- Joint Implementation (JI) mechanism, is one of the three flexible mechanisms proposed by the parties to the Kyoto Protocol, to assist parties meet their Kyoto emission reduction targets.

JI allows the annex I countries to claim credit for emission reductions that arise from investment in other annex I countries. This results in a transfer of Emissions Reduction Units (ERUs) between countries.

An annex I country with emission reduction target commitment in Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol can execute an emission reduction project in another annex I country also with emission reduction target commitment in Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol and obtain ERUs that counts as credits towards the funding countries emission target. The host country (i.e. project beneficiary) earns no ERUs but gains the sustainable project with low or no carbon emission potentials.

The funding party can also receive ERUs through afforestation and /or reforestation activities or any activities that provide carbon sink to the host party. A possible scenario is for the industrialised countries in annex I to invest in the Economies in Transition (EITs) in Annex I and obtain ERUs.

Similar to the Clean Development Mechanism, JI is project oriented. Likely projects include:

• Renewable energy projects such as Wind Power, Hydropower, Biomass;
• End-use energy efficiency improvements;
• Supply-side energy efficiency improvements;
• Fuel Switching projects;
• Reduction of industrial emissions (CO2 from Cement, HFCs, PFCs, SF6);
• Methane capture and re-use from coal mines, landfills and industrial wastewater;
• Afforestation/reforestations

Implementation of JI:

JI is coordinated by Joint Implementation Supervisory Committee (JISC), a body similar to the CDM Executive Board.

The general conditions that must be fulfilled for a project to qualify as a JI project include:

• Project must have approval by all parties involved;
• Project must lead to sustainable development in the host countries;
• Project must result in real, measurable and long-term benefits in terms of climate change mitigation.
• The reductions must be additional to any that would have occurred without the project.

Conditions that must be fulfilled by the parties involved in a JI project are:

• Each party must have ratified the Kyoto Protocol;
• Each party must have an assigned amount of emission reduction target (annex B of Kyoto Protocol);
• Each party must establish National JI Authority, similar to the CDM's DNA ;
• Each party has in place a national system for the estimation of anthropogenic emissions by sources and anthropogenic removals by sinks of all greenhouse gases;
• Each Party has in place a national registry, an annual inventory, and an accounting system for the sale and purchase of emission reductions.
• Each party submits the supplementary information on assigned amount and makes any additions to, and subtractions from, assigned amount.

Projects starting as of the year 2000 may be eligible as JI projects if they meet the relevant requirements, but ERUs may only be issued for a crediting period starting after the beginning of the year 2008

Upon verification that a host Party meets all the requirements above, she may issue the appropriate quantity of ERUs. This is called a "Track 1 procedure". If the host country does not meet all the requirements listed above, the verification of reductions in emissions by sources or enhancements of removals by sinks as being additional has to occur through the verification procedure under the JISC; this is called the "Track 2 Procedure". ERUs will be transferred if JISC or its accredited independent entity determines that the relevant requirements are met.

Other Sources of Information:

• Causes of Climate change - Edugreen
• JI: JI HOME
• UNEP Risoe CDM/JI Pipeline Analysis and Database
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
• United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).