REDD+ project are definitely special among climate change mitigation project and even within the forestry sector. They have enormous social and environmental co-benefits, they are charismatic and appeal to the desire of everybody since who doesn’t want to save the rainforests?
1. VCS + CCB Gold
Both Standards are fundamental and complementary. VCS guarantees the transparency and accuracy of carbon accounting and CCB guarantees positive social and environmental benefits. The Gold Level Award is an additional guarantee of the exceptional social and environmental co-benefits of the project. The achievement of these two standards is already a requirement of the carbon markets. Madre de Dios Amazon REDD Project has achieved VCS + CCB Gold certification.
2. Tagging VCUs
The CCB Label is a key foundational tool of both VCS and CCB. It can only be obtained when you comply simultaneously with this 4 achievements: VCS Validation, VCS Verification, CCB Validation and CCB Verification. The Label enables the demonstration of multiple benefits in community participation and biodiversity conservation. Madre de Dios Amazon REDD Project has achieved the 4 requirements and therefore its VCUs can be tagged with the CCB Label.
3. VCS Risk
VCS takes very seriously the risk of REDD+ projects. The VCS risk acts measuring the risk of the different projects, in the same way as risk rating agencies qualify companies. VCS allows a 10% to 60% risk as acceptable, but the lower the risk the higher the guarantee of long term permanence of the project. In fact, a lower than the 10% minimum VCS risk is extremely valued. Madre de Dios Amazon REDD Project has a 6% VCS Risk.
4. VCS Uncertainty
The uncertainty of a project measures the accuracy and quality of the carbon accounting and the rest of the information. This aspect is also a reflex of the quality of the project and its permanence in the long term. VCS considers an uncertainty below 15% as non significant and it is definitely a plus in quality to have the lowest possible uncertainty. Madre de Dios Amazon REDD Project has a 6,24% VCS Uncertainty.