Continuous Improvement Work Programs
Driving continuous improvement and innovation in carbon markets
The Integrity Council’s pioneering Continuous Improvement Work Programs (CIWPs) address complex carbon market challenges and explore areas for increased ambition.
These CIWPs bring together leading market experts and key stakeholders to evolve, harmonise, standardise, and modernise the supply of high-integrity carbon credits. They aim to tackle complex challenges and seize opportunities by applying both established and emerging best practices.
At the heart of the CIWPs is a shared ambition: to unlock greater volumes of private finance for high-integrity carbon projects that deliver real impact for people and the planet, especially in developing countries. By exploring new, innovative methodologies and technologies, the continuous improvement work aims to strengthen transparency, consistency and trust across carbon markets.
The insights and outputs from the CIWPs will guide further development and refinement of the ICVCM rule book, particularly the CCP Assessment Framework, helping to raise the bar on carbon credit integrity. Some recommendations may also identify actions that are more appropriately implemented by entities other than the ICVCM, but which remain crucial for broader market reforms and long-term market maturation.
The Continuous Improvement Work Programs
There are several key areas of focus for the continuous improvement work groups:
Regulatory & Policy Alignment
- Paris Alignment: Corresponding Adjustments (Completed)
- Paris Alignment: Share of Proceeds for Adaptation (Completed)
- Paris Alignment: Baselines and Nationally Determined Contributions (Completed)
Standardised and Innovative Crediting Approaches
- Jurisdictional Crediting Approaches (Accepting Applications)
- Simplified Approaches for Small Projects (Accepting Applications)
- Permanence (Completed)
- Permanence – Monitoring and Compensation (Accepting Applications)
- Renewable Energy Crediting Approaches (Accepting Applications)
- Transition Credits (Ongoing)
Equity, Impact and Safeguards
- Sustainable Development Benefits and Safeguards, including Benefit Sharing (Completed)
Market Modernisation, Transparency, and Oversight
- Oversight of Validation and Verification Bodies (Due to Start)
- Measurement, Reporting and Verification Systems, including Digital MRV (Accepting Applications)
- Market Transparency, Scalability and Standardisation (Ongoing)
Participation in the CIWPs
The Integrity Council is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive membership of the CIWP working groups, including geographical and gender balance and Indigenous Peoples and local community representation.
Each CIWP working group is made up of a core group of experts that reflect a diverse set of knowledge and skills within the topic and subject matter, as well as reflecting diverse stakeholder interests.
CIWP working groups are populated through:
- Open Application – Individuals are invited to apply for our CIWP working groups. Expert applicants may be from any sector, such as civil society, environmental non-government organisations, business and public sector. Experts should have specialised and extensive knowledge of the relevant topics of this call and be able to provide evidence of that expertise if required.
- Invitation – We may invite certain known professionals to apply to participate in the CIWP working group and will aim to ensure that individuals are in only one CIWP, to ensure broad participation.
- ICVCM Expertise – representatives from our Governing Board/Standards Oversight Committee (SOC) and Expert Panel will also take part in the CIWPs, supported by members of our Executive Secretariat.
All members of working groups are required to agree to be bound by conflict of interest and confidentiality obligations and adhere to a Code of Conduct.
Future participation
We are currently accepting applications for CIWP participation related to the following topics:
- Renewable Energy Crediting Approaches
- Permanence (Monitoring and Compensation)
We invite individuals with a broad mix of expertise, including policy and technical expertise on the relevant topics to join our roster of experts to work on these issues.
Experts should have specialised and extensive knowledge in the relevant topics of the relevant work program and be able to provide evidence of that expertise if required.
The individuals who respond to the call for experts will be invited to identify their respective expertise against a list of relevant criteria for the particular CIWP working group.
Initial placement on the roster will be for two years with a possibility of renewal.
What is required of participants?
CIWP working groups typically hold virtual 3-hour meetings approximately once a month for six months. Continuous improvement work may be organised in shorter formats and include workshops and research projects.
In addition, members should plan for preparation time and time to comment after meetings.
Members will be required to agree to be bound by conflict of interest and confidentiality obligations and adhere to a Code of Conduct. We will then conduct a shortlisting process and make recommendations to the Governing Board.
