CCER market comes under scrutiny as the 2nd annual compliance deadline approaches

Following the launch of the CCER registry (Chinese Certified Emissions Reductions) in January, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has issued around 20 million CCERs, introducing offset trading to the Chinese pilot ETS. All the pilots accept the use of CCERs for compliance varying from 5 to 10 % of an entity’s obligation. Combined, the total adds up to more than 100 Mt CO₂e a year. Despite the general lack of supply so far, pilots elected to further regulate the use of CCERs limiting vintage years, geographic origin and project types with regard to the current compliance phase. The details vary from pilot to pilot, but several common features make a large number of issued CCERs ineligible because there are from pre-CDM and hydro power projects. Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin for example only allow certificates from projects developed since 2013. Chongqing rules out reductions from before 2010, while Guangdong excludes pre-CDM projects all together. Most pilots, for example Shenzhen, further restrict the use of certificates from hydro power projects or as in the case of Hubei encourage the use of certificates from projects in their own jurisdiction.