
Article 6.4
Rules for Offsets
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement was agreed to increase mitigation ambition, and help countries achieve the targets set in their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), through international cooperation.
But actual negotiations under Article 6 have focused almost entirely on carbon market creation. This has meant a new mechanism for trading carbon credits between countries (Article 6.2) and new rules to govern a global carbon market (Article 6.4) where businesses can directly purchase credits.
At COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, countries agreed on the broad framework of rules to govern and implement international carbon market mechanisms based on Article 6.4 texts.
But negotiations to finalize those rules collapsed two years later amidst accusations of bad-faith negotiation at COP28.
Work to finalize the rules was handed to a ‘Supervisory Body’ for ‘developing and supervising the requirements and processes needed to operationalize the [crediting] mechanism.’
This includes work on defining ‘removals’ and the methodologies used to measure them.
CLARA works consistently to advance international cooperation under Paris Agreement Article 6.8 on non-market approaches.
More about Article 6.8 and alternatives to carbon markets
How Effective are Article 6 Carbon Market Rules?
New Report from CLARA member Carbon Market Watch. CMW evaluated the credibility of the new Article 6 rule book – can Article 6.2 and 6.4 crediting programs contribute meaningfully to emission reductions? Download the report here.
In this August 21 blog, Dr. Steve Suppan from CLARA member IATP questions the adequacy of rules being developed on permanence and reversals of greenhouse gas emissions credits under the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (Article 6.4). A COP30 Dilemma: How to commodify greenhouse gas emissions reductions
CLARA Contributions to Article 6 Negotiations
CLARA has consistently pushed back on the ‘capture’ of Article 6 by carbon-market interests.
‘Release the Hostage!’ – CLARA’s call for progress on non-market approaches, not waiting for a decision on carbon markets at COP.
‘Bad Rules Agreed at COP29’ – CLARA members condemned the decision to approve Article 6.4 rules in Baku.
Human Rights and Article 6
CLARA member Center for International Environmental Law spelled out the challenges that carbon markets present to human rights in a 2021 publication. Download the report here.