Business group urges COP31 negotiators to clear barriers slowing Article 6 markets
By Article 6 Network
A business NGO’s priorities paper for COP31 calls on negotiators in Antalya to tackle the barriers holding back Article 6 implementation. It adds to a wave of pre-COP calls from developers and industry that the next step for Article 6 is turning agreed rules into a working market.
In its priorities document for COP31, the business organisation argues that negotiators must address remaining obstacles to implementing Article 6.2 cooperative approaches and the Article 6.4 mechanism.
Business groups have raised similar concerns over several COPs. Ahead of COP29, IETA’s Article 6 priorities focused on authorisation, including its format, timing and the handling of changes and revocation. It also published policy briefs on first transfers, sequencing, review and addressing inconsistencies, the Article 6.2 international registry, and emissions avoidance. An IETA and A6IP business pulse survey found that while the private sector sees major opportunities, significant challenges remain. Respondents cited negotiation barriers, transaction transparency and slow adoption by host countries.
The wider business community is pushing in the same direction. In June 2026, the ICC’s closing statement for business at the Bonn climate conference said COP31 must deliver further progress on Article 6, alongside adaptation, trade, a just transition and agriculture. At Pre-COP31 in Fiji in October, the ICC also called for removing barriers to climate finance in emerging and developing economies.
Signals to watch
- Implementation over new rules: With the Article 6 rulebook largely complete, business priorities now focus on practical issues such as authorisation clarity, registry readiness, review timelines and fee predictability. Expect COP31 outcomes to be judged on whether they speed up transactions.
- Authorisation certainty remains central: Investors want clear rules on when authorisations can be changed or revoked and how changes are reported. Any COP31 guidance that reduces revocation risk would directly improve how bankable ITMOs are.
- Infrastructure funding is a test case: Business groups’ calls line up with UNFCCC warnings about funding shortfalls for Article 6.2 and PACM infrastructure. A durable funding decision, possibly including user fees, would ease concerns about operations.
- Alignment between business and developers: Similar demands from project developers and business NGOs strengthen the private sector’s message in Antalya. Negotiators will face coordinated pressure for predictable costs, faster registries and simpler processes.
- Host-country capacity is beyond negotiators’ reach: Many barriers sit in domestic institutions, not in UN negotiations. COP31 can encourage capacity building, but faster authorisations will ultimately depend on host governments, which keeps sovereign readiness central to investment decisions.
Sources:
- IETA and A6IP – Article 6 in Action: business insights and implementation trends
- IETA – COP resources and Article 6 policy briefs
- ICC – Business calls for clear policy signals ahead of COP31
- ICC – Business and Industry closing statement at Bonn Climate Change Conference
