SOCIALCARBON

Criteria

SOCIALCARBON® Standard requires the following criteria for certifying carbon offset projects:

  1. Use of SOCIALCARBON Methodology.
  2. Monitoring and continual improvement of project performance.
  3. Independent auditing conducted through SOCIALCARBON Reports by a Certifying Entity.

Because SOCIALCARBON does not establish specific criteria for carbon baseline and monitoring methodologies, project developers must select and comply with a carbon accounting standard for certification of emission reductions (e.g. VCS, ISO, CDM, or other).

Criteria 1 – Use of SOCIALCARBON Methodology

The methodology includes:

  1. Basic guidelines for initiatives undertaken with local stakeholders.
  2. A conceptual framework that provides a panorama of the situation, combining resources, perspectives and strategies. The methodology is based on the sustainable livelihoods approach and considers six basic resources: Social, Human, Financial, Natural, Biodiversity and Carbon.
  3. Indicators chosen and developed using the six resources of the methodology. These indicators receive scores ranging from the worst scenario (level 1) to the ideal situation (sustainable use of resource – level 6).

 
 
 
 

Schematic representation of the gradient of “Social” resource indicators

 

Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4 Scenario 5 Scenario 6
A formal community association does not exist. There is a formal community association, but it is unstructured and has internal conflicts. A formal association exists, controlled by directors interested in strengthening the group. A community organization exists and is controlled by recognized community leaders. A formal association exists, controlled by interested leaders who are relatively experienced. Organization exists with internalization of community spirit, controlled by prepared and experienced leaders.

 

All data used to score the indicators and generate a panorama of the situation is collected through participative methods such as interviews, questionnaires and meetings with stakeholders. The average score of the indicators is then plotted on the hexagon.

The SOCIALCARBON Report (SCR) must be elaborated with the support of an Approved Organization. Approved Organizations are qualified institutions, authorized by Ecologica Institute, responsible for developing SOCIALCARBON indicators and reports. This procedure guarantees that the involved entities are carrying out the SOCIALCARBON concept and fundamental steps of the methodology. To see the list of Approved Organizations, click here.

Criteria 2 – Monitoring and continual improvement of project performance

The methodology is applied periodically and independently verified to incentivize continual improvement. Projects are re-evaluated according to the monitoring period of the corresponding carbon accounting standard through participative diagnosis and generation of SOCIALCARBON Reports to demonstrate project contributions to sustainable development.

Criteria 3 – Independent verification conducted through SOCIALCARBON Reports by a Certifying Entity

SOCIALCARBON Reports must be validated and verified by a Certifying Entity. In this process an independent verification of the SOCIALCARBON Report is performed. Validation and verification of the SCR and the PDD may be combined or done separately, according to the capability of the verifying technical team. To see the list of Certifying Entities, click here.

Procedures for project developers

 

Conventional Project Cycle Project Cycle with SOCIALCARBON®
1 – Selection of professionals for elaboration of the PDD Selection of an Approved Organization – A qualified institution shall carry out the application of SOCIALCARBON Standard.
2 – Selection of baseline and monitoring methodologies Elaboration of indicators for the project – New indicators must be submitted to approval by the SOCIALCARBON Team.
3 – Project Design Document (PDD) Elaboration of SOCIALCARBON Report (SCR) – To define a baseline for assessing contribution to sustainable development of the project (Point Zero).
4 – Validation Validation by a Certifying Entity – An independent audit, based on the SOCIALCARBON Report.
5 – Periodic monitoring Monitoring -Projects are evaluated according to the monitoring period of the corresponsing carbon accounting standard through SOCIALCARBON Reports.
6 – Verification Verification is conducted by a Certifying Entity.
7 – Issuance of verified emission reductions Issuance – After verification of the SOCIALCARBON Report, VERs may be registered on the SOCIALCARBON Registry.