Verification Documents and Reference

How It Works

Verification Documents and Reference

All Verification Bodies under the Climate Action Reserve are required to submit the following documents for each project they have verified within the program:

  • NOTIFICATION OF VERIFICATION ACTIVITIES AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST (NOVA/COI) FORM (PRIVATE DOCUMENT) This document details the relationship between the developer and Verification Body and is kept internal and private. Before signing a contract with an individual project developer, a Verification Body must notify the Reserve about the scope of its planned verification activities and complete an evaluation regarding the potential for a conflict of interest. Verification Bodies do this by completing the NOVA/COI forms listed below. To read and understand more about the requirements in relation to conflict of interest, please review the Reserve’s Conflict of Interest Code.
  • VERIFICATION REPORT (PUBLIC DOCUMENT) This report is a summary and scope of undertaken verification activities, a list of sources identified within the project boundary, a description of the sampling techniques and a risk assessment of undertaken processes. The risk assessment is the standard used to form the basis of the verification opinion and is submitted at the end of verification activities. No standard format for this document is currently required.
  • LIST OF FINDINGS (PRIVATE DOCUMENT) This document should accompany the verification report and must have all material and immaterial findings identified. It should detail any recommended corrective actions and resolutions made. This private document is shared only with the project developer and the Reserve. No standard format for this document is currently required.
  • VERIFICATION OPINION (PUBLIC DOCUMENT). This document is official confirmation and is the final statement of findings, detailing the number of CRTs issued and the standard used to verify those CRTs.

Additionally, each Verification Body must annually submit a DESIGNATED STAFF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Form directly to the Reserve at reserve@climateregistry.org and update this form when there are any substantial personnel changes within the organization. The purpose of the Designated Staff Roles and Responsibilities form is to ensure that personnel performing verification activities are notified to the Climate Action Reserve and are aware of their roles and responsibilities under our program. All personnel undertaking verification activities must be listed on this form as designated staff and the form must be signed by a duly authorized representative of the Verification Body.

The Reserve has released the final version of the Verification Program Manual. This document provides verification bodies with a standardized approach for the independent and rigorous verification of GHG emissions reductions and removals. The Verification Program Manual gives insight into the verification process, the requirements for conducting verification (like accreditation and training), conflict of interest and confidentiality provisions, and the core verification activities expected. The Verification Program Manual was created as a supplemental document to the Program Manual that summarizes the overarching rules, policies and procedures for registering projects and creating offset credits with the Reserve and to its Livestock, Landfill, Forest and Urban Forest Project and Verification Protocols.

The Reserve would like to thank all of the interested stakeholders that provided the comments and valuable feedback that was incorporated into this document. The Reserve’s responses and those comments are available below.

The Verification Program Manual has now been adopted and is in force. However, it recognizes that some of these new policies, particularly in relation to liability insurance require additional time for implementation. Therefore verification bodies have until December 31, 2009 to comply with these new requirements.