Washington, DC – November 17, 2023 | Verra, the leading standards setter for climate action and sustainable development, initiated a remote sensing analysis effort with Mantle Labs, whose advanced technology can assess key project information and provide Verra with additional assurance on registered projects currently under quality control review. This collaboration underscores Verra’s continued commitment to upholding the integrity of environmental projects within the Verra Registry system.
The initiative included the analysis of five sampled projects to identify the flooding status of rice paddies at various growth stages, ensuring comprehensive representation from project proponents, authorized representatives and validation/verification bodies (VVBs). Verra maintained transparency by openly communicating its decision to utilize remote sensing and AI analysis to all parties involved. Mantle Labs harnessed its Geotree platform, which houses its proprietary remote sensing and AI methodologies, techniques and tools. This platform employs advanced satellite imagery, AI-driven analytics and remote sensing to examine project area, baseline drainage practices and project drainage practices described in the publicly available project documents and KML files that were validated by independent, third-party VVBs.
“Verra takes our role to oversee and ensure the integrity of projects, programs and VCUs in the Verra Registry system very seriously. Upon identification of quality concerns with projects using AMS-III.AU, we initiated this initiative as a way to obtain an additional and independent assessment of the baseline and project information. This collaboration acts as a landmark approach for Verra to ensure the integrity of our projects, propelled by cutting-edge remote sensing and AI technologies.”
Verra invited all parties to join an October 13, 2023, presentation of Mantle Labs’ methodology and thematic findings across all sampled projects. Project-specific findings are being communicated individually via the quality control report reviews that incorporate the remote sensing results.
Until Verra receives responses on the quality control review reports and all findings are satisfactorily addressed, Verra will be pausing all other quality control report reviews issued for the remaining registered projects. All registered projects will remain on hold, and Verra will continue its pause of any other Verra standards program review requests associated with those projects per Verra’s March 20, 2023, update.
Verra and Mantle Labs will continue collaborating to conduct remote sensing on additional registered projects and projects that had requested registration and issuance by the September 20, 2023, deadline. Verra will pause reviews of all existing registration and issuance requests until it receives the remote sensing results on the expanded sample.
“When utilized appropriately, remote sensing analysis can be an extremely effective tool to ensure the accuracy of baseline and project information, whether it is used during project development, VVB audits or Verra project and quality control reviews.”
“We are excited to work with Verra to enhance the accuracy and reliability of project assessments,” said Jon Pierre, Mantle Labs’ CEO. “At Mantle Labs, we believe in the power of innovation, and our advanced remote sensing and AI technologies are pivotal to driving global environmental initiatives.”
The collaboration also highlights the potential efficacy of integrating the use of such technology into Verra’s methodologies, program rules and project review processes. It is the first time such action has been taken since the launch of Verra’s new Auditing and Accreditation Team, whose primary purpose is the comprehensive oversight of VVB performance to strengthen global auditing capacity for all of Verra’s certification programs and ensure the integrity of Verra’s projects.
For media questions and inquiries, please contact:
Jeremy Warren | Senior Manager, Media Relations
jwarren@verra.org | 512-851-9133
###
About Verra
Verra is a nonprofit organization that operates the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program, as well as other standards in environmental and social markets. 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 that credibly, transparently and robustly assess environmental and social impacts and enable funding for sustaining and scaling up projects that verifiably deliver these benefits.
About Mantle Labs
Mantle Labs is a leading remote sensing and AI technology company dedicated to advancing environmental monitoring and data analytics. With a focus on innovation and precision, Mantle Labs’ platform Geotree offers state-of-the-art solutions for assessing and improving the quality of environmental projects. Its global analytics spans nature-based solution project types including REDD+, ARR, regenerative agriculture, grassland management and sustainable rice cultivation.