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Forest carbon verification
Be the first to engage in forest carbon projects in Europe and Russia. And take achievable steps in the fight against climate change.
There are many benefits to engaging in a project. You may be a:
- Forest manager – looking to add extra value to your forest operations
- NGO – seeking to engage in projects that benefit local communities and restore biodiversity
- Investor – wanting to invest wisely in carbon projects
- Researcher – looking for research projects
Europe and Russia's untapped potential
Did you know that deforestation is responsible for one fifth of all carbon emissions? That’s more than from all of the world's planes, ships, cars, trucks and trains combined. That is why the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognises improved forest management and avoided deforestation as a cost effective way for combating climate change.
By identifying and managing forestland specifically for carbon storage, forest carbon projects maintain and enhance carbon stocks. Learn about how carbon credits can be generated from forests in our FAQ below.
To date, the climate community has largely focused on tropical forests. To grasp the full extent of the climate crisis, we need to look beyond the tropics to the millions of hectares of forestland in temperate and boreal climates, representing roughly 25% of the world’s total forestlands.
 Keeping on top of the latest policy changes
We envision a stronger environment that enables forest carbon projects in Europe and work with policy-makers to create stronger economic incentives for forest owners in Europe and Russia.
By participating as an observer organisation in the international climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa, NEPCon intends to keep you fully updated on the policy developments. Follow our COP17 blog.
Use industry-leading standards
In collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance, we assess and verify whether forest carbon projects are conservation-oriented and meet established international standards.
We only work with the leading international standards for carbon sequestration, including:
Credible assurance is essential
Rigorous and independent audits are needed to provide businesses a credible and transparent way to offset emissions. This in turn gives forest owners the incentive to manage their lands more responsively – or in some cases, to keep their forests standing rather than seeking short-term gains through conversion of forestland.
Forest management certification is our core area of business and we have partnered with the Rainforest Alliance for our carbon verification services.
Based on 15 years of professional certification services delivered to forest industry leaders, we:
- only work with industry leading standards
- closely-follow public policy development
- have a strong understanding of market demand
- provide technical tools and guidance
- can deliver this alongside other valuable sustainability services
- work in more than 15 countries across Europe and Russia
Be a first mover
Contact us to find out more about our services. We offer:
- Training for project developers: Learn about key technical element of forest carbon project development and gain understanding of project implementation, documentation and verification
- Gap analysis: An assessment of your forest carbon projects against the chosen carbon standard to identify major gaps and in your project design document.
- Project validation and verification: an independent assessment of your forest carbon project, assuring the credibility of the carbon credits issued from your project towards buyers, investors and other market actors.
 Gertrud Kümmel Birk
Climate Program Coordinator
gkb(at)nepcon.net
Tel: +45 31 55 75 39
Skype: gkb-nepcon
> Download our info sheet (pdf)
Questions and answers
Q. How much carbon do forests store?
There is a lot of research out there of with the key source is the Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change. The UK Woodland Trust estimates that a typical hectare of mature woodlands will lock up around 400 tonnes of atmospheric CO2, or 108 tonnes of carbon. However, much research is still needed so we welcome researchers to contact us about potential collaboration in our projects.
Q. How does poor forest practice contribute to climate change?
Forests store enormous amounts of carbon in trees and soils. When forests are degraded or destroyed through illegal logging, land conversion or poor management, huge amounts of carbon are released into the atmosphere.
This is particularly true in Russia’s peatland bogs.
Q. Why is third-party verification needed?
Credible, third-party verification of carbon projects ensures that carbon uptake in the forest is real and accountable. That way, the carbon credits issued reflect the actual carbon maintained in the forest or removed from the atmosphere.
Q. Why are forests a great carbon investment?
Investing in the regeneration or maintenance of forests is investment in the future. Forests are a renewable, resource that can provide continuous income from carbon credits as well as long-term returns from climate change mitigation, timber extractions, non-forest timber products and payment for other environmental services. Additionally, forests bring a number of other co-benefits, such as the regeneration of ecosystems and natural habitats for animal life and biodiversity, as well as economic benefits and income generation for local communities.
Q. How are carbon credits generated from forests?
Together with the Rainforest Alliance, NEPCon audits projects where forest carbon stock is regenerated or maintained through reforestation, improved forest management practices or avoided deforestation and land degradation (REDD). As the forest is maintained or rebuilt, forest carbon projects produce “carbon credits” which are sold to businesses to offset the carbon emissions they themselves are unable to reduce. |
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