Today (3 February 2023), Verra initiated a review of the use of UNFCCC Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) methodology AMS-III.AU.: Methane emission reduction by adjusted water management practice in rice cultivation (opens on external site) in the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program.

The review, which will take place under Section 5 of the VCS Methodology Development and Review Process (PDF), follows an initial assessment of concerns raised in relation to this methodology. The results of this review will be published as they become available.

Under this Section 5 review, Verra will assess, inter alia, the following concerns about this methodology:

  1. The categorization of certain projects as small-scale, enabling them to benefit from UNFCCC CDM rules, and therefore foregoing the use of common practice analysis as part of the additionality tool;
  2. Potentially not satisfying regulatory surplus requirements (i.e., whether they exceed what is required by government regulations); and
  3. Questions about the quality of project monitoring data.

As a precautionary measure, Verra is, with immediate effect:

Although the VCS Program enables projects to use a methodology under certain other greenhouse gas programs, including the UNFCCC CDM, all such use is subject to the rules of the VCS Program itself.

Per Section 5 of the VCS Methodology Development and Review Process (PDF), Verra reviews a methodology if a VVB, project proponent, another stakeholder, or Verra identifies an issue with a methodology, tool or module, such as:

  1. Material inconsistency with a new VCS Program rule or requirement (e.g., an inconsistency that may lead to a material difference in the quantification of GHG emission reductions or removals by projects applying the methodology);
  2. General scientific or technical developments in a specific sector; or
  3. Any other well-founded concerns about a methodology.

To date, Verra has registered 37 projects applying this methodology, of which 25 projects have issued VCUs (totaling 4.56 million, or 0.43% of all VCUs).

The following is a list of projects registered in the VCS Program as applying UNFCCC CDM methodology AMS-III.AU.: Methane emission reduction by adjusted water management practice in rice cultivation. Those that have issued VCUs are indicated with an asterisk (*).

 

  1. *2362 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Tongcheng City
  2. *2396 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Nanling County
  3. *2397 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Chizhou City
  4. *2398 Qiantai Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  5. *2399 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Wangjiang County and Susong County
  6. *2476 Huaining Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  7. *2477 Wanfan Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  8. *2504 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Xuanzhou District
  9. *2506 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation In Northern Lujiang County
  10. *2507 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation In Southern Lujiang County
  11. *2629 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in South Jiangjin District
  12. 2630 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Yongchuan District
  13. *2631 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Dazu District
  14. *2632 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Eastern Hechuan District
  15. *2633 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Nanchuan District
  16. *2634 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Tongnan District
  17. *2769 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Pinghu City
  18. 2770 Yulin Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  19. *2771 Futong Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  20. 2845 QiDa Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  21. 2850 Chishui Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  22. 2851 Xihuai Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  23. 2853 Yufeng Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  24. 2854 Hongmei Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  25. 2855 Zhengtongsui Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  26. 2856 Wudao Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  27. 2891 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation In Jiangxia District
  28. 2892 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation In Wuxue City
  29. 2894 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation In Xinzhou District
  30. *2899 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation In Dawu County
  31. *2902 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation In Huangmei County
  32. *2903 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation In Xiaochang County
  33. *2909 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation In Yingcheng City
  34. *2910 Wude Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation
  35. *2911 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Haiyan County
  36. *2912 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Tongxiang City
  37. *2917 Adjusted Water Management in Rice Cultivation in Shengzhou City
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