Kyoto\u27s Clean Development Mechanism in Action: India, China and Brazil

The Kyoto Protocol is the principal international agreement to reduce global climate change. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) helps achieve the Protocol’s objectives by allowing developed countries to pay for reductions of greenhouse gases in developing countries. The developing countries that are most actively involved in the CDM – and that have the greatest potential for future involvement – are India, China and Brazil. The purpose of this article is to describe the CDM, the activities in these three countries under the CDM, and the current and future role of the United States under the CDM