Portal CarbonUnits.RU was created for people who are getting acquainted with climate regulation. In this material, we will try to explain what is meant by the types of climate projects.
On the territory of the Russian Federation, climate projects can be implemented through various procedures. These procedures may be provided for by national legislation, international agreements such as the Paris Agreement, or independent voluntary procedures.
According to national legislation, climate projects can be divided into the following types:
- Reduction (prevention) of greenhouse gas emissions. Example: The climate project implemented by JSC “Rusal” for aviation protection of a forest area from fires.
- Increase in greenhouse gas absorption. Example: The climate project implemented by LLC “VCL” in the territory of the Poronaysk forestry in the Sakhalin region.
- Simultaneous reduction (prevention) of greenhouse gas emissions and their absorption. As of the writing of this material, such projects are not registered in the carbon unit registry. A possible example: reforestation with the modernization of logging operations.
This typology is based on the following regulatory acts:
- Point 7 of Article 2 of Federal Law No. 296-FZ dated 02.07.2021 “On the Limitation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” It defines a climate project as a set of measures ensuring the reduction (prevention) of greenhouse gas emissions or an increase in their absorption.
- Point “b” of Appendix No. 1 to the Order of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia No. 248 dated 11.05.2022. It defines the results of the project implementation in the form of a reduction (prevention) of greenhouse gas emissions and (or) an increase in their absorption.
- Subparagraph “a” of point 7 of Appendix No. 2 to the Order of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia No. 248 dated May 11, 2022″ It clarifies what the legislator means by the types of projects for reducing (preventing) greenhouse gas emissions and (or) increasing their absorption.
Climate projects can also be classified by industry (category) in accordance with the All-Russian Classifier of Economic Activities. These data are requested during the validation procedure of a climate project and are indicated when publishing information about climate projects in the Carbon Unit Registry.
Common classification of climate projects
Often, when describing climate projects, terms like “nature-based” (for example, reforestation, restoration of drained peatlands) or “technological” (for example, renewable energy sources, modernization of production processes) are used. However, such typologization is not provided for by national legislation.
