ICVCM Grants CCP Label to ACR's IFM Methodology

In a major development for US forest owners and the global carbon market, the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) has granted the Core Carbon Principles (CCP) label to ACR’s Improved Forest Management (IFM) on Non-Federal U.S. Forestlands methodology. This methodology is the most widely-used voluntary methodology among US forest owners and one with which The Climate Trust has developed several projects.

This long-awaited decision marks a significant milestone, as market participants continue to seek clear guidance from standard-setting bodies on which methodologies align with the market’s core principles. This move signals progress in identifying high-quality methodologies that support our shared mission of reducing global emissions and meeting the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. At this stage, only projects using ACR’s Version 2.1 of the methodology are eligible for the CCP label, although no credits have yet been issued under that version. Version 2.0 remains under assessment.

The ICVCM is an independent, non-profit and global governance body working to establish and maintain worldwide standards for integrity in the voluntary carbon market. Launched in 2021, the ICVCM has become the go-to standard for assessments of carbon credit integrity. The ICVCM’s Core Carbon Principles and associated Assessment Framework, against which methodologies are assessed, are science-based, developed with input from hundreds of organizations worldwide, and broadly regarded as setting the bar for high quality carbon credits.