News

• Feb 2024: Development and registration of agriculture accounting methodology under Gold Standard: Soil Organic Carbon Activity Module for Zero Tillage. The methodology can be downloaded here.
• July 2023: Development and registration of agriculture carbon accounting methodology under Gold Standard: Methane emissions reduction from enteric fermentation in beef cattle through application of feed supplements. The methodology can be downladed here.
• Sept 2022: On behalf of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN): Study "Conditions for biological sequestration measures by forest projects abroad for the compensation of greenhouse gas emissions" / Bedingungen für Massnahmen zur biologischen Sequestrierung durch Waldprojekte im Ausland für die Kompensation von Treibhausgas-Emissionen. The study report is in German. The study can be directly downloaded from the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment here.
• April 2022: Study "Fit-for-Future Nature-based Solutions" focusing on (i) the impact potential in terms of carbon and co-benefits, (ii) success criteria that help making NbS fit-for-future and (iii) carbon quantification methodologies. The document is accompanied by a spreadsheet listing currently available quantification methodologies across major carbon standards, serving as orientation to involved stakeholders such as carbon developers, project sponsors, host countries, donors, etc.The study can be downloaded here: http://www.carbonmarket-foundation.org/userfiles/zdk/file/Fit for Future NbS 2022_03_11_ZdK.pdf
• ­Oct 2021: ­Harnessing Experience - Building blocks for strengthening Nature-based Solutions in Developing Countries. Carbon Mechanisms Review 04-2021: Towards Implementation? Reports and Analyses on Global Carbon Markets ahead COP26. https://www.carbon-mechanisms.de/en/publications/details/cmr-04-2021
• Juni 2021: Scaling-up Nature-based Solutions - Leveraging the long-term experience in carbon markets. Carbon Mechanisms Review 02-2021: Taking the Natural Approach. https://www.carbon-mechanisms.de/publikationen/details/cmr-02-2021
• May 2021: Study on Nature based Solutions (NbS) in Carbon Markets developed by TREES and the Gold Standard for the Foundation Zukunft des Kohlenstoffmarktes. It discusses opportunities, barriers, and innovation potential of NbS in carbon markets with a strong focus on new emerging mechanisms, markets, and governance systems. The study can be downloaded here: https://www.carbon-mechanisms.de/en/news-details/nature-based-solutions-in-carbon-markets-1

Sustainable Supply Chains

• Development of the Gold Standard Value Chain Interventions Guidance together with Danone, Gold Standard, Livelihoods Funds, Mars, and the Science Based Targets initiative. It enables reporting on emissions reductions toward performance targets, in line with common accounting standards like GHG Protocol, and will now be tested on high-scale projects driven by partners.
• Supported corporates and public organizations in their selection of the best strategy for GHG reduction and sustainability, linking it to in-house successful programs and operations. 
• Supported multinational corporates with reporting of emissions reductions in their supply chain.

• Development and registration of agriculture accounting methodology under Gold Standard: Soil Organic Carbon Activity Module for Zero Tillage. The methodology can be downloaded here.
• Development of Gold Standard Soil Organic Carbon Methodology Framework. This Framework Methodology sets the core requirements, principles, and quantification approaches for SOC activities that prevent SOC loss (emission reduction), and/or increase SOC stock (carbon sequestration) with the possibility to issue carbon credits.
• Design of  a country level digital national greenhouse gas, forest, and SDG Monitoring, Reporting and Verification System and pilot implementation for Turkish Mediterranean forests, as part of the UNDP program “Integrated management of forests in Turkey”. This monitoring system includes inter alia requirements and guidance for soil carbon measurement, calculation and monitoring and list default values for different soil types and forest activities.
• Co-lead the Gold Standard scope 3 working group to develop the Value Chain Interventions Guidance including the Value Chain Interventions Guidance for Soil Organic Carbon.
• Development of the Gold Standard Value Chain Interventions: Guidance for Soil Organic Carbon together with Danone, Gold Standard, Livelihoods Funds, Mars, and Unique. This guidance is designed to support the Value Chains Interventions Guidance, with specific focus on how to select and apply methods for the quantification of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC). It provides a stepwise approach to SOC measurement and reporting in the context of the Interventions Guidance, in the context of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
• Present and provide guidance on how corporates can improve their SOC impact monitoring, range of SOC interventions accountable, and changes to be expected in the SOC environment in the coming years for Gold Standard scope 3 corporate clients.
• Introduction and discussion of Gold Standard Soil Organic Carbon Guidance in Value Chain Interventions Programme webinars for Gold Standard scope 3 corporate clients.

