Expert Committees

VCS rules and requirements are drafted in collaboration with global advisory committees and technical experts.

VCS requirements are drafted in collaboration with experts and subjected to peer review and public consultation before being approved for use.

This open approach ensures VCS requirements combine state-of-the-art knowledge with global good practice, and it prevents any one organization or scientific viewpoint from gaining undue influence. Experts from organizations around the world, including the CDM Meth Panel, the World Bank and leading non-profit and private sector organizations, join VCS expert committees.

Steering Committee on Standardized Approaches for Baselines and Additionality

An expert steering committee was convened in October 2010 to create guidelines for developing standardized approaches for determining baselines and additionality, notably performance benchmarks and technology tests. Steering Committee members. Read more about the Standardized Approaches initiative

Advisory Committee on Jurisdictional and Nested REDD

An Advisory Committee was convened in February 2011 to provide strategic input into the development of a new Jurisdictional and Nested REDD Initiative. The initiative will bring together input from advisory committee members and technical experts to create guidelines and criteria for integrated, jurisdciction-wide accounting and crediting of REDD projects, policies and programs. Advisory Committee members. Read more about the Jurisdictional and Nested REDD initiative

AFOLU Steering Committee

The AFOLU Steering Committee began work in 2007 to develop requirements for crediting projects that curb emissions or sequester carbon in Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use. The committee's work has made VCS a leader in crediting new project types and approaches in the AFOLU sector and a top global standard for crediting avoided deforestation projects. Today the committee is an integral part of VCS that continues to guide work in the AFOLU sector. Committee members are currently advising on our Nested REDD work as well as initiatives to credit new AFOLU project types. AFOLU Steering Committee members. Read more about current AFOLU initiatives

AFOLU Technical Working Groups

AFOLU Technical Working Groups are convened to refine or develop AFOLU requirements for the VCS Program. Technical Working Groups and members. Read more about current AFOLU initiatives

AFOLU Expert Assessment Panel

An AFOLU Expert Assessment Panel was established in 2009 to review the qualifications of potential AFOLU experts. AFOLU assessment panel members review the qualifications of AFOLU experts and recommend candidates to VCS. AFOLU Expert Assessment Panel members

VCS Steering Committee

Established in 2006, the original VCS Steering Committee of 19 global carbon market experts worked for more than a year to develop the first VCS Standard. The Steering Committee convened seven technical working groups to address specific topics, including governance, additionality, validation and verification, registry systems, forestry and land use, performance standards and general policy issues. VCS Steering Committee members

Compensation Mechanism Steering Committee

A Compensation Mechanism Steering Committee was established in 2009 to explore ways to incentivize the development of new, streamlined and broadly applicable methodologies. The steering committee developed a unqiue mechanism to reward VCS methodology developers when others use their work. Today VCS rebates 20 percent of the levy on every VCU issued to methodology developers when a project uses the methodology they developed. This establishes a real incentive for methodology developers to create new, broadly applicable approaches to curbing GHG emissions. Compensation Mechanism Steering Committee members