MRV Procedures

💡 This section describes how ERS monitors and reports on GHG quantification and how Developers monitor and report on Project interventions.

ESTABLISHING DATA FOR MONITORING 

1. GHG quantification

   1. Carbon parameters are established by ERS in the Quantification Methodology. For each Carbon parameter, ERS must provide: 
      1. A description;
      2. The unit that will be used to monitor its progress;
      3. The equations that use the parameter in the Quantification Methodology;
      4. The source of data;
      5. The methods used to collect the information;
      6. The monitoring frequency;
      7. Where applicable, the Quality Assurance and Quality Control procedures. 

   2. The Quantification Methodology specifies which Carbon parameters are fixed (if applicable) and which must be monitored.

      Project interventions

   3. Developers must establish indicators to track progress for all Project interventions. For each indicator, Developers must provide:
      1. A detailed description;
      2. The unit that will be used to monitor its progress;
      3. The methods that will be used to collect the information. This must include groups or individuals responsible for monitoring.
   4. In addition, Developers must report progress on host country SDG contributions using indicators from the SDG Contribution Tool. For each indicator, Developers must provide:
      1. A detailed description;
      2. The specific units that will be used to monitor its progress;
      3. The standardised methods that will be used to collect the information. This must include groups or individuals responsible for monitoring.
   5. All indicators must be adequately and appropriately compiled in the Monitoring Plan in the Project Design Document, and reported on annually in the Annual Report. 

MONITORING

1. GHG quantification

   1. ERS quantifies the Project's net GHG removals before each Verification throughout the crediting period. Carbon parameters established in the Quantification Methodology are monitored and used for such measurement.
   2. ERS continuously monitors Project Areas and their Leakage Belts remotely through satellite imagery to track forest cover change and detect loss events. 

      1. ERS employs the Global Forest Watch (GFW) Integrated Deforestation Alerts to trigger alerts about forest cover changes. This model autonomously generates alerts upon detection of land cover changes. 

         Project interventions

   3. Developers must continuously monitor the indicators defined in the Monitoring Plan.
   4. In addition, Developers must monitor:
      1. Any Project deviations;
      2. The realised expenses, including the Benefit Sharing mechanism;
      3. The overall progress on Ecological Recovery and Livelihoods interventions.

REPORTING

1. GHG quantification

   1. From the second year following the Project start and before each Verification, ERS must compile a GHG Quantification Report that consolidates the results of the net GHG removals achieved over the past Verification Cycle. 
      1. This report must contain the following information:
         • Woody/non-woody biomass map; 
         • Net GHG removals resulting from the monitoring of relevant carbon parameters and their detailed calculations over the period covered.  
   2. The GHG Quantification Report must be included as an Appendix of the Annual Report. 
   3. Developers are required to report on loss events in the dedicated table in the Annual Report and provide:
      1. The description and date of the loss event;
      2. A shapefile delimiting the loss event’s total area and location;
      3. The nature of the loss event - avoidable or unavoidable, and documentation to back up such claim;

      4. The impacts on Project activities.

         Project interventions

   4. An Annual Report consolidating the results of the Project interventions monitoring over the past twelve (12) months must be submitted to ERS every year throughout the crediting period.
      1. Developers must report on:
         • The Project’s implementation status, including how the FPIC process was respected when carrying out interventions; 
         • Project deviations; 
         • Realised expenses;
         • Results of the Monitoring Plan, including the evolution of indicators and a summary of performance and challenges encountered;
         • Adjustments for the subsequent year.
   5. A Certification Agent analyses the information submitted in the Annual Report. 
      1. Based on the report, the Agent conducts the  Developer’s Annual Interview to clarify any remaining questions and scrutinise the veracity of the information submitted. 

      2. ERS thoroughly reviews realised expenditures, comparing them with Project activities. ERS may require Developers to present invoices or sign expenditure declarations as proof of budget allocation for selected expenditures.

         Schedule

   6. Submission Deadlines
      1. The first Annual Report must be submitted twelve (12) months after the Project certification. 
      2. Subsequent Annual Report are due twelve (12) months after the previous report, continuing throughout the crediting period.
      3. ERS grants a sixty (60) days grace period for submissions. After this date, the Project and its corresponding unit issuances will be halted until the information is submitted to ERS.
      4. Following the Developers' submission of the Annual Report, ERS must finalise its review within sixty (60) working days. If an extension is required, the Certification Agent must inform the Developer of the expected delay no later than fifteen (15) working days before the end of the review period.
   7. Delays
      1. If the Project Area becomes physically inaccessible (e.g. due to meteorological conditions, conflicts, movement restrictions), affecting the delivery of the Annual Report, the Developer must: 
         • Indicate to ERS, as early as possible, that monitoring and reporting activities will be delayed. 
         • Justify the reasons for the delay. 
         • Provide an estimated timeline for the Report’s submission.
      2. If a Project’s Annual Report is delayed, ERS can, at its sole discretion, extend the grace period for submitting the necessary information. The extension must not be longer than twelve (12) months from the original submission date.
      3. Given that ERS quantifies GHG removals through remote sensing data, inaccessibility to the Project Area does not apply to the monitoring and quantification of GHG removals.

         • Where remote sensing data to monitor Projects becomes inaccessible for an extended period, the monitoring period can be delayed up to twelve (12) months. ERS must publicly disclose the concerned Projects. If the data continues to be inaccessible for twelve (12) months thereafter, unit issuance must be halted until secure monitoring can be resumed. 

            Adaptive Management

   8. Developers must update the Project Design Document every four (4) years, based on the updated assessments of the Project.
   9. Following the procedures outlined in the Methodology, Developers must: 
      1. Update the Project’s objectives and interventions on Ecological Recovery.
      2. Update the Project’s objectives and interventions on Livelihoods.
      3. Update the Project Budget for the next four-year cycle.
   10. Upon receiving the updated Project Design Document, ERS must review the documentation and either approve or reject it, after which it proceeds to Verification.  
   11. Upon reception of the Verification Report, the Certification Agent will publish the updated Project documentation on the ERS Registry. Refer to Registry Procedures for more details. 

VERIFICATION

1. Verification must be performed following the Validation and Verification Procedure. 
2. ERS-certified Projects must undergo a third-party Verification every two (2) to four (4) years, according to the Developer's preferred Verification schedule. Refer to the Validation and Verification Procedure for more details.   
3. Verification Reports are publicly available on the ERS Registry. 

Upon successful Verification, the ERS Secretariat will convert PRUs into VRUs.  Refer to the Units & Issuance section for more details.