FAQs on transitioning CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism
These frequently asked questions (FAQs) address some of key questions on the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism. For additional questions, email
General questions
What decisions have the CMA (under the Paris Agreement) and the CMP (under the Kyoto Protocol) made about the transition of CDM activities?
1. CMA 3 (Oct–Nov 2021) ‒ Decision 3/CMA.3, annex
- The CMA adopted rules, modalities and procedures (RMPs) for the Article 6.4 mechanism, containing provisions that allow transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism and key requirements for:
- Registered clean development mechanism (CDM) activities;
- Requests listed as provisional under the temporary measures adopted by the CDM Executive Board.
2. CMP 16 (Oct–Nov 2021) ‒ Decision 2/CMA.16
- The CMP decided that requests for registration, renewal of crediting period and issuance relating to emission reductions occurring after 31 December 2020 may not be submitted under the CDM, acknowledging such requests may be submitted under the Article 6.4 mechanism.
- The CMP requested the CDM Executive Board to reject provisional requests if they fail to transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism.
- The CMP decided that the CDM Executive Board may continue receiving requests under the temporary measures until the date when the process for submission of transition requests becomes operational.
3. CMA 4 (Nov 2022) ‒ Decision 7/CMA.4, annex I
- The CMA elaborated the conditions for crediting period and activity design for CDM activities that may transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism, as well as on the transition process.
What decisions have the CDM Executive Board and the Article 6.4 mechanism Supervisory Body made regarding the transition of CDM activities?
1. EB 108 (December 2020) – Meeting report
- The CDM Executive Board agreed as temporary measures to process requests for registration, renewal of crediting period and issuance for project activities as well as corresponding submissions for programmes of activities (PoAs) relating to emission reductions occurring after 2020.
- CDM rules and requirements are applicable at the time of submission of the requests under the temporary measures (except for global warming potential values – for which applicable values are specified).
- If the requests meet all relevant CDM requirements, they are listed as provisional, pending guidance of the CMP.
2. SB 005 (March 2023) – Meeting report
- The Supervisory Body agreed to commence receiving transition requests from project participants on 30 June 2023.
3. SB 006 (July 2023) – Meeting report
- The Supervisory Body adopted a standard and a procedure for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism, including the finalization of the requests listed as provisional under the temporary measures.
- The Supervisory Body agreed to implement the transition standard and procedure from 1 January 2024, subject to the availability of the detailed regulatory elements required for the operationalization of the transition process.
Eligibility of transition
Which CDM activities are eligible for transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism?
1. According to relevant decisions of the CMA (decision 3/CMA.3, annex, chapter XI.A, and decision 7/CMA.4, annex I), project activities, programmes of activities (PoAs) registered under the CDM and component project activities (CPAs) included in registered CDM PoAs, or requests listed as provisional under the temporary measures adopted by the CDM Executive Board, may transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism if they meet all of the following conditions:
(a) Their crediting periods or PoA periods would have been active as of 1 January 2021 (this condition is not applicable for provisional requests for registration);*
* For CDM project activities, if the crediting period had expired before 1 January 2021 and failed to submit a request for renewal under the CDM by 31 December 2021, it is no longer possible to meet this requirement.
* For CDM PoAs, if the PoA period had expired before 1 January 2021, it is still possible to submit a request for renewal under the CDM to meet this requirement. However, it should be noted that taking such action now may not guarantee that the project participants may be able to submit a request for transition of such PoA, which shall be after the successful renewal of the PoA period under the CDM, by the deadline for submission of transition requests (31 December 2023).
(b) Their activity types are among those indicated by the respective host Parties that they would approve in accordance with paragraph 26(e) of the rules, modalities and procedures for the Article 6.4 mechanism(RMPs);
(c) They demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the RMPs in accordance with the guidance of the Supervisory Body;
(d) The applied CDM methodologies meet the methodological requirements that may be specified by the respective host Parties in accordance with paragraph 27(a) of the RMPs, otherwise they shall be replaced with Article 6.4 mechanism methodologies.
2. All transitioning activities shall apply the same global warming potential values as applicable to any activities under the Article 6.4 mechanism (i.e. the values from IPCC fifth assessment report, or any updated values as agreed by the CMA).
3. The Supervisory Body is currently elaborating the condition referred to in 1(c) above.
Transition process
What is the process for transitioning CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism?
The transition process comprises the following key steps:
1. Submission of transition request by the project participants to the secretariat (by 31 December 2023);
2. Global stakeholder consultation (for 28 days);
3. Approval of transition by the host Party to the secretariat (by 31 December 2025);
4. Submission of additional documentation to the secretariat:
(a) Addendum to the registered CDM PDD, or PoA-DD and CPA-DDs, to demonstrate compliance with the requirements for transition, by the project participants, if the activities continue to apply the currently applied CDM methodologies (within 6 months of host Party approval); or
(b) Revised PDD, or PoA-DD and CPA-DDs, and validation report by the designated operational entity, if the activities switch to Article 6.4 mechanism methodologies (within 1 year of host Party approval);
5. Payment of transition fee;
6. Completeness check by the secretariat;
7. Substantive check by the secretariat;
8. Possible review of the transition request by the Supervisory Body;
9. Approval or rejection of transition by the Supervisory Body;
10. If transition is approved, deregistration from the CDM.
For more details of the process for transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism and finalization of provisional requests under the Article 6.4 mechanism, please refer to the “Procedure for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”.
Diagram: Transition Process
How can a transition be requested?
The project participants of CDM activities eligible for transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism have been individually provided with a link to the web portal for submission of transition requests. They shall submit a transition request through the web portal, providing necessary information directly on the web interface.*
For more details, please refer to the “Procedure for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”.
* The form for transition request contained in appendix 1 to the transition procedure has been converted into electronic format on the web interface.
What is the deadline for project participants of eligible CDM activities to submit a transition request?
31 December 2023, 24:00 (Central European Time).
(See paragraph 7 of the “Procedure for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”)
Should the project participants send a transition request to both the host Party and the secretariat?
No. The secretariat will inform the host Party of receipt of transition request.
(See paragraph 10 of the “Procedure for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”)
Can a transition request be submitted after 31 December 2023?
No. For requests for transition of registered CDM activities and requests for finalization of provisional requests for registration, failure to meet the deadline of 31 December 2023, 24:00 (Central European Time) would result in the impossibility of transitioning CDM activities or finalizing provisional requests for registration.
To initiate the transition process, a transition request must be submitted before the deadline.
For requests for finalization of provisional requests for issuance, this deadline does not apply (see paragraph 36(a) of the “Procedure for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”), as the underlying CDM activities shall transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism first.
What is the deadline for the host Party to provide approval to the Supervisory Body for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism?
31 December 2025, 24:00 (Central European Time).
(See paragraph 13 of the “Procedure for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”)
Have the project participants of the CDM activities eligible for transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism been informed about the transition process, including its start, deadline, and the procedure for requesting a transition?
Yes, the UNFCCC secretariat has notified the focal points of the project participants of the CDM activities that may be eligible for transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism based on the status of their crediting period or PoA period.
They have been provided with a link to the web portal for submitting transition requests and another link for additional relevant information. This notification details the start date, submission deadline, and the procedure for processing transition requests.
When does the crediting period start for CDM activities that successfully transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism?
The crediting period of successfully transitioned CDM activities shall start on 1 January 2021.
(See paragraphs 9, 10, 12, 15 of the “Standard for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”).
The start of the crediting period of the activities in the provisional requests for registration that have been successfully finalized under the Article 6.4 mechanism will be determined in the same way as for any new Article 6.4 projects.
How long is the crediting period for CDM activities which successfully transitioned to the Article 6.4 mechanism?
After transition, the current crediting period or PoA period shall end on its original end date indicated under the CDM or 31 December 2025, whichever is earlier.
The maximum remaining number of renewals for the crediting period or PoA period can be carried over from the CDM, unless the respective host Parties reject renewal as per paragraph 27(b) of the rules, modalities and procedures for the Article 6.4 mechanism.
