Article 6 carbon credits: A 6.4 ERs under PACM and ITMOs under Article 6.2

Article 6 of the Paris Agreement lets countries cooperate to cut emissions. Under Article 6.4, the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM) registers projects and issues A 6.4 ERs; under Article 6.2, countries agree cooperative approaches and transfer internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs). VPA India helps project developers and host-country agencies take projects through either route, from eligibility to authorisation, issuance and sale.

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Who it is for

Project developers in India and other host countries
Owners of CDM activities that have moved, or are moving, to Article 6.4
Buyers that need authorised units – companies, airlines and governments
Host-country agencies setting up approval and authorisation steps

Article 6.4: the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism

Steps. The host country approves the activity before registration; a designated operational entity (DOE) validates it and later verifies its results; the Supervisory Body registers it and issues A 6.4 ERs. On 9 October 2026, 18 DOEs were accredited.
Methodologies. Five had been adopted by 9 October 2026, covering clean cooking, nitrous oxide from nitric acid production, landfill gas and grid-connected renewable electricity.
CDM transition. Host countries had until 30 June 2026 to approve the move of CDM activities; by then they had approved 418 CDM projects and programmes, and by 9 October 2026 the Supervisory Body had approved 38 transition requests. The first issuance of A 6.4 ERs was approved on 26 February 2026.
Authorisation. In its application, the host country states whether the A 6.4 ERs count towards its own nationally determined contribution (NDC) or are authorised for use by other countries or for other international purposes. Authorised A 6.4 ERs become ITMOs; units that are not authorised are mitigation contribution units.
Share of proceeds. A 5% share of A 6.4 ERs goes to the Adaptation Fund, and at least 2% are cancelled for overall mitigation in global emissions.

Article 6.2: cooperative approaches and ITMOs

How it works. Countries agree how mitigation outcomes are created and transferred. An ITMO is transferred only once both countries authorise it, and when it counts towards the buying country's NDC, the host country makes a corresponding adjustment.
India. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change updated India's list of eligible activities in 2025 – 13 activity types, without clean cookstoves – and developers need a letter of authorisation to issue and sell ITMOs. Japan and India signed a memorandum of cooperation establishing the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) on 7 August 2025, and JCM projects in India must fall within the listed sectors. IETA reports a second agreement, with South Korea, in April 2026.

How we work

Screening. We check host-country rules, the methodology, additionality and the route that fits – Article 6.4, Article 6.2 or a voluntary standard.
Authorisation plan. We map the approvals and letters your host country requires and the corresponding-adjustment path your buyers expect.
Project design document. We write it to the Article 6.4 or bilateral programme requirements, with the monitoring plan.
Validation and registration. We support you through validation and the registration request.
Monitoring and verification. We prepare each monitoring report and support you through verification.
Issuance and sale. We prepare issuance requests and introduce buyers for authorised units.

What you receive

A route-and-eligibility note: Article 6.4, Article 6.2 or a voluntary standard
An authorisation plan with the documents your host country asks for
The project design document and monitoring plan
Support through validation, registration, verification and issuance
Buyer introductions

Track record

Since 2008 we have developed carbon credit projects in India and abroad under the CDM, Article 6.4, Verra, Gold Standard and other programmes; our projects page lists them. Our founder is a former DOE/VVB lead auditor (SGS SA).

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Article 6.2 and Article 6.4?

Under Article 6.2, countries set the terms of their own cooperation and transfer ITMOs between them. Article 6.4 is a UN mechanism with common methodologies, a Supervisory Body and a registry.

What is a corresponding adjustment?

An entry in the host country's emissions accounts for a mitigation outcome transferred abroad, so that two countries do not count the same reduction. It applies when an authorised unit counts towards another country's NDC.

Can a CDM project still move to Article 6.4?

Only if its host country approved the move by the extended deadline of 30 June 2026. By then host countries had approved 418 CDM projects and programmes, and by 9 October 2026 the Supervisory Body had approved 38 transition requests.

Does India accept every project type for Article 6?

No. India accepts only the activity types on its published list, updated in 2025. We check your project against the current list before any work starts.

Sources

UNFCCC, Rules, modalities and procedures for the mechanism established by Article 6, paragraph 4, of the Paris Agreement (CMA.3 decision) (unfccc.int), read 08-Nov-2026.
Carbon Market Institute, Article 6.2 factsheet (COP29), Dec-2024 (carbonmarketinstitute.org).
UNFCCC, Annual report of the Supervisory Body for the mechanism established by Article 6, paragraph 4, of the Paris Agreement, FCCC/PA/CMA/2026/8, 22-Oct-2026 (unfccc.int).
Carbon Market Institute, Article 6.4 factsheet (COP29), Dec-2024 (carbonmarketinstitute.org).
IETA, "IETA's Recommendations on Strengthening India's Article 6 Framework", May-2026 (ieta.org).
Global Environment Centre Foundation (JCM), news on India (gec.jp), read 13-Nov-2026.