What is the Clean Development Mechanism?

The first big step on the path to combating global warming was the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This treaty was subsequently augmented to include the Kyoto Protocol, which provided a legislative framework for the UNFCCC. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) forms part of the Kyoto Protocol and, by promoting methane capture in return for financial reward, encourages sustainable development through the adoption of cleaner energy sources and more efficient industrial processes. Since the beginning of 2006, the Clean Development Mechanism has already registered more than 1,500 projects.