Effective immediately, Verra is implementing a streamlined review process that will result in a shortened timeline for evaluating project requests such as registration and verification approval, among others. This process is applicable across all Verra programs, including the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program; Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards (CCBS) Programs; Plastic Waste Reduction Standard (Plastic) Program; and Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) Program. Under the new approach, Verra may deny a project review request if at any point our review determines that the project documentation is incomplete or of unsatisfactory quality.
In either case, Verra will indicate that the respective request is not granted, but that a new request may be submitted with improved and/or complete documentation.
(Note: A “request denied” decision differs from a “project rejected” decision, which precludes the project from being registered with the respective Verra program.)
The new streamlined review process enables Verra to process projects with incomplete or improper project documentation more efficiently and to review more projects in the same timeframe. It also enables a project proponent or validation/verification body to receive feedback on and address the identified issues more quickly, and, if guidance is followed, to achieve final registration sooner.
Typical reasons for denying a request include:
- Clear and obvious errors in greenhouse gas emission reduction/removal calculations or applications of the methodology;
- Clear and obvious noncompliance with the requirements of the respective Verra standard program;
- Ineligibility within the scope of the program, project activity, or applied methodology;
- Pervasive reporting errors or widespread noncompliance with program template instructions; and
- Unresolved findings raised in a project review report that have not been satisfactorily addressed after three rounds.
The process will be documented in an upcoming update to the VCS Registration and Issuance Process, v4.3 (PDF), as well as in the next versions of the procedural requirements for Verra’s VCS, CCBS, Plastic, and SD VISta Programs.
If a project proponent addresses the issues cited in the request denial, the account holder can submit a new request three months from the date of the request denied letter and no later than one year from that date.