In an answer to the rising demand for reliable nature-based carbon removal, science-powered registry Isometric has released a new protocol that solidifies transparency and credibility in reforestation carbon credits.
The protocol for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from reforestation projects is now in the process of public consultation, looking to receive relevant feedback on the work rolled out by Isometric’s team of experts and scientists.
It has already been reviewed by leading organizations in the field, including Mombak, Pachama, Sylvera, and Renoster.
Offering a next-gen approach for tracking forest-centered carbon removal projects, the protocol brings three major innovations to the methodology used up until now.
The first novelty is replacing manual tracking of CO2 sequestered in trees with a modern method employing the latest technological advancements.
According to Isometric, by using remote sensing tools like Geographic Information System (GIS) data, LiDAR-enhanced drones, and peer-reviewed machine learning models, the process of data collection and analysis will be automated, reducing the time from removal data submission to crediting from several months down to a few weeks.
These digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (dMRV) tools will help suppliers get credits and payments for their efforts faster, while granting certainty for buyers that the quantity of removal they invested in is happening in a real-life scenario.
Relevant: Isometric Unveils New Protocol For Electrolytic Seawater Mineralization
The second upgrade delivered by this protocol is the use of dynamic baselines in monitoring instead of the conventional static baseline model. This means that instead of using control parameters that are set every ten years, the new protocol functions with the help of multiple control plots, allowing for more frequent and current net carbon removal tracking.
Lastly, the reforestation protocol by Isometric introduces a new perspective on leakage and life cycle assessment in carbon removal projects, replacing default leakage factors and discounts with more accurate parameters that take into account the region and commodity types available in the project area.
Looking into the complete trajectory of a project, the life cycle analysis in this forestry protocol counts the emissions generated from all project stages, including development, active operation, and endpoint.
Read more: Isometric Announces New Protocol For Subsurface Biomass Carbon Removal And Storage
