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

Chapter 2: VCM project types and standards
Structure-wise, the CarbonFix Standard consists of three parts: Terms;
Criteria & Methodology; and Procedures. The core of the standard is the
requirements described under the Criteria & Methodology. This section
lists the criteria that a project has to meet to become certified, including
the characteristics of the land where tree planting can take place.
The CFS provides criteria which ensure that the projects provide for social
and ecological benefits. The bottom line is that projects must illustrate
benefits to the community, apart from the reduced emissions. These
should range from job creation, to water, soil stability and biodiversity
protection.
Pros and cons
A positive aspect of the CFS is that its documentation and calculation
processes are simplified, while its methodology is quite short and
includes all parameters of the A/R CDM framework (CO 2
-fixation,
baseline development, leakage and emissions calculation) as well as
the selection of carbon pools. It encourages dual certification with the
CCB Standard or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Additionally,
the documentation provides assistance and templates for each section
of the methodology, which is a great benefit for smallholders and
community groups. However, not all types of A/R projects are accepted
by CarbonFix. For example, afforestation on wetlands, agricultural land,
and permafrost are all non-certifiable.
Procedures
To become registered under CFS, the project developer has to register
at the CFS website and download the templates. These documents will
guide the project developer through every step of the standard, thus
making the CFS quite user friendly.
71