Dear Colleague,
I am delighted to present this latest version of our newsletter. Not only do we have a new look, we also have some great new collaborations that we are excited to share. Between our newest partner initiative, the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency, our collaboration with other leading NGOs on a briefing paper in support of REDD+ within the aviation sector, and our agreement with the Standards Council of Canada to provide accreditation services, you’ll see we’ve been hard at work. We are also happy to share two new forest methodologies that present novel avenues for generating carbon credits. We continue to expand the scope of our standards work while pursuing new markets for carbon offsets, and are excited about the work ahead. Please read ahead for updates on our recent work.
Sincerely,
David Antonioli
CEO
Projects Spotlight
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Program Updates
Verified Carbon Standard
Collaboration with Standards Council of Canada
We are excited to announce that VCS and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) have signed a MOU to offer additional accreditation services for Canadian greenhouse gas validation and verification bodies (VVBs).
Under the MOU, SCC and VCS will create a sub-program of SCC’s existing Greenhouse Gas Accreditation Program. Under this new sub-program, SCC will assess VVBs under both ISO 14065 and the specific requirements of the VCS Program. This partnership expands the options VCS project developers have in selecting a VVB in Canada.
New and Updated Forest Methodologies
The Nature Conservancy, working with TerraCarbon, has developed a new methodology to account for the carbon benefits of reduced impact logging (RIL). The methodology used our requirements for standardized methods and provides a performance method, or benchmark, to determine the additionality and crediting baseline of RIL activities. This first module was developed for use in East and North Kalimantan, Indonesia. We welcome efforts by others to develop modules for other regions of the world. Details here.
GFA Consulting Group working with WWF Germany has revised the VM0010 LtPF Methodology to include emissions from forestry infrastructure and fossil fuels in the accounting of GHG emission reductions from previously logged forests. Details here.
REDD+ Can Help Meet Aviation’s Emissions Gap
This April, VCS and several other leading NGOs released a briefing paper, “Linking Flight and Forests,” that highlights the vital role forests can play in fighting climate change and recommends that countries include REDD+ as a means for the international aviation sector to meet its commitments to cap and reduce its carbon pollution.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is currently working on a global market-based measure (MBM) for airlines to reduce emissions, which will likely include trading of carbon credits.
CLIMATE, COMMUNITY & BIODIVERSITY STANDARDS
Open for Public Comment: Forest Projects in U.S. and Cambodia
Open through 21 May: The Conservation Fund is restoring bottomland hardwood forest on agricultural land and educating local communities on long-term management in the Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana, USA.
Open through 2 June: The Cambodian Forestry Administration is working in the Seima Protection Forest to prevent deforestation and strengthen community land tenure rights.
Comments are much appreciated, and will be considered by auditors during the validation and/or verification process.
Initiative for Climate Action Transparency
A Successful Launch
Transparency is the bedrock of the Paris Agreement. VCS has joined with World Resources Institute (WCS) and the UNEP DTU Partnership, as well as The Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance and Rainforest Alliance to launch the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT). ICAT will provide policymakers worldwide with the tools and support to measure, assess and publicly report the impacts of their climate actions.
More information on the ICAT website.
Join our Technical Working Groups and Review Groups
As part of the development of our methodological framework, ICAT seeks experts across disciplines. Technical Working and Review Groups will cover guidance including GHG emissions reporting, progress towards sustainable development goals, stakeholder participation, measurement, reporting and verification, non-state action and financing. See the Call for Participation for details and to join.
Energy Technical Lead Needed
For technical experts interested in a higher level of involvement in ICAT, we are loking for an energy sector consultant. This consultant will lead the conceptual development of the methodological framework’s energy sector guidance. For details on the position and to apply, please see the Request for Proposals post on the website.
VCS in the Media
VCS’s role in the changing carbon market has been getting some interesting press this spring: