The Chicago Climate Exchange® (CCX®) has integrated additional, internationally-recognized best practices that have recently emerged into its offset project protocols effective this month.
CCX protocols can be read in full on the CCX website here. The revisions include:
- Integration of internationally recognized standards – International Organization for Standardization’s ISO 14064 –2:2006 and ISO 14064-3:2006 – into project protocols, program guidance documentation and processes.
- Further integration of best practice greenhouse gas accounting methods; increased harmonization and consistency of documentation across project protocols; and increased consistency in verification performance and processes.
- Enhanced program forms and documentation.
- Uniform project approval, verification and registration processes, project eligibility requirements, monitoring parameters, and emission reduction quantification methodologies.
Changes to the criteria, which became effective on Jan. 1, 2010, were developed in consultation with First Environment, Inc., a recognized leader in strategic environmental management and engineering. The revised protocols reflect the review and feedback of members of the CCX Offsets Committee, Forestry Committee, several technical subcommittees, and other experts.
“By further integrating the internationally recognized standards framework established by ISO into its offsets protocols, CCX is promoting and harmonizing best practices that demonstrate the environmental integrity of the CCX offsets program. Such efforts are critical program design quality assurance indicators that will assist in the shaping of the upcoming greenhouse gas policy framework in this country,” said First Environment President Tod Delaney.
“This program-wide revision represents a major accomplishment involving the participation of more than 100 technical experts, policy makers, industry leaders, project developers, state and federal agencies and other diverse stakeholders, extending far beyond the member base of the CCX, and based on many years of real in-the-field experience with both domestic and international offsets,” said Scott Subler, Environment Credit Corp President and chairman of the CCX Offsets Committee.
More information on the revisions can be viewed on the CCX website here.