Verra

Verra's Board of Directors is appointing Mandy Rambharos as its chief executive officer, effective August 12. Mandy’s selection was made after an extensive search by a leading global search firm and driven by the goal of selecting a CEO with demonstrated leadership in shaping the carbon markets, extensive relationships with stakeholders, a proven record of success in implementation, and a commitment to Verra’s mission. Mandy brings a wealth of experience in the carbon markets to the role. For over 15 years, she was a negotiator for South Africa and Africa at the United Nations climate talks and chaired negotiations on carbon markets (CDM and Article 6). This experience will be invaluable as she guides Verra’s strategy and as the broader voluntary carbon market continues to evolve. Mandy was instrumental in the Just Energy Transition Partnership agreed at COP26 in Glasgow between South Africa and Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. This background has led to her recognition as a thought leader on the global stage and given her extensive relationships across the industry, from government to private to nonprofit sectors. Mandy also served on the Verra Board of Directors from 2019 to 2021 before rejoining in 2023. A current Verra Board member, Mandy brings a deep understanding of the organization to her new role. This eliminates the need for an extended learning curve and enables the organization to focus on the urgent demands of the climate crisis. She takes the helm of Verra from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), where she served as vice president for global climate cooperation, leading EDF’s strategy to promote well-designed carbon pricing and markets that support the transformation toward a low-emissions future. “Carbon markets are crucial to enable carbon neutrality and they must work efficiently and with unquestionable integrity. I look forward to working with the talented people at Verra to deliver these outcomes for a climate-resilient future for us all,” said Mandy. Read more: https://bit.ly/3LFoLik #Verra #ClimateAction #ClimateChange #StandardsMatter

📅 There is still time to sign up! Join us Tuesday, July 30, at 9:00 am ET / 3:00 pm CAT for a webinar in which we will provide an overview of our Plastic Waste Reduction Program (Plastic Program) for regional stakeholders in Africa. We will discuss how the Plastic Program and Plastic Credits can support regional plastic waste management efforts. Register for the webinar: https://bit.ly/4bTMSEM #Verra #PlasticCrisis #CircularEconomy #PlasticWaste #PlasticPollution

📢 Today, we held our quarterly Stakeholder Update Webinar and published the most recent New Era for Verra update. Since we launched the New Era for Verra in September 2023, we have been regularly sharing our most recent achievements under this initiative with our stakeholders. Here are the highlights from today's update: 💡The release of our new Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Methodology for Carbon Capture and Storage (VM0049), a globally applicable framework for technology-based carbon capture and storage (CCS) activities that generate carbon dioxide removals (CDRs) and emission reductions 💡Our consultation on an optional methodology change and requantification procedure, which would enable proponents to obtain Core Carbon Principles (CCP) labels for requantified Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) if the respective methodology/methodology version is approved by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) 💡Updates on recent progress related to our groundbreaking new REDD methodology (VM0048) and the module for Avoiding Unplanned Deforestation (AUD) activities (VMD0055) 🖥️ Watch the recording of the webinar: https://bit.ly/3WiAGHF 💻 Read the New Era for Verra July 2024 update: https://bit.ly/4bW2O9p #Verra #StandardsMatter #ClimateAction #SustainableDevelopment #CircularEconomy

📢 Public consultation reminder! Verra welcomes comments on an optional methodology change and requantification procedure, which would enable proponents to obtain Core Carbon Principles (CCP) labels for requantified Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) if the respective methodology/methodology version is approved by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) The consultation is open through August 9, 2024. For more details, see our full announcement: https://bit.ly/4bB7tNF #Verra #ClimateChange #ClimateAction #StandardsMatter

📅 One week left! Are you a validation/verification body (VVB) interested in reviewing the draft Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program Methodology for Accelerated Coal-Fired Power Plant Retirement Using a Just Transition? If so, please submit your application materials by Wednesday, July 31, 2024. The draft methodology quantifies the emissions avoided by retiring power plants before the end of their expected operational period. Here are some of its key features: ✅ It requires the pairing of new renewable energy-generating capacity with the retired coal capacity to prevent leakage. Any residual leakage is accounted for by applying conservative discounts for all emissions from grid electricity needed to replace the retired plant. ✅ It can have a major impact on the energy sector! The methodology enables owners or operators of coal-fired power plants to access finance that can support a plant's early retirement without impacting ratepayers or preventing the plant operators or owners from meeting other fiduciary obligations. ✅ It includes comprehensive requirements to ensure a just transition for local communities and vulnerable groups who will be affected by the retirement of such plants. 📃 For more information on the scope of work, deliverables, timelines, and requisite skills and qualifications, please see the Request for Proposals in the announcement: https://bit.ly/3WecU0K. #Verra #ClimateChange #StandardsMatter #ClimateAction

