The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a market mechanism that was created by an international regime, but its successful implementation relies on effective CDM governance within its host countries. What kinds of carbon governance patterns are appropriate for reaching the goals of the Kyoto Protocol?

The Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UNFCCC by its decision 9.CP.2, 3/CP.5 and 18/CP.8, requested that Parties included in Annex I to the Convention (Annex I Parties) submit national inventory data on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by sources and removals by sinks.

It now seems certain that the United Nations conference on climate change in Copenhagen in December will not see the adoption of a detailed and legally binding agreement.

This article explores first, why a legally binding instrument is unlikely to emerge from the UN conference on climate change at Copenhagen, and next, whether it matters and if so, why. In the process, it examines the terms