Welcome to Verra’s April newsletter!
This month, we have reason to celebrate.
We recently completed the successful registration of the first project using a Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) methodology that was approved by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market as meeting the criteria of the Core Carbon Principles Assessment Framework. The Tond Tenga project, located in Burkina Faso in West Africa, is registered in the VCS Program and uses Verra’s innovative methodology for Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (VM0047). Learn more about Tond Tenga in our project spotlight below!
We are also happy to share two progress updates related to our multiyear digitalization initiative: (1) the release of four additional digitalized methodologies approved for use in Verra’s VCS Program, and (2) the launch of digitalized deeds of representation for use in the VCS Program, as well as a digital version of the VCS Requantification Notification Form. Our digitalization initiative is a key component of our efforts to enhance transparency and efficiency, streamline processes, and scale up our operations—and ultimately scale up the voluntary carbon market itself.
To learn more about our recent accomplishments, and for look ahead at our upcoming priorities, please join us virtually at our next Stakeholder Update Webinar on Wednesday, April 23, at 11:00 am ET.
Please look for Verra staff at upcoming events like the Colombia Carbon Forum (external) and Carbon Forward Turkiye (external). Verra CEO Mandy Rambharos will be speaking at Ecosperity Week (external), GenZero Climate Summit (external), and Carbon Unbound East Coast (external) over the next few weeks.
Verra’s Transformational REDD Methodology: Opportunities
There are currently two ways for stakeholders to engage in the operationalization of Verra’s revolutionary REDD methodology.
- Verra has issued a request for proposals for data service providers to produce additional jurisdictional activity data, forest cover benchmark maps, and allocated deforestation risk maps for projects using the new REDD methodology (VM0048) and its associated module (VMD0055). The deadline for expressing intent to submit a proposal is Friday, April 18.
- Verra has also launched a survey to gather information that will inform the order in which Verra develops allocated deforestation risk maps and project baseline activity data for specific jurisdictions. The survey is open until Friday, April 25.
Key Updates
Top News
Project Spotlight
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- Photo courtesy of Tree Aid and Martha Tadesse. Tond Tenga (Verra Project #5085).
Congratulations to the Tond Tenga project in Burkina Faso! This is the first project registered in Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program that uses a VCS methodology approved by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market as meeting the Core Carbon Principles.
Developed by Tree Aid (external) with the support of Earthshot Labs (external), the Tond Tenga project works to restore more than 12,000 hectares of degraded land in Burkina Faso through native tree planting and agroforestry practices. In a region where climate change and deforestation are threatening the landscape and contributing to poverty and hunger, this project is implementing an innovative restoration model to improve soil quality and help communities cope with increasingly warming temperatures.
The income from the sale of carbon credits provides another key benefit that supports the project’s impact on the local landscape, the people who inhabit and rely on it, and the global climate.
Program Updates
Verified Carbon Standard Program
- March 2025 Release of Additional Digitalized Methodologies
- Verra Releases Digital Project Representations and Requantification Form
- Verra Publishes Minor Revision of Biogeochemical Modeling Guidance Module
- Verra Publishes Minor Revisions to Geologic Carbon Storage Requirements and Tool
- Verra Suspends VVBs Involved in Rice Cultivation Projects in China
- Suspension of VVBs Involved in Rice Cultivation Projects in China: Implications for Affected Projects and VVBs
- Verra and FOREDOR to Offer Third Iteration of Forest Carbon Markets Course
- Verra Releases Updated ICVCM CCP Label Guidance
- Verra Releases Guidance on Sea-Level Rise Risk Assessment for Wetland Restoration and Conservation Projects
REDD-Related Announcements
Plastic Waste Reduction Program
New Resources
- Webinar recording: Public Consultation on the Scope 3 Standard Program (YouTube) – April 10
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- Photo by Robin More. REDD+ Project for Caribbean Guatemala: The Conservation Coast (Verra Project 1622).
Regular Updates
Upcoming Verra-Hosted Webinars
- Stakeholder Update Webinar (April 2025) (Zoom) – Wednesday, April 23, at 11:00 am ET
- Plastic Program: Key Requirements Overview (Zoom) – Tuesday, April 29, at 9:00 am ET
Mark your calendar today for our Q3 and Q4 stakeholder update webinars!
- Stakeholder Update Webinar (July 2025) (Zoom) – Wednesday, July 23, at 11:00 am ET
- Stakeholder Update Webinar (October 2025) (Zoom) – Wednesday, October 22, at 11:00 am ET
Verra at Staff Events
For a comprehensive list of all upcoming events, please check our Events page. If you’d like to invite a Verra team member to speak at your event, please contact events@verra.org.