The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows European companies to use credits from low-carbon projects in developing nations to offset their emissions. Many CDM projects might have happened without this support, which raises CO2 emissions unnecessarily. CDM could be more cost-effective at reducing emissions, as it costs more than the direct abatement of certain gases. It's not clear if CDM really helps sustainable development goals, and in some cases, it might even hinder them. Surprisingly, CDM activities in developing countries aren't always pushing for greener technologies, can discourage local environmental policies, and sometimes even support polluting activities. In Europe, CDM seems to be slowing down required greenhouse gas reductions, moving the spotlight away from genuine low-carbon efforts.