In Verra’s January 2026 Stakeholder Update Webinar, we shared Verra’s top priorities for the year across departments. Please find a summary of the updates below, as well as a recording of the webinar and the slide deck.

January 2026 Stakeholder Update Webinar (PDF)Button Icon

CEO Reflections and Insights

At the outset, Mandy Rambharos, Verra CEO, reminded us that even amidst the political turbulence and economic uncertainty of 2025, the carbon markets had a measurable impact on the climate crisis. To support this impact, Verra made steady, and quietly consequential, progress in a number of areas:

  • We strengthened our government engagement strategy to support the convergence of compliance and voluntary carbon markets. Our alignment with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, for example through the Article 6.2 Crediting Protocol, together with full approval under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), means that Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program has evolved to increasingly serve as a foundation and an accelerator for compliance efforts. The Verra Registry is ready to apply labels indicating CORSIA eligibility and Article 6 authorization to qualifying credits.
  • We doubled down on our technological transformation, accelerated through partnerships with Hedera, S&P Global Energy, and other key partners. This enhanced our efforts to scale digital measurement, reporting, and verification, and streamline project registration and verification by 60%. We encourage your uptake of these digital tools and welcome your feedback as to how we can improve our digital tools.
  • We continued to operationalize quality and integrity. We increased our portfolio of ICVCM- approved methodologies to 10, released allocated deforestation risk maps for use under our REDD methodology for six jurisdictions, launched version 5 of the VCS Program, and completed the groundwork for releasing version 1 of the Scope 3 Standard Program in 2026, to name just a few accomplishments. We also heard your feedback on reducing uncertainty around methodology updates and transition requirements and are working to improve these aspects.
  • We focused on financial resilience. When I joined Verra, restoring financial stability was among my most urgent priorities. As a result, we made some very tough decisions in 2025 that led to a real course correction. While we usually don’t share our financials until they are audited, we can with confidence share some early numbers and what they tell us about Verra’s operations and stability.
    • Despite a softer market‑wide issuance environment, our revenue grew close to double digits year‑over‑year. Development work, including grants, became a meaningful part of our financial picture, and we expect this to expand further in 2026.
    • On the cost side, we reduced annual expenses by approximately one‑third.
    • As a result, we reduced our losses to around $1 million (from $19 million in 2024) and had an effectively cash‑neutral year.

This is an extraordinary turnaround from where we were in 2024, and Verra is now on a sustainable financial footing with strong cash reserves, thanks to discipline and teamwork across the organization.

The way we intend to build on this in 2026 is to scale. The systems we have built—and the lessons we have learned—must now help transform this market into one that is not only trusted, but genuinely transformational, a market capable of delivering decarbonization and durable socioeconomic impact.

  • We will continue to deliver best‑in‑class standards, methodologies, and tools, grounded in two decades of lived experience and shaped by your feedback.
  • We will continue to bridge voluntary and compliance markets. Carbon markets cannot scale in silos. The lines between them are already blurring, and the VCS Program plays a critical role in building coherence across the systems.
  • We will continue to advance our digitalization initiative so we can increase speed, efficiency, and scale, and because transparency and data integrity are foundational to trust.
  • And we will continue to invest in fit‑for‑purpose partnerships because, to quote a popular proverb, “Alone we may go fast, but together we go far.”

In closing, Mandy reflected on a recent conversation with a project proponent that served as a quiet reminder that Verra’s work has an impact on real places and real people. The proponent emphasized that they were less concerned about frameworks and labels, but that their focus was on whether funding would arrive in time to keep people employed, to keep monitoring teams in the field, and to honor long‑term commitments.

It is for this reason, Mandy emphasized, that even in turbulent years, this market cannot pause and that, in this coming year, we must build on the foundational work we did in 2025.

Scaling this market is not about growth for its own sake. It is about translating ambition into outcomes, and trust into action. We are grateful to be doing that work alongside you.

Program Updates

The launch of our next generation registry platform, developed with S&P Global Energy, is our biggest near-term milestone. It will directly increase efficiency, improve speed, and strengthen integration across the carbon market.

The team is currently in the final stages of development and testing now. Once testing is complete, we’ll lock in the transition date, anticipated for Q2.

