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Sustainability Command Center 14 items

Carbon Credit Quality Assessment (ICVCM) Checklist

Assess the quality and integrity of carbon credits against the ICVCM Core Carbon Principles before purchase or retirement.

ICVCM Core Carbon PrinciplesIC-VCM Assessment Framework

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Governance

  • Is the crediting programme approved as CCP-eligible by the ICVCM? *
  • Does the programme have effective registry, tracking, transparency and third-party validation/verification? *
  • Is the credit category assessed and approved as CCP-eligible? *

Emissions Impact

  • Is additionality demonstrated (the mitigation would not have occurred without carbon finance)? *
  • Is the mitigation permanent, or are reversal risks addressed via buffer pools or compensation? *
  • Are emission reductions/removals robustly quantified against a conservative baseline? *
  • Is leakage accounted for and deducted? *
  • Is double counting avoided, including corresponding adjustments where applicable (Article 6)? *

Sustainable Development & Safeguards

  • Does the project meet social and environmental safeguards (e.g. rights, FPIC, no harm)? *
  • Are sustainable development co-benefits (SDG contributions) documented?
  • Does the programme require net-zero-aligned transition (e.g. phase-out of avoidance crediting where appropriate)?

Claims & Retirement

  • Is the intended claim (offsetting vs. contribution) accurate and non-misleading? *
  • Are credits retired in a public registry with unique serial numbers? *
  • Is vintage, project location and methodology disclosed for transparency?

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