At the start of 2025, Verra would like to share two important reminders with project proponents and validation/verification bodies (VVBs).
Updated Templates for VCS and Joint CCBS/VCS Projects
A number of project templates are now effective for all project requests submitted on or after January 1, 2025. These templates were introduced in an April 16, 2024, update to the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program, per guidance in the April 2024 Overview of VCS Program Updates and Effective Dates (PDF).
Several templates apply to projects in the VCS Program, and several are for projects jointly using the Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards (CCBS) Program and the VCS Program. The templates are available in the Rules and Requirements section on the VCS Program Details page.
The effective date of January 1, 2025, means that all submissions of project documentation for any project request to the Verra Registry must be prepared using the updated versions of the templates.
Verra will not be granting exemptions to anyone using the old templates.
- VCS Project Description Template, v4.4
- VCS Monitoring Report Template, v4.4
- VCS Joint Project Description and Monitoring Report Template, v4.4
- VCS Validation Report Template, v4.4
- VCS Verification Report Template, v4.4
- VCS Joint Validation and Verification Report Template, v4.4
- CCB and VCS Project Description Template, CCB v3.0, VCS v4.4
- CCB and VCS Monitoring Report Template, CCB v3.0, VCS v4.4
- CCB and VCS Validation Report Template, CCB v3.0, VCS 4.4
- CCB and VCS Verification Report Template, CCB v3.0, VCS v4.4
New Exemption Request Procedure (All Programs)
Verra would also like to remind stakeholders that a new Exemption Request Procedure was released on November 27, 2024. The procedure applies to projects in any of Verra’s programs, and it lays out the following criteria for what constitutes an acceptable exemption request:
- Exemption requests related to deadlines to initiate or complete pipeline listing, validation, verification, baseline reassessment, or crediting period renewal
- Exemption requests for projects to change VVBs
- Exemption requests related to VVB site visits at validation and verification
Verra will not grant exemptions for deadlines related to effective dates or grace periods of program updates, corrections and clarifications, or methodologies.
Please contact info@verra.org with any questions about the procedure. All exemption requests must be submitted to registry@verra.org.