• Development and registration of agriculture carbon accounting methodology under Gold Standard: Methane emissions reduction from enteric fermentation in beef cattle through application of feed supplements. The methodology can be downladed here.
• Development of a SDG impact accounting tool for scope 3 dairy cow and beef cattle interventions including development of activity relevant SDG indicators (ongoing).
• Design of a SDG strategy and product approach presenting options for certified SDG contributions linked to a carbon project or standalone certified SDG ImpactsTM which can be monetized.
• Design of a digital national SDG Monitoring, Reporting and Verification system for Turkey as part of the UNDP program “Integrated management of forests in Turkey”. In collaboration with Gold Standard Foundation and Turkish General Directorate of Forestry.
• Review and feedback on Gold Standards Guidance for the Identification of Impacts and Indicators for Acitvity level SDG Impact Reporting   

TREES supports organizations in the design, certification, and implementation of land use and forestry greenhouse gas (GHG) offsetting projects and programs producing tradable carbon credits:  

• Conducted local stakeholder consultations in various countries (e.g. in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Turkey) with affected village people and local authorities to inform about planned project activities, collect feedback and discuss concerns.
• Voluntary market American Carbon Registry (ACR) project document development and validation / verification support for a 23,000 ha afforestation project in Brazil covering the whole wood production chain: afforestation, timber production, using wood waste from the plantation in the biomass power plant. Project verified in 2012 and 3.7 million tons of emission reductions were issued.
• Voluntary market Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) project document development for a public private REDD+ project in Laos. Identification of suitable sites using GIS and remote sensing tools, PIN development, project development.
• Development of A/R pilot project in Turkey for certification under the Gold Standard including recommendation for forest management, species selection, preparation and planting, maintenance, monitoring, carbon credit calculation and realization of local stakeholder consultation process.
• Quality assessment of soil carbon enhancement through reduced tillage application project documentation including review of calculations, monitoring approaches (baseline and project scenarios), data ,and model. Provide solution approaches for shortcomings identified.
• Voluntary market CarbonFixproject document development for reforestation project in Costa Rica and Ecuador including assessment of financial additionality and aerial and satellite image analysis for identification of land eligibility.
• Feasibility study for three afforestation/reforestation project areas in Sri Lanka: assessment of area eligibility, modeling of expected carbon revenues and identification of project risks for an agro-forestry and rubber cultivation approach as well as a mahogany plantation approach.
• Site identification and on-site eligibility analysis for watershed restoration through reforestation of cloud forest. Extensive landscape pattern and reforestation potential analysis. On a second site, assessment of degraded coastal Mangrove forests for carbon project potential.
• Assessment of feasibility, as well as activity options and risks for various forest carbon project types (A/R, sustainable forest management, REDD) for an area in Costa Rica.
• REDD hotspot analysis and site identification based on GIS and remote sensing analysis for potential REDD project in Ethiopia.
• Cost/benefit estimates and financing options for a large-scale afforestation project in Democratic Republic of Congo for a private investor: Calculations of planting cost, and estimated wood and carbon benefits for first rotation period. Review of a draft emission reduction purchase agreement (ERPA).
• Advice on implementation, standard selection, feasibility criteria and financing for a multi-purpose community oriented project in Colombia, combining afforestation, forest protection and agricultural improvement.
• Site selection advice for REDD project in Ghana for an investor consortium: Criteria definition and suitability analysis for potential REDD project sites including multi-year carbon stock change model based on initial stocks, deforestation and growth rates for stratified forest area 

