Integrity Council invites all stakeholders to respond to its public consultation on CCP rule architecture

The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) has today launched a public consultation on a proposed CCP rule architecture, designed to support the consistent interpretation, application and evolution of the Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) and the CCP Assessment Framework over time.

The consultation is open from 5 May to 7 June 2026, and invites feedback from across the voluntary carbon market, civil society, both Indigenous Peoples and local communities, policymakers, academics and other stakeholders.

Why this consultation matters

Since the CCPs and the Assessment Framework were published, ICVCM has gained a wealth of practical experience through program and methodology assessments, Continuous Improvement Work Programs (CIWPs), and ongoing engagement with stakeholders. At the same time, science, regulation and market practice continue to evolve.

This experience has highlighted the need for a more structured, transparent and predictable approach to how questions of interpretation, technical application and implementation are addressed as they arise — without reopening or rewriting the CCPs themselves at this point.

The proposed CCP rule architecture responds to this need. Its purpose is to strengthen integrity over time, while preserving clarity, stability and confidence for market participants.

What is being consulted on?

The consultation focuses on the design and operation of the proposed CCP rule architecture, including:

• the overall structure and guiding principles of the architecture;
• the role of different instruments — including Interpretations, Technical Notices and Clarifications;
• how transition measures are designed and implemented.

The consultation document sets out how these elements would work together as a coherent system, with clear pathways and safeguards — including prospective application and appropriate transition measures.
Any future amendments to the CCPs and the Assessment Framework would be subject to a separate process and decisions made by the ICVCM Governing Board and are outside the scope of this consultation.

A phased and predictable approach

The proposed approach separates process from outcomes. It first aims to establish a clear rule architecture: the governance, decision pathways and instruments. Only once that architecture is in place can specific instruments be developed and introduced through the appropriate channels. The first instruments focusing on specific areas for evolving the CCP rule base will be developed starting from Q4 2026.

This sequencing is intended to support transparency, proportionality and market confidence, while allowing the Integrity Council to respond in a disciplined way to emerging evidence, experience and integrity risks over time.

How to take part

Please read the consultation document, then submit feedback through the online consultation form, where you will be invited to respond to a set of targeted questions aimed at testing the clarity, usability and robustness of the proposed approach.

The Integrity Council will review and summarise all feedback received. A final proposal, together with a summary of consultation responses, will be submitted to the ICVCM Governing Board for consideration.

If approved, the rule architecture would be adopted as a procedural framework to guide future regulatory instruments. It would not introduce immediate changes to existing CCP requirements or assessment outcomes.