the methodology is applied in the context of the SSC-A/R-CPA for determining the baseline (variables, parameters, data sources etc).

C.4 Description of how the net anthropogenic GHG removals by sinks are increased above those that would have occurred in the absence of the CPA being included in registered PoA (assessment and demonstration of additionality of CPA)

Here the additionality of a typical SSC-A/R-CPA must be demonstrated using the procedure provided in the chosen simplified baseline and monitoring methodology.

C.5 Explanation of methodological choices provided in the approved simplified methodology applied to a typical CPA

Project participants must explain here how the procedures in the methodology to calculate project emissions, baseline emissions, leakage emissions and emission reductions are applied a typical SSC-A/R-CPA.

C.5.1 Selection of carbon pools, sources of leakage and emission sources for a typical CPA

Project participants must here outline the:

carbon pools;
sources of leakage; and
emissions sources

for a typical CPA.

Carbon pools are defined in the CDM Glossary of Terms, version 3, as follows:

Carbon pools are: above-ground biomass, belowground biomass, litter, dead wood and soil organic carbon. Project participants may choose not to account for one or more carbon pools if they provide transparent and verifiable information that indicates that the choice will not increase the expected net anthropogenic GHG removals by sinks.

To be applied mutatis mutandis to SSC A/R – Carbon Pools.

Leakage for A/R project activities is defined in the CDM Glossary of Terms, version 3, as follows:

Leakage is the increase in GHG emissions by sources which occurs outside the boundary of an A/R CDM project activity which is measurable and attributable to the A/R CDM project activity.

To be applied mutatis mutandis to SSC A/R – Leakage for SSC A/R project activities.

C.5.2 Equations and parameters to be used for calculation of ex ante baseline net GHG removals by sinks of CPA if applicable

In this section project participants are required (if applicable) to set out the equations and parameters to be used for the calculation of ex ante baseline net GHG removals by sinks of the SSC-A/R-CPA.

“Baseline net GHG removals by sinks” is defined as:

the sum of the changes in carbon stocks in the carbon pools within the project boundary that would have occurred in the absence of the A/R CDM project activity (CDM Glossary of Terms, v. 3).

To be applied mutatis mutandis to SSC A/R – Baseline net greenhouse gas removals by sinks.

C.5.3 Equations and parameters to be used for calculation of the ex ante actual net GHG removals by sinks of CPA

In this section project participants must set out the equations and parameters to be used for the calculation of the ex ante actual net GHG removals by sinks of a SSC-A/R-CPA.

C.5.4 Equations and parameters to be used for calculation of the ex ante leakage of CPA

In this section project participants must set out the equations and parameters to be used for the calculation of the ex ante leakage of a SSC-A/R-CPA.

C.5.5 Application of monitoring methodology and description of the monitoring plan for a SSC A/R CPA

C.5.5.1 Monitoring of the actual net GHG removals by sinks

C.5.5.1.1 Data to be collected or used in order to monitor the verifiable changes in carbon stock in the carbon pools within the project boundary resulting from the proposed small-scale A/R CPA, and how this data will be archived

Data should be presented in the following table:

Data variable	Source of data	Data unit	Measured (m), calculated (c) or estimated (e)	Recording frequency	Proportion of data to be monitored	How will the date be archived? (electronic/paper)	Comment

A description must also be given of how this data will be archived.

C.5.5.2 Monitoring of leakage (if applicable)

Leakage for A/R project activities is defined in the CDM Glossary of Terms, version 3, as follows:

Leakage is the increase in GHG emissions by sources which occurs outside the boundary of an A/R CDM project activity which is measurable and attributable to the A/R CDM project activity.

To be applied mutatis mutandis to SSC A/R – Leakage for SSC A/R project activities.

If leakage is required to be monitored, the data collected must be included in this section.

C.5.5.2.1 If applicable, please describe the data and information that will be collected in order to monitor leakage of the proposed small-scale A/R CPA

This information must be provided in the following table:

Data variable	Source of data	Data unit	Measured (m), calculated (c) or estimated (e)	Recording frequency	Proportion of data to be monitored	How will the date be archived? (electronic/paper)	Comment

C. 5.5.3 Description of monitoring plan:

In this section project participants must describe the monitoring plan for a typical SSC-A/R-CPA (developed in accordance with the approved simplified monitoring methodology) which provides for identification of the monitoring provisions and data parameters a SSC-A/R-CPA has to apply / monitor including the quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) procedures that the CPA implementor will apply in order to monitor actual GHG removals by sinks by the proposed small-scale A/R CPA.

C.6 Date of completion and name of person(s)/entity(ies) applying the baseline and monitoring methodology to the typical CPA

This section must outline the date of completion of the application of the baseline study and monitoring methodology and the name of the responsible person(s) or entity(ies).

If estimating the baseline net GHG removals by sinks is not required by the selected simplified baseline methodology, project participants need only provide the date and the name of person(s)/entity(ies) filling in this form in this section.

Section D – Environmental analysis of programme of activities

D.1 Indicate the level at which environmental analysis as per requirements of the CDM modalities and procedures is undertaken

In this section, the project participants must indicate whether environmental analysis is to be undertaken:

at the PoA level; or
at the CPA level,

and must briefly justify why that level of analysis was chosen.

D.2 If option 1 is selected in D.1 above, provide analysis of the environmental impacts, including transboundary impacts (in any)

If the project participants elect to undertake environmental analysis at the PoA level, they must provide in this section an analysis of the environmental impacts of a typical SSC-A/R-CPA expected in the SSC-A/R-PoA, including impacts on biodiversity and natural ecosystems.

If environmental analysis of a typical SSC-A/R-CPA within the SSC-A/R-PoA indicates negative impacts that are considered significant, or if required by the host Party laws/regulations, project participants of each A/R-CPA shall undertake an environmental impact assessment in accordance with the procedures required by the host Party.

Section E – Socio-economic impacts of programme of activities

E.1 Indicate the level at which socio economic impact analysis as per requirements of the CDM modalities and procedures is undertaken

In this section, the project participants must indicate whether socio-economic analysis is to be undertaken:

at the PoA level; or
at the CPA level,

and must briefly justify why that level of analysis was chosen.

E.2 If option 1 is selected in E.1 above, provide analysis of the socio-economic impacts, including transboundary impacts (if any)

If the project participants elect to undertake socio-economic analysis at the PoA level, they must provide in this section an analysis of the socio-economic impacts of a typical SSC-A/R-CPA expected in the SSC-A/R-PoA, including impacts on biodiversity and natural ecosystems.

If socio-economic analysis of a typical SSC-A/R-CPA within the SSC-A/R-PoA indicates negative impacts that are considered significant, or if required by the host Party laws/regulations, project participants of each SSC-A/R-CPA shall undertake a socio-economic impact assessment in accordance with the procedures required by the host Party.

Section F – Stakeholders’ comments

Stakeholders are defined in the CDM Glossary of Terms, Version 03, as follows:

Stakeholders mean the public, including individuals, groups or communities affected, or likely to be affected, by the proposed CDM project activity or actions leading to the implementation of such an activity.

F.1 Indicate the level at which local stakeholder comments are invited. Justify the choice

The project participants must nominate whether stakeholder comments were invited:

at the PoA level; or
at the CPA level,

and must justify why that selection was made.

If local stakeholder consultation was conducted at PoA level, the project participants must include:

information regarding the number of comments that were invited from local stakeholders;
a summary of the comments received; and
the way in which due account was taken of any comments received

in sections F.2 to F.4 below.

F.2 Brief description how comments by local stakeholders have been invited and compiled

In this section, the project participants must describe the process by which comments from local stakeholders have been invited and compiled.

F.3 Summary of the comments received

The project participants must summarise here the comments received during the consultation process.

F.4 Report on how due account was taken of any comments received

The project participants must report here on the way in which due account was taken of comments it received as part of the stakeholder consultation process.

Attachments to the CDM-PoA-DD-SSC-AR

The CDM-PoA-DD-SSC-AR must attach:

Annex 1 - Contact information on coordinating / managing entity and participants in the SSC-A/R-PoA;
Annex 2 - Information on public funding;
Annex 3 - Baseline information; and
Annex 4 - Monitoring information.