Proponents and other users of the Verra Registry will be that they will spend less time on administration and more time on project impact, as a result of the following features:

  • Two-way integration with the Verra Project Hub: This will allow project documents and lifecycle steps to move between both systems with far less duplication and manual effort.
  • Expanded digitalization and system connectivity: This will help accelerate the verification process and credit issuance.
  • Transaction-ready APIs: This will enable automated transfers and retirements, =seamlessly supporting high-volume market activity.
  • Better reporting tools and transparency: These will give buyers and market participants better visibility into project-level data.
  • Infrastructure for future innovations: This will enable a number of future functionalities, including for processes related to Article 6 and CORSIA.

We will soon share trainings, onboarding materials, and clear steps to prepare for the migration. You can always access our Registry Transition webpage for the latest updates.

We would like to thank all registry users for their patience during this time as our team operates the current system while simultaneously building the new one. We also appreciate all the feedback that has helped shape these improvements.

Enhancing project review processes remains our most important ongoing priority. We know proponents want shorter, more predictable timelines and clearer insight into where each review stands. We also know proponents want credible outcomes.

In 2025, we were able to reduce review times by 30-70%, depending on the review type. This year, our goal is to meet or outperform our service-level agreements (SLAs) in 95% of cases and reduce average review times by at least 20% below 2025 levels. We plan to achieve this in the following ways:

  • We have implemented the updated SLAs that we released last fall to better reflect the true drivers of review timelines.
  • We are digitalizing our internal processes and standardizing review findings and report exchanges with validation/verification bodies (VVBs), which will improve the consistency and efficiency of our processes.
  • We are optimizing internal workflows and introducing more automation and digital augmentation where possible to free up reviewer capacity.
  • We have implemented a project prioritization process for verification approval requests, which allows proponents with urgent needs to request moving into a priority queue. This process is associated with a prioritization fee, and the funds generated by this fee will be fully reinvested in additional review capacity, benefiting both priority and standard review requests.
  • We are leveraging the data from the last 14 months of the risk-based assurance process and VVB scorecards to further optimize our risk assessments and associated review focus areas.

In addition, we are implementing the recently launched version 5 of the VCS Program and are excited to begin reviews of DMRV pilot projects, Nature Framework projects, and, soon, Scope 3 Standard projects for the first time.

In 2026, we will work to enhance the performance of Verra VVBs. Our Auditing and Accreditation team is currently finalizing VVB performance scorecards, which will be published on our website by the end of this quarter and will cover both 2024 and 2025 results. These scorecards will provide enhanced visibility into VVB performance and help drive improvements in this area as well.

We will also be consulting on a new document for consolidated VVB requirements and guidance, which will clarify and standardize expectations for VVBs across all Verra programs.

Our goals for these efforts are more consistent quality of VVB assessments, fewer avoidable findings in project reviews, and, ultimately, faster review processes.

In 2026, we will focus on how to most responsibly address credit quality concerns when they arise outside the normal review cycle. While these cases are rare, they are sensitive and often complex, and they are therefore important for maintaining trust in the system.

We will update our processes for communicating these reviews and their outcomes, including through the following:

  • The publication of expanded and updated FAQs about quality control reviews on our website
  • The development of clearer defined communication protocols for affected stakeholders
  • Improved transparency for these processes based on lessons learned over the past year

We know this is a challenging topic, and we genuinely appreciate the constructive conversations many of you have had with us. We are committed to doing what is right, even when it’s hard, and to handling these quality control reviews with fairness, consistency, and transparency.

In December 2025, we released version 5.0 of the VCS Program. This year, we will focus on providing projects with everything they need to implement the new requirements, including updated templates (e.g., the new stakeholder engagement plan template) and digital tools. Our goal is to make expectations clearer and the certification process more efficient for everyone.

As part of this process, we will be offering a series of training sessions. The first one, a webinar overview of VCS version 5, will take place on February 4 at 10:00 am ET.

Register today!

While we are not planning any major updates to the VCS Program this year, we may issue corrections or clarifications, if needed, and will likely also start consultations to inform future improvements.

For those stakeholders active in the development of carbon crediting methodologies, the next deadline for submitting Methodology Idea Notes is January 31, 2026. Anything submitted by that deadline will be reviewed by March 31, so stakeholders will get timely feedback and clarity on whether their ideas can move forward.

Regarding the development of new methodologies, we will continue to place an emphasis on the areas where we can have the biggest impact. In practice, that means determining if any methodologies that already have strong project pipelines may need targeted revisions and prioritizing those updates where they can unlock meaningful progress.

