JCM_BD_Glossary_ver02.0
Joint Crediting Mechanism Glossary of Terms
CategoryEmission
reductions
removals

No.
1.
or

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3.

4.

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8.

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Term
Definition
Greenhouse Gases GHG are those gases of carbon dioxide (CO2),(GHG)
methane(CH4),
nitrousoxide(N2O),
hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs),
perfluorocarbons(PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen
trifluoride (NF3) (RoI para.2).
JCM project
GHG emission reductions or removals project
activities under the JCM (RoI para.3).
Eligible
project List of titles of methodologies approved by the Joint
type list
Committee under the JCM with their eligibility
criteria.
Eligibility criteria
Eligibility criteria are requirements for the JCM
project defined in the JCM methodology and containthe followings:(a) Requirements for the project in order to beregistered as a JCM project;(b) Requirements for the project to be able to apply
the JCM methodology.
Netdecrease In the JCM, emission reductions to be credited areand/or avoidance defined as the difference between reference emissionsof GHG emissions and project emissions. The reference emissions arecalculated below business as usual (BaU) emissions
to ensure a net decrease and/or avoidance of GHG
emissions.
Reference
Referenceemissionsarecalculated
below
emissionsbusiness-as-usual (BaU) emissions. Reference
emissions are calculated by multiplying a crediting
threshold which is typically expressed as GHG
emissions per unit of output by total outputs.
Business-as-usual
Business-as-usual(BaU) emissions represent(BaU) emissions
plausible emissions in providing the same outputs orservice level of the proposed JCM project in the hostcountry.
Crediting threshold Crediting threshold is typically expressed as GHG
emissions per unit of output. A crediting threshold isestablished ex ante in the methodology applicable forthe same project type in the host country. It should
also be established conservatively in order tocalculate reference emissions below BaU emissions.
Emissions sources Those emissions sources and GHG types whoseand GHG types
emissions are significant and reasonably attributable
to the JCM project.
Sinks and GHG Those sinks and GHG types whose removals ortypes
emissions are significant and reasonably attributable
to the JCM project.
Sectoral scope
The category of GHG source sectors or groups ofactivities that apply to JCM projects. It is based on thesectoral scope for the CDM. A JCM project may fallwithin more than one sectoral scope.
Level of assurance Level of assurance is defined as degree of assurance
the Joint Committee requires in a verification.
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Category

Governance

No.

Term

13.

Materiality

14.

Each side

15.

16.
17.

Definition
The level of assurance is used to determine the depthof detail that a verifier designs into their verification
plan to determine if there are any material errors,omissions or misrepresentations.
Materiality is a concept that individual or theaggregation
oferrors,omissions
andmisrepresentations could affect the greenhouse gas
assertion and could influence the intended users'decisions.

Each side, based on the rules and guidelines asdeveloped by the Joint Committee and/or inaccordance with relevant domestic laws andregulations in respective countries for theimplementation of the JCM:(a) Prepares draft methodologies and submits them tothe Joint Committee;(b) Establishes and maintains a registry in line withthe common specifications for registries, as developedby the Joint Committee;(c) On the basis of notification for issuance of creditby the Joint Committee (including for allocation ofcredits among participants), issues the notified
amount of credits to its registry.
Each side promptly informs the Joint Committee on
the issuance of credits under the JCM (RoIpara.14-15).
Joint Committee
The both sides establish the Joint Committee which
consists of the representatives from both sides.
The Joint Committee may develop or modify theRules of Implementation and other rules andguidelines necessary for the implementation of theJCM.
The Joint Committee designates the third-party
entities.
On the basis of a request for registration of JCM
projects submitted by project participants, the JointCommittee registers JCM projects which werevalidated by the third-party entities.
On the basis of a request for notification to each sidefor issuance of credits submitted by project
participants, the Joint Committee notifies both sides
to issue the credits which were verified by thethird-party entities. (RoI para. 6-10).
Joint Committee The Joint Committee establishes its secretariat for thesecretariat
implementation of the JCM (RoI para.13).
Third-party entity
A third-party entity that is designated by the Joint
Committee:(a) On the basis of requests from project participants,validates the project as described in a PDD preparedby the project participants, in line with the guidelines
for the validation as developed by the Joint
Committee, and informs the validation result to the2

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Category

Documents/infrastructure

No.

Term

18.

Project participant

19.

Methodology

20.

Proposed
Methodology
Spreadsheet

21.

