Verra has established the first cohort of the Technical Expert Panel (TEP) for conducting high-integrity evaluations of projects that use the Nature Framework, an asset methodology under Verra’s Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) Program.
TEP members are highly qualified ecologists, biologists, and other conservation scientists and practitioners who will conduct technical evaluations of project designs prior to the validation process.
Launched in October 2024, the Nature Framework enables projects to quantify biodiversity outcomes and generate Nature Credits. It incentivizes widespread investment in measurable conservation and restoration activities benefiting both nature and people.
TEP appointees were selected from a robust pool of nearly 200 global applicants, using criteria published in the Nature Framework TEP Terms of Reference.
The TEP’s objective is to promote ecosystem-appropriate design in Nature Framework projects so that stakeholders can have confidence in projects’ biodiversity outcomes. TEP members will provide constructive commentary on whether, why, and how a project proponent could improve project design if a technical element is inappropriate for the ecosystem or otherwise falls short of good practice. TEP members provide valuable feedback so project proponents can consider altering their project design before the public comment period and validation process begin. After sharing the TEP evaluation reports with the project proponent, Verra will continue the certification process, following SD VISta program rules.
TEP evaluations will encompass the following technical elements of Nature Framework project design:
- Proposed activities conserving and/or restoring biodiversity
- Biodiversity-related risk assessment and proposed mitigation measures
- Selected Condition indicators and their associated reference values
- Sampling protocol and monitoring plan for the selected Condition indicators
- Selected crediting baseline method and its implementation
The first cohort of the SD VISta Nature Framework Technical Expert Panel (TEP) includes the following members:
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Dr. Xueyuan (Eric) Gao | Princeton University |
| Dr. Jan-Hendrik Keet | EcoFloristix Specialist Botanical Surveys |
| Dr. Meike Siegner | Taking Root |
| Chris Magero | Independent Expert |
| Dr. Nathalie van Vliet | Independent Expert |
| Prof. Dr. Ani Mardiastuti | IPB University |
| Dr. Luiz H. Varzinczak | Independent Expert |
| Dr. Edivando Vitor do Couto | Sentinel Earth |
| Dr. Otgonsuren Avirmed | Independent Expert |
| Carlos Eduardo Paixao | Synflor |
| Vincent Awotwe-Pratt | Advocates for Biodiversity Conservation |
| Camilo Palacios Hurtado | University of Miami |
| Dr. Grace O’Donovan | Biodiversity Futures Initiative |
| Dr. Estefania Fernandez | Gaia AI |
| Dr. Matthew Child | Rewild Capital |
| Dr. Tony Knowles | Cirrus |
| Dr. Daniel J. Lebbin | American Bird Conservancy |