October 2025 Newsletter

With Climate Week NYC behind us and COP ahead of us, this time of the year tends to be one of the busiest one in our field. This year, Verra will not be attending COP itself, but instead will be in São Paulo the week of November 3, participating in various events and engaging with stakeholders. Our team looks forward to connecting with many of you there!

We are happy to announce that the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) approved the updated version (v1.1) of Verra’s innovative Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) methodology (VM0047) in the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program as meeting the Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) criteria. This approval underscores the scientific rigor and credibility of VM0047. It will also help drive vital finance to projects removing carbon from the atmosphere through tree planting or the restoration of ecosystems.

Late last month, we completed an in-depth review of the carbon accounting of the Kariba REDD+ Project and shared the results of this review, as well as the corrective actions Verra is taking. This review was one of the most difficult and closely scrutinized in our history. As Mandy Rambharos, Verra CEO, reflects in a new op-ed, the review is also indicative of this particular moment in the carbon market. It reminds us of how far we have come and how today’s strengthened methodologies and systems are built to safeguard the market’s future.

• ICVCM Approves Updated Version of Verra’s Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation Methodology
• October 2025 Stakeholder Update Webinar

As the markets evolve, so does our thinking. Below are the most recent pieces that offer a window into the insights of Verra’s many thought leaders as they grapple with this complicated, ever-evolving sector.

• Integrity Is Forged in the Hardest Moments

In Ukraine, farming is both a livelihood and a lifeline, even in the midst of war. It is what inspires farmers to get up in the morning, fueling their vision for the future. And now that vision is growing, thanks to the AgreenaCarbon Project (Verra Project 4022).

Agreena (external) is helping farmers in the region adopt regenerative practices that restore soil health and sequester carbon, enabling them to quantify emission reductions and earn carbon credits. By unlocking new income that allows the farmers to scale up their activities, carbon finance also becomes a lifeline.

But the impact stretches well beyond Ukraine. Across Europe, farmers are rethinking how they work with the land. In Denmark, a ninth-generation farmer is breaking from tradition; instead of using chemicals, he is planting cover crops that nourish the soil and help his fields flourish. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, three generations of farmers are working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and store more carbon in their soil. With Agreena’s support, the farmers earn income from carbon credits while cutting emissions and mitigating risk.

And just last month, Agreena reached a major milestone: its first carbon credit issuance under Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard Program. With 2.3 million Verified Carbon Units issued, this is a clear signal that this model works, and that it is scalable.

• Verra Acts on Kariba Project: Cancels Excess Credits, Advances Independent Review
• Verra and Indonesia Sign Milestone Agreement to Advance Carbon Markets
• Consultation: New Carbon Capture Module Under CCS Methodology
• Verra Releases Digitalized Rice Methodology
• Verra Launches Digital CCP Label Request Form
• Consultation and RFP: Revision to Methodology for Reduction of Methane Emissions
• Corrections and Clarifications: VM0032, VM0042, VT0014

• Updated Communications Agreement Templates Now Available

• Webinar recording: Overview of New Digital Soil Mapping Tool (VT0014) in the VCS Program – October 16

Mark your calendar today for our Q4 stakeholder update webinar! We will share information on organizational developments and programmatic updates, look ahead to future priorities, and answer your questions.

• Stakeholder Update Webinar (October 2025) (Zoom) – Wednesday, October 22, at 11:00 am ET

Verra CEO Mandy Rambharos and other Verra staff regularly speak at and attend different events around the world to engage in important discussions that help advance the impact of carbon and other markets. 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.

To ensure the transparency and rigor of our standards programs, Verra invites feedback on projects open for public comment, as well as public consultations on new standards programs, program updates, new methodologies, and updates to existing methodologies.