Monitoring
SpreadsheetDefinition
project participants;(b) On the basis of requests from project participants,
verifies GHG emission reductions or removals
achieved by the JCM project as described in themonitoring report prepared by the project participants,
in line with the guidelines for the verification of GHG
emission reductions or removals as developed by theJoint Committee, records the verification result in averification report and sends the report to the project
participants (RoI para.18).
Project participants:(a) Prepare a draft methodology and submit the draft
to the Joint Committee for its approval;(b) Prepare a draft PDD and submit the draft to athird-party entity for validation and notify the JointCommittee;(c) Submit the PDD that was validated by thethird-party entity to the Joint Committee for its
registration of the project;(d) Implement the JCM project and conduct
monitoring in line with the PDD;(e) Prepare a monitoring report and send the report toa third-party entity for verification;(f) Submit a verification report prepared by thethird-party entity to the Joint Committee, and request
notification to each side for issuance of credits underthe JCM (RoI para.19).
A methodology applied to JCM projects forcalculating emission reductions achieved by eachproject and monitoring the JCM project.
A proposed methodology is a methodology that has
been submitted to the Joint Committee for approval. A
proposed methodology consists of proposed
methodology form and Proposed Methodology
Spreadsheet.
An approved methodology is a methodology that has
been approved by the Joint Committee for application
to JCM projects. An approved methodology consistsof an approved methodology document and aMonitoring Spreadsheet. Approved methodologies are
publicly available on the JCM website.
A Proposed Methodology Spreadsheet is a part of a
proposed methodology developed by methodology
proponents.
A Proposed Methodology Spreadsheet defines amonitoring plan and enables calculation of GHG
emission reductions automatically through inputting
values. The Proposed Methodology Spreadsheet
consists of an input sheet and calculation processsheet.
A Monitoring Spreadsheet is a part of an approved
methodology.
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Category

No.

22.

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Project cycle

27.

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TermDefinition
The Monitoring Spreadsheet consists of a Monitoring
Plan Sheet (input sheet and calculation process sheet),
Monitoring Structure Sheet, and Monitoring Report
Sheet (input sheet and calculation process sheet). TheMonitoring Plan Sheet and Monitoring Structure
Sheet are used for developing a monitoring plan andcalculating emission reductions ex ante. TheMonitoring Report Sheet is used for preparing amonitoring report and calculating emission reductions
ex post. The Monitoring Plan Sheet and Monitoring
Report Sheet are prepared based on the Proposed
Methodology Spreadsheet and the Monitoring
Structure Sheet is added by the secretariat after theapproval of the proposed methodology by the JointCommittee.
Project
design The document prepared by the project participant of adocument (PDD)
JCM project which sets out in detail the JCM project
which is to be realized. A Project design document(PDD) consists of a completed PDD form andmonitoring plan using a Monitoring Plan Sheet andMonitoring Structure Sheet of the Monitoring
Spreadsheet. The form of PDD, Monitoring
Spreadsheet, and guidelines on preparing the PDD,
are publicly available through the JCM website.
Monitoring planA monitoring plan sets out the methodology to be
used by project participants for the monitoring of, andby third-party entities for verification of the amountof GHGs emission reductions achieved by the JCMproject. A monitoring plan is developed using
Monitoring Plan Sheet and Monitoring Structure
Sheet of Monitoring Spreadsheet.
Monitoring report
A monitoring report is prepared by a project
participant and sets out the GHG emission reductionsof an implemented registered JCM project for aparticular monitoring period. A monitoring plan isprepared using a Monitoring Report Sheet of aMonitoring Spreadsheet.
Registry
Each side establishes a registry to record and use thecredits (RoI para.34).
CreditCredits are issued based on quantified amount of
GHG emission reductions or removals achieved by
the contribution of project participants in theimplementation of GHG emission reductions orremovals project activities under the JCM (RoIpara.3).
Modalitiesof A modalities of communication statement (MoC)
communicationfrom (or signed by) all project participants
statement (MoC)
participating in a JCM project, defined in a prescribed
form, that designates one focal point entities tocommunicate on their behalf with the secretariat andthe Joint Committee in line with established scopes.
Validation
Validation is the process of independent evaluation of4

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Category

Others

No.

Term

29.

Registration

30.

Monitoring

31.

Verification

32.

Issuanceof credits

33.

Clean
Development
Mechanism
(CDM)

34.

Definitiona proposed JCM project by a third-party entity against
the validation guidelines as developed by the Joint
Committee on the basis of the PDD (RoI para.24).
Registration is the formal acceptance by the Joint
Committee of a validated project as a JCM project(RoI para.27).
Project participants implement a JCM project andmonitor GHG emission reductions or removals by theJCM project based on the PDD (RoI para.30.
Verification is the periodic independent review and ex
post determination by a third-party entity of themonitored GHG emissions reductions or removals asa result of a registered JCM project during theverification period (RoI para.31).
The action taken by each side to issue the credits to its
respective account in the registry in line with thenotification of the Joint Committee.

A mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol, the purposeof which, in accordance with Article 12 of the Kyoto
Protocol, is to assist Parties not included in Annex I in
achievingsustainable
developmentandin
contributing to the ultimate objective of theConvention, and to assist Parties included in Annex Iin achieving compliance with their quantified
emission limitation and reduction commitments under
Article 3 of the Kyoto Protocol.
DesignatedAn entity designated by the Conference of the Parties
Operational Entity serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto(DOE)
Protocol (CMP), based on a recommendation by theCDM Executive Board, as qualified to validate
proposed CDM project activities and programme ofactivities (PoAs), as well as verify and certify
reductions in anthropogenic emissions by sources of
GHG and net anthropogenic GHG removals by sinks.

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