Verra today announced suspension measures against the four validation/verification bodies (VVBs) involved in auditing the 37 rice cultivation projects in China that Verra rejected late last year. The affected VVBs are as follows: 

  • China Classification Society Certification Company (CCSC) 
  • China Quality Certification Center (CQC) 
  • CTI Certification CO., LTD.
  • TÜV Nord Cert GmbH (suspension measures only apply to validation and verifications for projects that are located in China) 

Specifically, the VVBs will be suspended from conducting all validation or verification audits of the following: 

  • Projects that use a methodology under sectoral scope 14 Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use in the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program 
  • Projects that are registered or are seeking to register under sectoral scope 1 Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) and sectoral scope 13 Oceans and Marine Resources in the Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) Program 
  • Projects that are registered or are seeking to register in the Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards (CCBS) Program 

The 37 rice cultivation projects were rejected after Verra identified serious issues, including insufficient demonstration of additionality, projects being inappropriately designated as small scale, project areas being overstated, and a lack of sufficient evidence to confirm the baseline scenario and project implementation.

The four VVBs involved in validating and verifying these projects were issued non-conformance reports regarding their failure to identify these issues. To close the non-conformance reports, the VVBs were required to identify the root causes of their failure to identify these issues and propose actions to prevent their recurrence. After careful review, Verra found the VVBs had not taken sufficient actions to prevent the issues from recurring.

Implications for Projects

Per the VCS Program Guide, the above VVB suspensions have the following implications for proponents that have contracted or are currently seeking to contract the affected VVBs:

  • Verra will not accept any new project registration or verification approval requests that include validation or verification audits by the affected VVBs for the audit types from which they have been suspended. Affected projects that are listed on the Verra Registry as under validation have been notified directly of this decision.
  • Verra will not approve existing registration and issuance requests that include audits by the affected VVBs for the audit types from which they have been suspended. Affected projects have been notified directly of this decision.
  • Affected projects will need to hire another Verra-approved VVB to conduct a new validation or verification. The list of approved VVBs is available on the Validation and Verification page on the Verra website.
  • Verra will grant affected projects extensions to their validation deadlines to allow time for the completion of new validations.

Implications for the Suspended VVBs

Verra will lift a VVB’s suspension if the following conditions are met:

  • The VVB has successfully addressed the actions outlined in the nonconformity reports that Verra issued to the VVB.
  • The VVB has met the reinstatement requirements listed in the VCS Program Guide.
  • VVBs with pending ISO 17029/14065 applicant status have obtained accreditation in accordance with the requirements for becoming an approved VVB in the VCS Program (per the VCS Program Guide).  

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Verra is a global leader helping to tackle the world’s most intractable environmental and social challenges. As a mission-driven nonprofit organization, Verra is committed to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve livelihoods, and protect natural resources by working with the private and public sectors. We support climate action and sustainable development with standards programs and tools that credibly, transparently, and robustly assess environmental and social impacts and enable funding for sustaining and scaling up projects that verifiably deliver these benefits.