Major Revision to VM0042 Methodology for Improved Agricultural Land Management

VM0042, v2.0 quantifies the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and carbon dioxide removals through increased soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks resulting from the adoption of improved agricultural land management (ALM) practices.

The proposed revisions include:

• Standardization enhancements for land stratification measurements, soil sampling procedures, and soil sample processing and laboratory analysis when determining changes in soil organic carbon stocks.
• New guidance for setting baselines that can accommodate flexible crop rotations by averaging baseline data for multiple crops. This “blended baseline” can then be compared to the project scenario regardless of changes to crop rotation patterns that may occur due to market conditions, weather fluctuations, or other variables.
• Aligning woody biomass’s quantification approach with VM0047 Methodology for Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation, v1.0.
• Expand the clarifications on the purpose of repeated measurements when following a ‘measure and model’ approach (Quantification Approach 1) to quantify SOC stock changes.

Verra is leading the development process for this revision, with support from TerraCarbon (external). The concept note is currently at “Step 2: Methodology Concept Note Development” of the VCS Methodology Development and Review Process, v4.4 (PDF).

Stakeholders interested in collaborating during methodology development or developing projects that this methodology might enable are encouraged to contact methodologies@verra.org. Please include the Methodology Development ID# in the subject line.

Verra hosted a webinar (YouTube) on Tuesday, June 18, at 12:00 pm ET, to present the proposed revision elements and invite early stakeholder feedback, informing the drafting of the revised methodology.

Verra is planning to begin the formal public consultation on the draft of VM0042, v3.0, in Q4 2024. The publication of the final version of VM0042, v3.0, is scheduled for the Q1 2025.