Paragraph 2

The purpose of the clean development mechanism shall be to assist Parties not included in Annex I in achieving sustainable development and in contributing to the ultimate objective of the Convention, and to assist Parties included in Annex I in achieving compliance with their quantified emission limitation and reduction commitments under Article 3.

The CDM has two objectives:

• to assist non-Annex I Parties to:
  • meet their sustainable goals and priorities, by hosting projects that contribute to these goals, and
  • contribute to the UNFCCC's overall objective of stabilising global concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system; and
• to assist Annex I Parties to meet their Kyoto targets at a lower cost, by allowing the use of CERs generated by emission reducing CDM projects in non-Annex I countries to be used to meet in part these obligations.