⏲️ This is the last week to vote in Environmental Finance's 2024 Voluntary Carbon Market Rankings! The survey is open through Friday, July 26. 🏆 Why vote for Verra? Verra manages the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program, which has won the award for “Best GHG Crediting Programme” (formerly “Best Voluntary Carbon Standard”) eleven times since 2012. Additionally, the Verra Registry has been voted “Best Registry Provider” every year since that category was added in 2021. We hope you'll consider voting for us again this year. More reasons to vote for Verra: https://bit.ly/4cDFM8x Cast your vote: https://bit.ly/4ctjHsY

💻 Final reminder! Our next quarterly Stakeholder Update Webinar is almost here! Join us on Wednesday, July 24, at 11:00 am ET, for the most recent updates on the commitments we made under our New Era for Verra initiative. The webinar will highlight the following topics: ⭐ The recent ICVCM approval of our Verified Carbon Standard Program and some of its methodologies ⭐ Our recently released carbon capture and storage methodology ⭐ The latest on our groundbreaking new REDD methodology We hope to see you there! Read more and register for the webinar: https://bit.ly/4bPATry #Verra #ClimateAction #ClimateChange #StandardsMatter

Verra's July newsletter is here! Here are our featured updates: 💻 Verra's quarterly Stakeholder Update Webinar is coming up on July 24! Join us for the latest updates on the commitments we made under our New Era for Verra initiative. Verra's July newsletter is here! 🏆 Environmental Finance has opened its annual voluntary carbon market rankings. See our reasons to vote for Verra (again) as Best GHG Crediting Programme and Best Registry Provider! 📄 We released a brand new carbon capture and storage (CCS) methodology. VM0049 is a globally applicable framework for technology-based CCS activities that generate carbon dioxide removals and emission reductions. 💬 We launched a public consultation on an optional pathway for projects registered in the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program to (1) update the methodology or methodology version they are using for past verification periods, and (2) requantify the greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon dioxide removals from past verification periods. Check out the full newsletter for additional methodology updates, program announcements, new resources, and more! 🌍 #Verra #Newsletter #ClimateChange #CarbonMarkets #SustainableDevelopment #NatureConservation

Every project seeking to register in a Verra standards program undergoes a 30-day public comment period. The public comment periods for the projects listed here opened during the week of July 15. This week, some of the projects open for public comment include projects seeking registration in the Verified Carbon Standard Program that are located in China, Canada, the Philippines, and India. The projects implement a range of activities, from a water purification plant sewage treatment system, municipal waste composting, aluminum recycling, and more. Additionally, under the Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards Program, an afforestation project in China and a REDD+ project in Brazil are open for public comment. Finally, we have a forest carbon project open for public comment, which seeks verification under all three programs: Verified Carbon Standard Program, Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards Program, and The Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard program. Collectively, the projects seeking registration in the VCS, CCBS and SD VISta Programs could reduce and/or remove 2,820,312.00 tCO2e from the atmosphere. https://bit.ly/3WsL7K3 Photo courtesy of Sustainable Travel. Jari/Amapá REDD+ Project (Verra Project 1115).

An estimated annual investment of US$700 billion is needed to achieve the long-term goals and short-term targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Between now and 2030, wealthy nations currently plan to provide only US$30 billion annually to economically developing countries in support of GBF implementation. Nature Credits are a proposed innovative financial tool that can help provide critically needed private-sector funding for biodiversity initiatives. 🌱 Learn more in a July 24 session from #4NatureWebinars, which will provide an overview of #BiodiversityCredits (or Nature Credits), as well as the current challenges and opportunities for this innovative #NatureFinance tool. Sinclair Vincent, Verra's senior director, sustainable development, program development and innovation, will participate in this panel.