Community guidelines for accessing forestry voluntary carbon ... - FAO

Chapter 2: VCM project types and standards
environmental and social co-benefits. They may pay more for VCUs
which achieve this double standard, than for those which are VCS only.
Grouped projects are an option for project developers working with an
area that is too small to result in enough net GHG emission reductions to
be sold as carbon credits (see Box 1). Several activities, in different areas
and at different times, can be brought together to lower the transaction
costs. Grouped projects can bring managers of small forest areas
together in order to share the start-up and certification costs through
the formation of project cooperatives. 16
Because the VCS is currently the leading standard in the VCM, it will be
used as a source of examples throughout these Guidelines.
2.8.2 Climate, community and biodiversity (CCB)
standard
The CCBA 17 is a partnership of research institutions, corporations and
NGOs. It was formed to develop and promote rigorous standards for
evaluation of land-based carbon projects. The CCB Standard has
been developed to help in the design of land management projects
that simultaneously mitigate climate change, support sustainable
development and conserve biodiversity. The CCB Standard does not
verify emission reductions; it must be used in conjunction with the
CDM, VCS or other carbon accounting standards.
As of May 2011, a total of 37 projects have completed validation, 14
projects have initiated the validation process, and two projects have
achieved verification. Of these 51 projects, 41 are in developing countries.
16 Full guidance for grouped projects can be found in the VCS Version 3. See Section
3.4 of: VCS. 2011. VCS Standard: VCS Version 3. (Available at http://www.v-c-s.org/
sites/v-c-s.org/files/VCS%20Standard%2C%20v3.1.pdf)
17 More information provided at CCBA web site: www.climate-standards.org
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