The Designated National Authority (DNA) for Mechanisms based on the Kyoto Protocol has approved Spain’s voluntary participation in nine new projects. It is estimated that these nine projects approved by the Spanish DNA at its seventh meeting will generate, during the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, 4,606,944 tonnes of CO2 emission reductions.

The geographical distribution of the authorized projects is as follows: 51% of these projects are located in the Latin American and Caribbean area, 38% in Asia and the remaining 11% are distributed between Eastern Europe and Africa.

If we refer to the distribution by sectors, most of these projects are energy (22 of the 29 projects). Of these, renewable energy generation to supply the electricity grid of the country in which they are installed dominate. This type of renewable energy generation projects correspond to 19 projects, 11 of them dedicated to wind energy, and the other 8 to hydropower. The rest are distributed as follows: 10% landfill gas recovery, 10% HFCs, 3 sink projects, two fuel substitution projects in power generation, another biomass heating project (combination of fuel substitution and energy efficiency).

The national authority designated by Spain for the project-based mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol is an inter-ministerial commission created in accordance with Law 1/2005 of 9 March 2005, which regulates the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system. This Commission acts as a national focal point for the authorisation of Clean Development Mechanisms and Joint Implementation projects in which Spain and the companies authorised by this DNA take part. The DNA is made up of a member of the Economic Office of the President of the Government and two members with the rank of Deputy Director General of each of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Economy and Finance, Industry, Tourism and Trade and the Environment, appointed by the heads of the respective departments and by a representative of the Autonomous Communities. The Presidency of the DNA corresponds to the Secretary General for the Prevention of Pollution and Climate Change, and the secretariat corresponds to the Spanish Office for Climate Change.