Verified Carbon Standard
The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), or Verra, formerly the Voluntary Carbon Standard,[1] is a standard for certifying carbon emissions reductions.[2] VCS is administered by Verra, a 501(c)(3) organization.[3]
| Formation | 2005 |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit 501(c)(3) |
| Purpose | A carbon accounting standard and organisation. |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
CEO | David Antonioli |
| Website | https://verra.org/ |
History
In 2005, The Climate Group, International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) and World Economic Forum convened a team of global carbon market experts to draft the first VCS requirements. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) joined later on. The team later formed the VCS Steering Committee, which worked to draft the first and subsequent versions of the VCS Standard.
In 2008, the Board of Directors named David Antonioli the organization’s first Chief Executive Officer. In 2009, VCS incorporated in Washington D.C. as a non-profit NGO.
On February 15, 2018, the organization that maintains the Verified Carbon Standard changed its name from Verified Carbon Standard to Verra.[4]
A 2021 study by the Guardian newspaper and Unearthed said that Verra’s carbon offsetting standard was flawed. Accredited forest protection projects were using inconsistent predictive methods and overstating their emissions reductions. 11 of the 12 projects studied showed no difference in emissions compared to control groups. The study said the findings raised doubts about the validity of the carbon offsetting market. Verra said the investigation was “profoundly flawed”.[5]
See also
References
- Peters-Stanley, Molly (2011-03-15). "Regulators Embrace Voluntary Carbon". Ecosystem Marketplace. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
- "Verified Carbon Standard". Verra. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
- "Who We Are". Verra. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
- Zwick, Steve (2018-02-15). "Verified Carbon Standard Changes Name To Verra".
- "Carbon offsets used by major airlines based on flawed system, warn experts". the Guardian. 2021-05-04. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
External links
- Verified Carbon Standard
- Verra
- VCS Project Database
- Woodland Carbon Code - About the Code (UK government)
- Community guidelines for accessing forestry voluntary carbon markets (FAO)
- The Verified Carbon Standard profile on database of market governance mechanisms