Aguan Biogas Project and the Government of the United Kingdom: Legal and International Human Rights Assessment

Generally, the Kyoto Protocol provides three flexible mechanisms through which industrialized countries such as the United Kingdom (UK) could achieve their emission reduction objectives anywhere in the world, at the lowest cost possible. These flexible mechanisms provide legal incentives and basis for the UK to invest in emission reduction projects in other countries while getting credits for the emission reduction achieved. The overall aim is to promote global emission reductions at the least cost possible. For example, studies confirm that while it requires US $50 to mitigate one ton of CO 2 eq. in developed countries, the same reduction can be accomplished in developing countries at US $15 per ton of CO2 eq. Of the three flexible mechanisms, it is only the CDM that brings developing countries into the picture. The CDM allows developing countries to host climate change mitigation projects sponsored by industrialized countries. The CDM aims to assist developing countries in achieving sustainable development by boosting their economies and by promoting environmentally friendly investment from industrialized countries governments and businesses. Estimates indicate that by 2015, foreign investments through the CDM in a developing country could be US$4752 Million annually.