Methodologies

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Methodology Submissions

Credit: UNFCCC

What are methodologies, standardized baselines and methodological tools?

Methodologies, standardized baselines, and methodological tools form the framework for achieving emission reductions and removals consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Methodologies are systematic approaches used to quantify emission reductions and removals accurately. In the case of emissions reduction activities, they assist in:

establishing a project’s emissions baseline that represents anticipated emissions in the absence of activity implementation;
assessing the additionality of activities;
monitoring and reporting;
accurately estimating emissions reductions.

Standardized baselines are like benchmarks that help measure how much emissions are reduced or removals are achieved across activities, including larger scale activities undertaken in entire sectors, countries, or groups of countries. Standardized baselines may be developed by the Supervisory Body at the request of the host Party or may be developed by the host Party and approved by the Supervisory Body. Once these baselines are set, many different activities can use them, as long as they meet certain requirements.

Methodological tools are resources that include techniques and standard values needed for methods to work properly and consistently. They help in using methods effectively and reliably.

For additional information or specific inquiries, contact us at A6.4mechanism-meth@unfccc.int.

Developing methodologies and methodological tools

At its 11^th meeting, the Supervisory Body approved the development of the following methodological products as contained in the 2024 Methodological Expert Panel workplan.

Work related to	Products
Requirements for methodologies	Standard: Baselines and downward adjustment, and standardized baselines Standard: Suppressed demand Standard: Additionality Standard: Leakage Concept note: Large-scale crediting programmes Concept note: Equitable sharing of mitigation benefits Concept note: Taking account of policies and measures, and relevant circumstances Concept note: Transboundary activities Simplified approaches for additionality (Upon request)
Removals	Concept note: Applicability of removal guidance to emission reductions activities and vice versa Standard: Addressing non-permanence / reversals including: Post-crediting period monitoring, reporting, and remediation of reversals, post-reversal action, and Host Party roles; Late, incomplete or missing monitoring report submissions and treatment of activities for which a reversal results in removals level that falls below baseline; Reversal risk assessment; and Avoidable and unavoidable reversals, and reversal compensation
Revision of CDM methodologies/methodological tools/Standard/Guidelines	ACM0002: Grid connected electricity generation from renewable sources AMS-I.D.: Grid connected renewable electricity generation AMS-I.C.: Thermal energy production with or without electricity ACM0001: Flaring or use of landfill gas AMS-II.G.: Energy efficiency measures in thermal applications of non-renewable biomass; AMS-I.E: Switch from non-renewable biomass for thermal applications by the user Tool to calculate emission factor for an electricity system Tool to calculate project or leakage CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion Tool for Baseline, project and/or leakage emissions from electricity consumption and monitoring of electricity generation Tool for Project and leakage emissions from biomass Tool to calculate remaining lifetime of equipment Tool on Emissions from solid waste disposal sites Tool on Project emissions from flaring Tool for Determining the baseline efficiency of thermal or electric energy generation systems Tool on Project and leakage emissions from transportation of freight Tool to determine the mass flow of a greenhouse gas in a gaseous stream Tool for Calculation of the fraction of non-renewable biomass (building on work conducted by CDM EB to review fNRB values and the calculation method) Tool for Default values for common parameters Standard: Sampling and Surveys for CDM project activities and programmes of activities Guidelines: Sampling and Surveys for CDM project activities and programmes of activities

To submit a proposal for a new methodology or methodological tool for approval under the A6.4 mechanism, follow the official submission process outlined in the Procedure for the development, revision and clarification of methodologies and methodological tools.

Below, you will find overview information on:

Who can submit a new methodology or methodological tool

Activity participants of a planned project
Coordinating/managing entities of a planned programme of activity (PoA)
Host Parties
Designated Operational Entities
Any other stakeholders

Required documents

To submit your proposal, please complete the following documentation:

A6.4-FORM-METH-001. New baseline and monitoring methodology or methodological tool proposal form: Word | PDF
A6.4-FORM-METH-002. Proposed new methodology or methodological tool form: Word | PDF
A6.4-FORM-AC-020. Project design document (PDD) form for planned projects: Word | PDF or

A6.4-FORM-AC-041. Programme of Activities design document (PoA-DD) form for planned PoAs: Word | PDF

When to submit the required documents

The deadlines for submission to propose new methodologies/methodological tools in 2025 are determined by the dates of the MEP meetings.

The next submission deadlines are as follows, as per MEP 005 meeting report, para. 8:

MEP meeting	Submission deadlines	Information in relation to the submission deadlines
MEP 6	Monday, 21 April 2025 (23:59 CEST)	Five weeks prior to MEP 006 (26 to 30 May)
MEP 7	Monday, 12 May 2025 (23:59 CEST)	Eight weeks prior to MEP 007 (7 to 11 July
MEP 8	Monday, 7 July 2025 (23:59 CEST)	Eight weeks prior to MEP 008 (1 to 5 September)
MEP 9	Monday, 6 October 2025 (23:59 CEST)	Eight weeks prior to MEP 009 (1 to 5 December)

How submissions will be assessed

The proposed new methodologies and methodological tools will undergo a completeness check and an initial assessment in line with the Procedure: Development, revision and clarification of methodologies and methodological tools. If, following these steps, the submissions are deemed eligible for consideration, they will be uploaded to the dedicated webpage and subsequently reviewed by the Methodological Expert Panel at its meetings, as set forth in the aforementioned procedure.

Where to submit

Send all required documents and forms, specific inquiries or request for additional information to: A6.4mechanism-meth@unfccc.int.