This methodology outlines transparent and conservative methods to estimate the avoided net greenhouse gas emissions resulting from REDD+ and WRC project activities implemented to stop planned land-use conversion in tropical peat forests. It allows for the estimation of changes in carbon stocks in selected aboveground carbon pools and also accounts for peat emissions. It conservatively draws the baseline scenario from amongst the plausible scenarios and presents methods to transparently estimate the GHG emissions expected from the most likely land use(s) prior to the start of the project activity.

This methodology adopts a baseline approach which accounts for changes in carbon stocks in the pools within the project boundary from the most likely land use at the time the project starts, taking into account national, sectoral, and local policies influencing the land use prior to the start of the project activity; the scope of project alternatives relative to the baseline; and barriers to implementing the REDD+ and WRC project activities.

The proposed revisions to the VM0004 Methodology, Methodology for Conservation Projects that Avoid Planned Land Use Conversion in Peat Swamp Forest, will update the methodology to comply with Wetlands Restoration and Conservation (WRC) requirements, as well as improve the clarity and functionality of the methodology.

The methodology revision was up for public consultation between 8 October 2020 – 7 November 2020.

Methodologies

Energy

Industrial processing

Construction

Transport

Waste

Mining

Agriculture

Forestry

Grasslands

Wetlands

Livestock & manure

Non-VCS methodologies