Reminder bulletin: Verified Carbon Standard – VCS Version 4
Action required
Any existing and applicant organizations for the VCS Program must follow VCS Version 4: 2019-09-19.
Affected customers
Existing SCC GHGAP customers who take part in the VCS Program and new applicants.
Background
Old version of the standard: VCS Standard v3.7, Obsolete
New version of the standard: VCS Standard v4.0, VCS Version 4 was released on 19 September 2019
The VCS Standard provides a global standard for GHG emission reduction and removal projects and programs. It uses as its core the requirements set out in ISO 14064-2:2006, ISO 14064-3:2006 and ISO 14065:2013. The three principal documents of the program are the VCS Program Guide, the VCS Standard, and the VCS Methodology Requirements. The VCS Program Guide describes the rules and requirements governing the VCS Program and further describes the constituent parts of the program such as the project and program registration process, the Verra Registry System, the methodology approval process and the accreditation requirements for validation/verification bodies. The VCS Standard provides the requirements for developing projects and programs, as well as the requirements for validation, monitoring and verification of projects, programs and GHG emission reductions and removals. The VCS Methodology Requirements provides the rules and requirements for developing new VCS methodologies. The VCS Program Guide should be read before using the VCS Standard or the VCS Methodology Requirements.
New requirements
VCS Version 4 incorporates a number of changes to existing VCS Program rules and requirements. The VCS Version 4 Rules Map includes information about where specific requirements from the VCS Version 3 program documents have been moved into the VCS Version 4 program documents, and where there have been substantive changes to existing requirements or new requirements added.
All VCS Version 4 documents are effective on issue date (2019-09-19) unless otherwise stated in the VCS Version 4 Summary of Effective Dates.
Deadline
Effective the issue date September 19, 2019.
Questions?
Please contact Abdel Kassou, Manager, Compliance and Assessment Services, at abdel.kassou@scc-ccn.ca or +1 613 238 3222 for more information.