We’re also planning to implement more capacity -building activities for stakeholders, especially ones related to those methodologies that drive the most activity and have the greatest climate impact.

Please see our announcement about the updated Methodology Development and Review Process for more details and to access the Methodology Idea Note template.

We are currently prioritizing updates to VMD0055 Estimation of Emission Reductions from Avoiding Unplanned Deforestation, v1.1 that will enable REDD projects to include sustainable forest management practices. Those updates are scheduled to be released in Q2 and will complement other work related to VM0048 Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, v1.0 to expand project eligibility under the REDD framework.

We are also continuing to advance the avoided planned deforestation and avoided unplanned degradation modules under VM0048 and will open consultations on these modules this year.

At the beginning of this month, we made final allocated deforestation risk maps available for the Brazilian states of Amazonas, Acre, and Rondônia.

The maps for Colombia, Cambodia, Guatemala, and Mai Ndombe are scheduled to be published by the end of this quarter.

We are cognizant that the timeline shifts related to the release of these risk maps have been challenging, and we would like to thank stakeholders for their patience. We have two full years of experience developing high-quality allocated deforestation risk maps and have learned where we can streamline, so we are now confident in our timetable and are working to overdeliver wherever we can.

VMD0055 Jurisdictional Data Table Page

Another upcoming key milestone is that we are aiming to issue the first credits under VM0048 this year and also expect the first program under the Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ Framework to come through.

Overall, 2026 is set to be the year when we move from development into delivery across the REDD portfolio.

The launch of version 1 of the Scope 3 Standard (S3S) Program is one of our main priorities for 2026.

Phase 1 of version 1.0 of the S3S Program will be released in the coming months. This version will enable pipeline listing under an initial two to three methodologies, with more methodologies to follow in subsequent months.

This program is designed to be released in a fully digital form, with all key program documents available through the Verra Project Hub.

Phase 2 of version 1.0 is scheduled to be published in late 2026. This phase will make the program fully operational by enabling the validation and registration of pipeline-listed interventions, and also the verification and issuance of intervention units.

In parallel, we are working on version 2.0 of the S3S Program. This next version will focus on developing a strategy for establishing the right-to-report across a wide range of economic sectors and supply chains. It will also involve alignment with initiatives like the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), and others.

For the Plastic Waste Reduction Standard Program, this year is about strengthening the program’s connection to compliance systems and laying the groundwork for thoughtful, strategic growth.

We are currently working on updating the Plastic Waste Reduction Standard Program so it can link more directly with extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs.

We’re also exploring the potential to expand the program to cover avoided upstream plastic production, which could open an important new area of impact. We plan to host a public consultation in the second half of 2026, a key opportunity for stakeholders to weigh in on the direction of the program and help shape these changes.

Now that VCS Version 5 is out, we are considering how the Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) Program and the Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards (CCBS) Program may need to evolve to stay aligned. These programs are credible tools for VCS projects to demonstrate broader sustainable development benefits, so ensuring coherence across all three programs is a priority for us.

We may begin a consultation process for these updates later this year.

Digitalization Updates

We are working hard to meet your digital needs by providing tools that are easy to use, systems that integrate seamlessly, a project hub platform that is more stable with fewer glitches, and an experience that delivers greater transparency, faster turnaround times, and timely, responsive support. We seek to make your experience smoother, clearer, and faster, and to do it in a way that scales the entire market for the future.

Our IT roadmap is built to remove friction and enable operational excellence across Verra and for our stakeholders in the following ways:

  • We are working to achieve end‑to‑end digitalization across the project workflow. This includes the implementation of DMRV, methodology digitalization, and automated review steps. For stakeholders, this means fewer manual handoffs and easier navigation.
  • We are modernizing our ecosystem of platforms in several ways: (1) We are partnering to migrate the Verra Registry to the S&P platform. (2) We are working with the Communications and Engagement Department to introduce a unified customer relationship management system (CRM) for better coordination and resolution of your requests. (3) We are also extending the capabilities of APIs that allow data to flow more cleanly between systems. All these efforts are foundational for long‑term scalability.
  • We are heavily focused on innovation. This includes AI‑powered productivity tools, the Long‑Term Monitoring System, and deeper third‑party data integration, the implementation of which will help make the reviews of your project requests faster, more consistent, and significantly more predictable.

Survey

We recently published a survey about the Verra Project Hub and received 120 responses. Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey. Your feedback is invaluable!

