CCP approval: What happens next?

To become CCP-Eligible, carbon-crediting programs must demonstrate that they have robust and transparent policies and procedures that comply with our Assessment Framework.

Once CCP-Eligible, programs are responsible for adhering to the requirements of the Assessment Framework in relation to its governance structures. This includes procedures for handling questions and complaints, program documents and practices in line with the Decision for CCP-Eligibility. CCP-Eligible programs must also have procedures for handling complaints about their use of the CCP label on carbon credits and compliance with the CCP rules.

CCP-Eligible programs must ensure a faithful implementation of the methodologies, tools, standards and other documents that formed the basis for their CCP-Approval for specific Categories.

Conforming to these responsibilities ensures that programs maintain the standards and commitments upon which the decision for CCP-Eligibility and CCP-Approval was made.

Additionally, CCP-Eligible programs should also inform the Integrity Council where they have made or when they anticipate a material change in governance, program documents or practices related to its CCP-Eligibility. These changes could include mergers, transfers of decision-making authority or amendments to documents and tools that could reasonably impact the Integrity Council’s decision for program eligibility or Category approval.

Finally, CCP-Eligible programs must report annually to the Integrity Council confirming their adherence to the above and provide information on complaints, revisions and updates to documents relevant to their CCP-Eligibility status.

When a program becomes CCP-Eligible, our ongoing assurance and oversight framework kicks in, ensuring continued adherence to high integrity.

Our Assessment Procedure includes a thorough oversight and assurance process to ensure ongoing compliance with the CCPs and the Assessment Framework criteria and requirements.

The Integrity Council’s approach is designed to be transparent, proportionate and risk based. It aims to ensure that CCP-Eligible programs comply with the CCPs and the Assessment Framework and promotes transparency, which can encourage greater public scrutiny of mitigation activities and carbon-crediting programs. The process also ensures the Integrity Council remains alert to thematic issues that warrant follow-up or lessons to be shared.

This is a nimble process, designed to capture lessons learned and apply them to maintain high integrity, in line with regulatory processes.

Assurance: How does the Integrity Council do it?

As part of the assurance process, the ICVCM may undertake performance-monitoring activities including review of data and market intelligence, conducting spot checks, monitoring complaints and issues arising in the VCM, thematic analysis of market data and inviting input from stakeholders on areas for possible improvement. Stakeholders can submit any comments relating to market oversight to [email protected].

Annual reporting by CCP-Eligible programs forms the basis for our risk-based approach and informs performance monitoring activities to be carried out. If issues are identified, we may work with the CCP-Eligible program to address them. If significant issues are identified, we may conduct an Interim Review to gather information, clarify any questions and, where appropriate, provisionally agree remedial actions.

The results of any Interim Review conducted by the ICVCM will be considered by our Governing Board which will then consider whether to close the review, if the identified issues are resolved, or to suspend/terminate the CCP-Eligibility of the carbon-crediting program or the CCP-Approval of a methodology. Programs can respond and request a hearing before any final decisions are made.