2026, Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part C

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol allows developing nations to undertake climate mitigation while achieving sustainable development. Its adaptation is, however, subject to various barriers and facilitators. Six critical factors cost-associated barriers, technical knowledge, government subsidies, carbon credits potential, perceived value, government support with regulatory mechanisms underlie CDM adaptation. Under a quantitative explanatory research design, structured questionnaires were administered to 70 respondents involved in CDM-associated activities to collect data that were subjected to descriptive statistics, reliability and validity tests, variance inflation factor test, and multiple regressions. The results reveal that all six factors significantly and positively correlate with CDM adaptation, with government support and regulatory mechanisms exerting the greatest influence. The research establishes the need for favorable policies, financial support, and technology capacity-building to enhance CDM adoption in developing nations to promote sounder climate governance and sustainable low-carbon transformations. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) conceived by the Kyoto Protocol allows developing nations to undertake climate change mitigation while at the same time heading towards sustainable development goals. However, its adoption is mediated by various barriers and enablers. Six key factors-cost-based hurdles, access to technical expertise, subsidies by governments, opportunity for carbon credits, perceived worth, and governmental support through regulation-lie at the root of CDM adaptation. Utilizing a quantitative explanatory research design, 70 respondents engaged with activities involving the CDM were subjected to structured questionnaires allowing for data collection and subsequent descriptive statistics, reliability and validity tests, variance inflation factor procedures, and multiple regression analyses to facilitate data description and model validation. The research shows there is a significant and positive relationship for all six variables with CDM adaptation with governmental support and regulation procedures bearing most significance. This study highlights the need for favorable policies, funding support, and capacity-building for technology to achieve enhanced adoption by developing countries of CDM to enhance climate governance and sustainable transition to low-carbon pathways.