The survey results show that 70% of respondents had an overall neutral-to-positive reaction, a clear validation that we are moving in the right direction. The responses also highlighted where we can improve the project hub. For those who provided an email address, we will follow up directly to address the inability to access the project hub, offer additional training, and work to resolve technical issues.

Overall, the survey responses reflected the desire to see an improvement in user‑friendliness, expanded training materials, fewer glitches, an improved Non-Permanence Risk Tool, integrated project hub and registry functions, streamlined notifications, and increased technical support. Our team is working hard to ensure all feedback is accounted for with a corresponding action plan included as part of our 2026 roadmap.

Overview Page

To help you find all the information about the project hub, including feature descriptions, links to digitalized methodologies and tools, and training resources, we recently added a Verra Project Hub Overview page on our website.

Our Project Hub YouTube playlist covers a broad range of project hub capabilities and is the fastest and easiest way to become acquainted with our digital tools. It covers navigation, submissions, and core functions in just a few minutes. If you have any feedback on those playlists, please let us know by emailing hubsupport@verra.org.

In 2026, we will remain focused on the continued expansion of our portfolio of digitalized methodologies. We now have 24 digitalized methodologies available, having recently launched VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management, v2.1 on the Hedera platform.

Also in collaboration with Hedera, we will soon release digitized versions of VM0008 Weatherization of Single Family and Multi-Family Buildings, v1.2, ACM0001: Flaring or use of landfill gas, v19.0, VM0050 Energy Efficiency and Fuel-Switch Measures in Coosktoves, v1.0, and AMS‑II.C.: Demand-side energy efficiency activities for specific technologies.

Stakeholder Engagement Updates

Our first priority is to continue improving the experience of our clients so that every touchpoint you have with us is helpful in advancing your mission and boosting our combined impact in the climate action space.

In 2025, we were able to meet our service-level agreement of a three-day response time for 99% of the emails received by secretariat@verra.org. In 2026, we will continue that in addition to implementing our new Customer Relationship Management system.

For our stakeholders, this will mean the following:

  • Faster answers to your questions
  • A better record of all your previous interactions with Verra
  • More clarity on the best point of entry into Verra for specific queries
  • Less duplication as we work across teams to support you

Beyond support with your queries, we will also prioritize work with other teams across Verra to enhance our capacity-building programs. We want to provide more trainings, live Q&A sessions, office hours with our experts, and support materials to help you more easily navigate Verra’s programs, methodologies, and processes.

We also want to identify more opportunities for proactive communications throughout your project lifecycle, designed specifically to support clients with the information and insight they need most based on the stage of their project. For example, when you submit a pipeline listing for a project that uses VM0042, you would receive an automated email with the top 10 issues we see with projects using VM0042 and how to fix them, as well as FAQs and details on other resources available that can support the development of your project.

As part of our focus on global alignment of market-based approaches, we are continuing to close the perceived gaps between voluntary and compliance carbon markets to ensure there are strong demand signals in the market. In 2026, we will prioritize structured engagement with governments to clarify and operationalize requirements related to Article 6.2 and CORSIA, including letters of authorization, corresponding adjustments, and reporting systems.

In parallel, we are working internally on updates to our Article 6 and CORSIA Label Guidance documents, which we expect to publish in February. Together, this work reinforces Verra’s Article 6—aligned approach and aims to reduce uncertainty at the government level, while improving predictability for project proponents as countries implement these frameworks.

We will also engage deeply with governments on developing or implementing domestic or international carbon market regulations, with the aim of achieving acceptance—ideally explicit recognition—of the VCS Program in various markets. This work includes capacity-building and technical exchanges to support the drafting and interpretation of regulatory texts, which will help establish clear pathways for the VCS Program and its users, including VVBs, project proponents, and buyers, across multiple jurisdictions.

While nature-based solutions are one of our best tools to combat climate change, a persistent stream of negative or incomplete media coverage has distorted public perception of these solutions and eroded confidence in them. This has slowed investment in projects that protect forests, restore ecosystems, and create livelihoods for local communities. When confidence falters, climate finance stalls, and needed action is delayed.

Verra will focus on doing our part, in collaboration with partners, to ensure that the public conversation on carbon markets and the climate solutions they enable reflects accuracy, accountability, and progress, ultimately helping to sustain climate finance flows to the people and places that need them most.