Welcome to Verra’s January 2025 newsletter!
We hope that everybody had a good start to the new year! We are excited about what 2025 holds and have many initiatives planned for advancing climate action and sustainable development through our high-integrity standards programs.
Thank you to those who attended our first stakeholder update webinar of this year. We shared updates on the following topics:
- The impact of our risk-based approach to project reviews, which has reduced review times
- Recent progress on our digitalization initiative, including the release of additional digitalized methodologies and the digitalized Geological Carbon Storage Non-Permanence Risk Tool
- The publication of provisional allocated deforestation risk maps for initial jurisdictions, a key component of implementing our transformative REDD methodology
- The availability of a new CORSIA label guidance document
If you missed the live event, please see the webinar announcement page to access the slide deck and recording, and to sign up for the remaining stakeholder update webinars of 2025! We hope you will join us on April 23, July 23, and October 22.
We also announced today that Candace Vinke will step into the role of chief program development and innovation officer. Since joining Verra in 2020 as director, nature-based innovation, she has played a critical role in advancing our work on nature-based solutions and spearheaded the development of Verra’s Scope 3 Standard Program. She is well-positioned to lead Verra’s work on further evolving and expanding our standards programs to maximize their climate impact. Candace succeeds Toby Janson-Smith, who will step down after almost 12 years of service to the organization. We are deeply grateful for Toby’s contributions and the impact he’s had on Verra’s work and the voluntary carbon market as a whole. His visionary thinking and thoughtful leadership in addressing complex environmental issues have left a profound mark.
If you are part of a Verra-registered project, we invite you to share your story! From milestone credit issuances to moments of community impact, we want to hear what your project has accomplished. We will feature selected stories across our website, on our social media channels, and in future issues of this newsletter. If you are interested in participating in this initiative, please send an email to communications@verra.org with your project ID and a brief description of the impact you would like to highlight.
Key Updates
Top News
General News
- January Stakeholder Update Webinar (recording and slide deck)
- Reminder: Updated Project Templates, New Exemption Request Procedure
Thought Leadership
As we begin 2025, the urgency of combating climate change has never been more pressing. Learn how engaging in the VCM has the potential to drive real, immediate climate action—right now!
Program Updates
Verified Carbon Standard Program
- Update on Compensation for VCUs from Rejected Rice Cultivation Projects – January 2025
- VCS Program Version 5: Responses to First Public Consultation
- Verra Releases Additional Digitalized Methodologies
- Verra Releases Digitalized Geological Carbon Storage Non-Permanence Risk Tool
- Verra Publishes Minor Revision of Cement Methodology
- Building on Strengths, Addressing Challenges: Our Approach to the Fixing Verra Report
Plastic Waste Reduction Standard Program
Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard Program
New Resources
- Technical briefing recording: VMD0055 Provisional Versions of Jurisdictional Maps of Allocated Deforestation Risk (YouTube) – January 15
- Webpage: Frequently Asked Questions: Project Tracker
- Webpage: Frequently Asked Questions: VM0042, v2.1
Regular Updates
Verra-Hosted Webinars
We will host quarterly stakeholder update webinars throughout the year. Register today!
- Stakeholder Update Webinar (April 2025) (Zoom) – Wednesday, April 23, at 11:00 am ET
- 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 Staff at Events
Verra is a Community Partner at GreenBiz 25 (February 10–12, Phoenix, AZ), the premier event for sustainability professionals. Join GreenBiz 25 to connect with peers and trailblazers and master the skills essential to facing your company’s unique challenges. Register by February 7 to save $200, using code GB25V for an additional 10% off ($650 off the Final Rate): https://buff.ly/3XC87Wr (external).
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.