After the first renewal of the crediting period or PoA period under the Article 6.4 mechanism, each subsequent crediting period or PoA period shall follow the same duration as any new Article 6.4 mechanism activities.
It is expected that, for projects that successfully transitioned to the Article 6.4 mechanism but their crediting periods ended or will end after 31 December 2020, a renewal request must be made within one year of the Supervisory Body’s approval of the transition. (See paragraph 199 of the “draft Procedure: Article 6.4 mechanism activity cycle procedure for projects”).
When do the transitioned CDM activities need to replace CDM methodologies with A6.4 methodologies?
Transitioned CDM activities may continue to apply the currently applied CDM methodologies until the earlier of the end of the current crediting period or PoA period until 31 December 2025.
However, transitioned CDM projects, or PoA and CPAs therein, need to replace CDM methodologies with Article 6.4 mechanism methodologies if they do not meet the methodological requirements specified by the host Party in accordance with paragraph 27(a) of therules, modalities and procedures for the Article 6.4 mechanism (for further details see paragraphs 20‒25 of the “Standard for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”).
If the project participants intend to replace the CDM methodology with an Article 6.4 mechanism methodology at transition, but the latter is not available, what can they do? Will there be any impact on the start of the crediting period?
In such case, the project participants may propose an Article 6.4 mechanism methodology in accordance with the procedure for the “Procedure: Development, revision and clarification of methodologies and methodological tools”, which will become operational from 2024 Q1, or wait for the Supervisory Body to develop one applicable to the activity through the revision of a CDM methodology to adapt to the Article 6.4 mechanism. It should be noted that Article 6.4 mechanism methodology development could happen only after the CMA agrees with methodological requirements.
Also in such case, additional documentation shall undergo validation by a designated operational entity prior to its submission, which shall be within 1 year of the host Party approval of transition or after the Article 6.4 mechanism methodology becomes available, whichever is later (see para. 18 of the “Procedure for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”).
The start of the crediting period for all transitioning CDM activities is 1 January 2021, regardless of when an Article 6.4 mechanism methodology will become available.
Provisional requests under the temporary measures under the CDM
Which provisional requests may be finalized under the Article 6.4 mechanism?
- Following provisional requests may be finalized under the transition process:
- Provisional requests for registration;
- Provisional requests for issuance, if the underlying CDM activities continue to apply the currently applied CDM methodologies at transition and successfully transitioned to the Article 6.4 mechanism;
- Provisional inclusion of CPAs, if the corresponding CDM PoAs have successfully transitioned to the Article 6.4 mechanism without replacing the currently applied CDM methodologies and only in conjunction with the transition of the PoAs.
- Provisional requests for registration;
- Following provisional requests cannot be finalized under the transition process:
- Provisional requests for renewal;
- Provisional requests for issuance, if the underlying CDM activities have failed to transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism or underlying CDM activities replace the currently applied CDM methodologies with Article 6.4 mechanism methodologies at transition;
- Provisional inclusion of CPAs, if the corresponding CDM PoAs have failed to transition to the Article 6.4 mechanism or replaced the currently applied CDM methodologies with Article 6.4 mechanism methodologies at transition.
- Provisional requests for renewal;
- For provisional requests that cannot be finalized under the transition process, the corresponding requests may be submitted under the regular Article 6.4 mechanism activity cycle if the underlying CDM activities have successfully transitioned to the Article 6.4 mechanism, and if they comply with all relevant requirements applicable for any new such requests under the Article 6.4 mechanism.
- For more details, see section 6 of the “Procedure for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism” and section 5.4 of the “Standard for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”.
What is the process for finalization of provisional requests under the Article 6.4 mechanism?
- The process for finalization of provisional requests under Article 6.4 mechanism follows similar procedural steps to that for requests for the transition of CDM activities.
- Provisional requests for registration shall comply with similar activity design requirements as for transitioning registered CDM activities as contained in the “Standard for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”.
