In this paper, we discuss options for developing institutions for joint implementation (JI) projects. We focus on the tasks which are unique to JI projects or require additional institutional needs — accepting the project by the host and investor countries and assessing the project's greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction or sequestration — and we suggest the types of institutions that would enhance their performance. Our evaluation is based on four sets of governmental and international criteria for JI projects, the experiences of ten pilot JI projects, and the perspectives of seven collaborating authors from China, Egypt, India, Mexico, and Thailand, who interviewed relevant government and non-government staff involved in JI issue assessment in their countries.
After examining the roles for potential JI institutions, we present early findings arguing for a decentralized national JI structure, which includes: 1) national governmental panels providing host country acceptance of proposed JI projects; 2) project parties providing the assessment data on the GHG reduction or sequestration for the projects; 3) technical experts calculating these GHG flows; 4) certified verification teams checking the GHG calculations; and 5) members of an international JI Secretariat training and certifying the assessors, as well as resolving challenges to the verifications.