• Developed, registered, and reviewed GHG accounting methodologies for various standards and organizations (ACR, Gold Standard, GHG protocol, CDM, VCS/Verra, Terrestrial Carbon Group, The Heinz Center, UN-REDD Programme) on afforestation/reforestation, sustainable forest management, soil carbon, improved and zero tillage practices, fertilizer application, and methane reduction from dairy cows and beef cattle.
• Built in-country capacity: organized and conducted interactive workshops bringing together government, NGO and academia representatives to discuss monitoring approaches including baseline and stratification, carbon inventory setup, data availability, data need, on-site training & coordination, development of monitoring protocols, stakeholder consultation process and training workshops and agree on the overall project scope.
• Development and registration of agriculture carbon accounting methodology under Gold Standard: Methane emissions reduction from enteric fermentation in beef cattle through application of feed supplements. The methodology can be downladed here.
• Co-development of CARs (Climate Action Reserve) Soil Enrichment Protocol targeting agricultural practices to enhance carbon storage in soils and reduce emission reductions such as livestock, fertilizer, cash crop planting, tillage, irrigation in the US. 
• Development and registration of agriculture carbon accounting methodology under Gold Standard: Reducing Methane Emissions from Enteric Fermentation in Dairy Cows through Application of Feed Supplements.
• Development and registration of the first Gold Standard agriculture carbon accounting methodology: Increasing Soil Carbon Through Improved Tillage Practices.
• Development and registration of first A/R GHG accounting methodology under the American Carbon Registry Standard ACR: "Methodology for Afforestation and Reforestation of Degraded Land". 
• Review of draft methodology for quantifying Nitrous Oxide emissions reductions from reduced use of nitrogen fertilizer on agricultural crops. Identification of methodological shortcomings and gaps and solution recommendation.
• Design of an innovativ country-level digital national greenhouse gas, forest, and SDG Monitoring, Reporting and Verification system and pilot implementation for Turkish Mediterranean forests, as part of the UNDP program “Integrated management of forests in Turkey”. In collaboration with Gold Standard Foundation and Turkish General Directorate of Forestry.
• Training of field teams for forest carbon inventory for all carbon pools including instrument and protocol handling, measurement accuracy, error prevention, health issues and coordination of implementation.
• Setting up forest MRV approach including baseline and stratification guidelines, carbon inventory setup, on-site training & coordination, development of monitoring protocols, stakeholder consultation process and training workshops to build in-country capacity in Laos.
• Comparative analysis of VCS REDD and IFM accounting and monitoring methodologies registered or in validation for VCS against a set of specific project requirements. Identification of methodological gaps and deviations, options for mitigation.
• Methodology analysis, summary development support and review for all CDM A/R methodologies for “UNFCCC CDM Methodology Booklet“ for UNFCCC Secretariat in collaboration with Axel Michaelowa.
• Technical input and review of the report: "Measuring and Monitoring Terrestrial Carbon: The State of the Science and Implications for Policy Makers" by Tanja Havemann for the Terrestrial Carbon Group, The Heinz Center, and UN-REDD Programme

• Developed the Fairtrade Climate Standard as a member of the  international expert group. Shaped, developed and reviewed the Fairtrade Climate Standard concerning principles, requirements, safeguards, and grievance processes in line with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards. 
• Strategically shaped and developed the new Standard Gold Standards for the Global Goals GS4G including Principles, Safeguarding, and Activity Requirements. 
• Gold Standard Land Use and Forestry Goverenance and Standard Development: Blockchain approach review, development of Land Use and Forest Uncertainty Guidelines, review and development of  Project Risk and Capacity Guidline, scope definition for Improved Forest Management: Analysis of existing schemes (VCS, ACR, CAR) and recommendation for Gold Standard IFM scope, review and feedback of Forest Inventory Guidelines and sampling instructions.