CARBON MARKETS INTEGRITY IN QUESTIONABLE WELL

The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market last year in 2024 approved three methodologies for issuing high integrity carbon credits for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD+) which includes :

• (ART) The REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard (TREES) v2.0, TREES Crediting Level

• (VCS) VM0048 Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation v1.0

• (VCS) Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ (JNR) Framework v4.1

These approved methodologies were due to start issuing soon REDD+ credits expected to be labelled with the CCP label from early 2025.

But Hold on ……..the integrity of REDD+ is under questionable lens. But why ?

The three approved methodologies could produce large volumes of over credits and that's a big carbon market integrity, transparency and ethical best practices shame. With two ICVCM expert advisors resigning from their position over the issue by what they called a “problematic precedent” set with the REDD+ decision the carbon markets are upwardly shaken.

" When integrity is at risk and becomes questionable, legends resign"

This article was published by me for IUCN as a IUCN Commission in Chair. The link of it is : https://engage.iucn.org/group/climate-change/topic/carbon-markets-integrity-questionable-well

Any further updates on the methodologies can be checked at the link : https://www.climatechangenews.com/2024/12/13/experts-quit-carbon-market-watchdog-in-row-over-quality-label-for-forest-credits/