- Why in news
- On 8 June 2026 India and Japan adopted the Rule of Implementation for the Joint Crediting Mechanism under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, announced on 16 June 2026.
- What it is
- The Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) is a bilateral carbon-credit arrangement between Japan and a partner country. Projects cut or remove greenhouse gases, and the credits can count towards the NDCs of both countries. Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement lets countries trade mitigation outcomes through cooperative approaches.
- Earlier step
- India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation for the JCM last year; it set the framework for cooperation.
- Governance
- The rules provide a Joint Committee of both Governments, project approval procedures, third-party validation and verification, safeguards and national registries tracking credits.
- Aim
- Projects should deliver emission reductions or removals, support sustainable development and help meet both countries' NDCs.
- Legal basis
- Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement covers bilateral cooperative approaches using internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs). Article 6.4 creates a separate UN-supervised crediting mechanism.
Don’t confuse with Article 6.2 vs Article 6.4: 6.2 is bilateral or plurilateral cooperation between countries; 6.4 is a UN-supervised mechanism, the successor to the Clean Development Mechanism.
Don’t confuse with JCM vs CDM: The Clean Development Mechanism came from the Kyoto Protocol. The JCM is a bilateral Japan-led scheme linked to the Paris Agreement.
International bodies and relations: the largest group of news questions in Prelims (61 since 2013), often about background, members and location. In Mains, 27 news-triggered questions, mostly on India's interests.
Why it matters
- Draws investment and low-carbon technology from Japan into India.
- Helps India show action on its NDC and sustainable development goals.
Problems
- Avoiding double counting of credits between India's and Japan's NDCs.
- Ensuring real, additional emission reductions through credible verification.
Way forward
- Use the national registry and third-party verification to keep credits transparent.
- Prioritise projects that bring technology transfer and local development benefits.
- 2014Mains GS3 · Q13Whether to maintain carbon credits and clean development mechanisms despite price slide
- 2025Mains GS3 · Q18Review of India's Paris commitments and updated first NDC
- 2021Mains GS3 · Q17Major COP26 outcomes and India's commitments made there
- 2025Prelims Q34Statements on Article 6 of Paris Agreement and carbon markets
- 2023Prelims Q23Statements on carbon markets as climate change tools
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.The Rule of Implementation of the India-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism was adopted under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.
- 2.Under the India-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism, projects are verified solely by the UNFCCC Secretariat.
- 3.Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement allows countries to transfer mitigation outcomes internationally towards their NDCs.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 7
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The Rule of Implementation of the India-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism was adopted under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.
True. It was adopted under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.
2.The rules provide for a Joint Committee with representatives from both Governments.
True. A Joint Committee with representatives of both Governments is part of the governance arrangement.
3.Under the arrangement, projects are verified solely by the UNFCCC Secretariat.
False. Third-party validation and verification is used, not solely the UNFCCC Secretariat.
4.The Memorandum of Cooperation for the JCM was signed in the same year as the Rule of Implementation was adopted.
False. The MoC was signed last year (2025); the rules were adopted in 2026.
5.Mitigation activities under the JCM are meant to contribute to the NDCs of both India and Japan.
True. The framework contributes to the NDCs of both countries.
6.Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement establishes a centralised mechanism supervised by a body under the UN for trading emission credits.
False. Article 6.4 creates the UN-supervised mechanism; Article 6.2 covers bilateral cooperative approaches.
7.Article 6.2 allows countries to transfer mitigation outcomes internationally towards their NDCs.
True. Article 6.2 provides for internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs).
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Source: PIB, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change., 16 Jun, 15:02 IST · Release 290080
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.