The trick, obviously, comes in establishing the additionality of an offset.
The additionality tool requires an investment analysis and/or a barrier analysis to determine whether the CDM project is the most attractive realistic alternative.
A condition for access to the C.D.M. program is the notion that a qualifying project would not be able to attract investment without the added support provided by carbon credits — a criterion known as additionality in U.N.-speak.
We study impacts of conditioning on additionality within a number of collective PES designs.
REDD could, in theory, help them address their needs and keep illegal logging at bay, but to earn REDD offsets, they'll have to prove two things: first, that their forest is under immediate threat, and second, that they will only be able to save it as a result of the money they receive for their REDD efforts (a concept known as "additionality" in REDD parlance).
Unlike many previous conservation efforts, REDD+ is constructed on the principles of additionality against a baseline or reference emission level (REL), with no displacement of emissions to neighboring areas (leakage).
However, an analysis to test the additionality of PES revealed that the carrying capacity of agriculture in La Amistad prior to PES implementation in 2009 was 4969 people, much higher than the 2009 population size of 472.
Design systems in practice, where forest carbon corresponds to 0.5% of all carbon volume subject to a pricing mechanism, mainly rely on additionality tests by approved standards on a project-by-project basis, and on buffer credits for management of permanence.
The concept of additionality has inspired a mini research industry, but little clarity.
The design of PFC contracts can influence landowner participation and in-turn a program's prospects for additionality.
