Guidance on cooperative approaches referred to in Article 6, paragraph 2, of the Paris Agreement

The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement,

Recalling the Paris Agreement,

Also recalling the tenth preambular paragraph of the Paris Agreement, which takes into account the imperatives of a just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined development priorities,

Further recalling the eleventh preambular paragraph of the Paris Agreement, acknowledging that climate change is a common concern of humankind, Parties should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights, the right to health, the rights of indigenous peoples, local communities, migrants, children, persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations and the right to development, as well as gender equality, empowerment of women and intergenerational equity

Recalling Article 2 of the Paris Agreement and decision 1/CP.21,

Also recalling Article 4, paragraph 2 of the Paris Agreement,

Further recalling Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 36, decision 8/CMA.1 and decision 9/CMA.2, Cognizant of decision -/CMA.3,1

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Annex

Guidance on cooperative approaches referred to in Article 6, paragraph 2, of the Paris Agreement

IV. Reporting

A. Initial report

18. Each participating Party shall submit an Article 6, paragraph 2, initial report (hereinafter referred to as an initial report) no later than authorization of ITMOs from a cooperative approach or where practical (in the view of the participating Party), in conjunction with the next biennial transparency report due pursuant to decision 18/CMA.1 for the period of NDC implementation. The initial report shall contain comprehensive information to:

(i) Describe how each cooperative approach will:

• (i) Minimize and, where possible, avoid negative environmental, economic and social impacts;
• (ii) Reflect the eleventh preambular paragraph of the Paris Agreement, acknowledging that climate change is a common concern of humankind, Parties should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights, the right to health, the rights of indigenous peoples, local communities, migrants, children, persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations and the right to development, as well as gender equality, empowerment of women and intergenerational equity;
• (iii) Be consistent with the sustainable development objectives of the Party, noting national prerogatives;
• (iv) Apply any safeguards and limits set out in further guidance from the CMA pursuant to chapter III.D above (Safeguards and limits to the transfer and use of internationally transferred mitigation outcomes);
• (v) Contribute resources for adaptation pursuant to chapter VII below (Ambition in mitigation and adaptation actions), if applicable;
• (vi) Deliver overall mitigation in global emissions pursuant to chapter VII below (Ambition in mitigation and adaptation actions), if applicable.

C. Regular information

22. Each participating Party shall also include, as an annex to its biennial transparency reports that are submitted in accordance with paragraph 10(b) of the annex to decision 18/CMA.1 and no later than 31 December of the relevant year, the following information on how each cooperative approach in which it participates:

(a) Contributes to the mitigation of GHGs and the implementation of its NDC;

(b) Ensures environmental integrity, including: (i) That there is no net increase in global emissions within and between NDC implementation periods;

• (ii) Through robust, transparent governance and the quality of mitigation outcomes, including through conservative reference levels, baselines set in a conservative way and below ‘business as usual’ emission projections (including by taking into account all existing policies and addressing uncertainties in quantification and potential leakage);
• (iii) By minimizing the risk of non-permanence of mitigation across several NDC periods and when reversals of emission removals occur, ensuring that these are addressed in full;

(c) Where a mitigation outcome is measured and transferred in t CO2 eq, provides for the measurement of mitigation outcomes in accordance with the methodologies and metrics assessed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and adopted by the CMA;

(d) Where a mitigation outcome is measured and first transferred in a non-GHG metric determined by the participating Parties, ensures that the method for converting the non-GHG metric into t CO2 eq is appropriate for the specific non-GHG metric and the mitigation scenario in which it is applied, including how the conversion method:

• (i) Represents the emission reductions or removals that occur within the geographical boundaries and time frame in which the non-GHG mitigation outcome was generated;
• (ii) Is appropriate for the specific non-CO2 eq metric, including a demonstration of how the selection of the conversion method and conversion factor(s) applied take into consideration the specific scenario in which the mitigation action occurs;
• (iii) Is transparent, including a description of the method, the source of the underlying data, how the data are used, and how the method is applied in a conservative manner that addresses uncertainty and ensures environmental integrity;

(e) Provides for, as applicable, the measurement of mitigation co-benefits resulting from adaptation actions and/or economic diversification plans;

(f) Minimizes and, where possible, avoids negative, environmental, economic and social impacts;

(g) Reflects the eleventh preambular paragraph of the Paris Agreement, acknowledging that climate change is a common concern of humankind, Parties should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights, the right to health, the rights of indigenous peoples, local communities, migrants, children, persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations and the right to development, as well as gender equality, empowerment of women and intergenerational equity;

(h) Is consistent with and contributes to the sustainable development objectives of the Party, noting national prerogatives;

(i) Applies any safeguards and limits set out in further guidance from the CMA pursuant to chapter III.D above (Safeguards and limits to the transfer and use of internationally transferred mitigation outcomes);

(j) Contributes resources for adaptation pursuant to chapter VII below (Ambition in mitigation and adaptation actions), if applicable;

(k) Delivers overall mitigation in global emissions pursuant to chapter VII below (Ambition in mitigation and adaptation actions), if applicable.