Additionality


Additionality is a reduction in emissions by sources or enhancement of removals by sinks that is additional to any that would occur in the absence of a Joint Implementation (JI) or a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project activity as defined in the Kyoto Protocol Articles on JI and CDM. This definition may be further broadened to include financial, investment, technology, and environmental additionality. Under financial additionality, the project activity funding is additional to existing Global Environmental Facility, other financial commitments of parties included in Annex I, Official Development Assistance, and other systems of cooperation. Under investment additionality, the value of the Emissions Reduction Unit/Certified Emission Reduction Unit shall significantly improve the financial or commercial viability of the project activity. Under technology additionality, the technology used for the project activity shall be the best available for the circumstances of the host party. Environmental additionality refers to the environmental integrity of the claimed amount by which greenhouse gas emissions are reduced due to a project relative to its baseline. A project activity is further additional, if the incentive from the sale of emission allowances helps to overcome barriers to its implementation.¹