Verra has released a revised version (v2.2) of VM0042 Methodology for Improved Agricultural Land Management in the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program. The updates to VM0042 help support the methodology’s alignment with the Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) established by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM).
VM0042 quantifies the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and soil organic carbon (SOC) removals resulting from the adoption of improved agricultural land management (IALM) practices. Such practices include, but are not limited to, reduced tillage and improvements in fertilizer application, biomass residue and water management, cash and cover crop planting and harvesting practices, and grazing practices.
With the revisions, VM0042 now includes the following:
- Added justification for determining the baseline scenario as a continuation of pre-project practices
- Modifications to the procedures for demonstrating additionality in alignment with VT0008 Additionality Assessment, v1.0
- Clarifications on how to select the most conservative and disaggregated emission factors
- Replacement of section 8.4.3 on leakage from productivity declines with procedures from VMD0054 Module for Estimating Leakage from ARR Activities, v1.0
- Recommendations for baseline reassessment every five years, wherever data becomes available or regional practices change
- Incorporation of Corrections and Clarifications regarding the allowed use of VT0014 Estimating Organic Carbon Stocks Using Digital Soil Mapping, v1.0
Please note that version 2.2 is an optional version of VM0042, and proponents can elect to either use v2.1 or 2.2.
UPCOMING PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON V3.0
Verra is continuing to work on a major revision to VM0042, v2.1. The updates published in v2.2 will be included in the revision, which will result in version 3.0 of VM0042. Verra expects to open a public consultation in the coming weeks, which will be announced separately.
The grace periods for VM0042, v2.1 and VM0042, v2.2 will be announced with the publication of version 3.0.