The International Transaction Log (ITL) connects registries and secretariat systems that are involved in the emissions trading mechanism defined under the Kyoto Protocol and its Doha amendment. One of the key mandates of the ITL is to ensure an accurate accounting and verification of transactions proposed by registries in order to support the review and compliance process of the Kyoto Protocol.

In practical terms, registries send transaction proposals to the ITL, which assesses each proposal against a set of defined checks, derived from the Kyoto Protocol, its Doha amendment and other relevant COP/CMP decisions. The ITL then responds to registries' transaction proposals by clearing them for further processing. If a transaction proposal is approved, the registry completes the transaction; if the transaction proposal is rejected, the ITL sends an error code indicating which ITL check has failed and the registry terminates the transaction.

The full specifications of the ITL system are defined in the Data Exchange Standards (DES). The DES describes the technical requirements for the communication between the ITL and registries. It also provides the list of all the checks performed by the ITL.

The UNFCCC secretariat in its capacity of the ITL administrator has awarded a contract for the development, hosting and technical support of the ITL to leading IT services companies. The technical arrangements for the ITL include adequate provisions to ensure high-availability of the system and secure communications between the ITL and registries. A service desk team, operating 7 days a week, is also in place to assist the administrators and operators of systems connected to the ITL.

RSA Forum

The ITL administrator has convened the Registry System Administrator Forum in order to ensure that technical and management issues across registry systems are effectively coordinated. The Forum met for the first time in April 2006 and typically meets as a full group annually. In addition, working groups are established under the Forum to conduct more detailed work in preparing and implementing procedures of joint concern to administrators of all registry systems.  

Annual reports of the administrator of the international transaction log under the Kyoto Protocol