- For provisional requests for issuance:
- The finalization under the transition process is possible only if the underlying CDM activities continue to apply the currently applied CDM methodologies at transition;
- The transition of underlying CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism is a precondition. This means that the transition of the underlying CDM activities has to be approved first before provisional requests for issuance may be finalized under the Article 6.4 mechanism;
- If the underlying CDM activities have successfully transitioned to the Article 6.4 mechanism without replacing the currently applied CDM methodologies, only the monitoring reports shall be revised by applying the global warming potentials from IPCC fifth assessment report as contained in appendix to the “Standard for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism” for the calculation of achieved emission reductions or removals;
- If the underlying CDM activities have voluntarily, or mandatorily as per the host Party requirements, replaced the currently applied CDM methodologies with Article 6.4 mechanism methodologies at transition, provisional requests for issuance are not eligible for finalization under the transition process. In this case, the issuance requests for the corresponding monitoring periods may be submitted under the regular Article 6.4 mechanism activity cycle, following the same rules as any new issuance requests under the Article 6.4 mechanism (see paragraphs 30‒32 of the “Standard for the transition of CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism”);
- The deadline for submission of requests for finalization (transition) (31 December 2023) is not applicable, while the submission such request is still required;
- Host Party approval is not required, as such approval should have been provided to the transition of the underlying CDM activities.
- The finalization under the transition process is possible only if the underlying CDM activities continue to apply the currently applied CDM methodologies at transition;
- Provisional requests for renewal may not be finalized under the transition process. The corresponding requests may be submitted under the Article 6.4 mechanism after the underlying CDM activities have successfully transitioned to the Article 6.4 mechanism.
- Provisional inclusion of CPAs may be finalized only if the corresponding CDM PoAs have successfully transitioned to the Article 6.4 mechanism without replacing the currently applied CDM methodologies and only in conjunction with the transition of the PoAs.
- See also FAQ “What is the process for transitioning CDM activities to the Article 6.4 mechanism?” and FAQ “Which provisional requests may be finalized under the Article 6.4 mechanism?”.
Temporary measures and other CDM processes
Is an extension of the deadline for submitting requests under temporary measures possible?
No. The CMP decided that “the Executive Board may continue receiving and processing the relevant requests and submissions under the temporary measures until the date when the process for submission of requests to the secretariat to transition the requests and other submissions that have been accorded provisional status to the Article 6, paragraph 4, mechanism becomes operational, as may be specified by the Supervisory Body” (Decision 2/CMP.16, paragraph 15). The Supervisory Body specified such date as 30 June 2023 (see the Supervisory Body fifth meeting report, paragraph 8).
Given that submissions under the temporary measures were no longer accepted after 30 June 2023, can a registered CDM activity still have its carbon credits issued or renewed its crediting period under the Article 6.4 mechanism?
Renewal of the crediting period and issuance of credits for emission reductions relating to the period after 2020 for registered CDM project activities, as well as corresponding actions for programmes of activities, may be possible under the Article 6.4 mechanism activity cycle if these CDM activities have successfully transitioned to the Article 6.4 mechanism first, and meet all relevant requirements applicable to any new renewal or issuance requests under the Article 6.4 mechanism activity cycle.
For more details on the process and conditions for such submissions and the timing of operationalization of the Article 6.4 mechanism activity cycle, please follow the consideration by the Supervisory Body of the development of the Article 6.4 mechanism activity cycle at its meetings.
Can a new activity already started after 2020 be registered under the Article 6.4 mechanism?
The eligibility for registration and the start of the crediting period for such activities under the Article 6.4 mechanism are under consideration by the Supervisory Body. Please see the current proposal on this in the draft “Article 6.4 mechanism activity cycle procedure for projects”, paragraph 13.
Is there a deadline for submitting issuance requests for the monitoring period up to the end of 2020 under CDM?
For the monitoring period up to the end of 2020, the CDM issuance process is applicable, for which currently there is no deadline for submission of requests for issuance of CERs.
It is important to highlight that the CMP plans to consider on the functioning and operation of the processes and institutions of the CDM in the future at its next session, including on the CDM issuance process (seedecision 2/CMP.17, paragraph 6(a)).
