Natural Capital Credits or NCCs are credits issued to projects certified by the NFS (Natural Forest Standard). These credits signify that these projects have either avoided emissions or removed emissions by jurisdictional REDD+ projects.
REDD+ projects are working with forests in developing countries to protect forests that are at risk of deforestation. REDD+ projects also support biodiversity and socially responsible businesses and ethics.
How can REDD+ projects be awarded NCCs?
NCCs can only be awarded by the NFS Crediting Program and can be only awarded by NFS. NCCs are issued to the NFS registry.
In the NFS registry, NCCs can be held, traded and retired.
What kinds of emission removal do NCCs award?
NFS does not reward poor quality emission removal. Emission removals must hit certain credentials. These credentials are as follows:
- Real and additional emission removals
- Emission removal data based on transparent and robust reporting and monitoring alongside clear and transparent baseline figures
- Emission removal must address carbon leakage and the risk of reversals
- Emission removal must be approved by verified third parties
- Subject to stringent checking and counting to ensure that emission data has not been double counted
- Emission removal and the organisation must be protective of biodiversity
- Emission removal and the organisation must be socially responsible
Who can buy NCCs?
Go Balance and DAIS are recognised distributors of NCCs.
At Go Balance, we’re a developer of REDD+ projects in the Brazilian Amazon. We have over 15 years of experience of working with communities, local governments and institutions to help maintain the forests.
DAIS is a specialist advisory service. They support corporations and funds in the environmental sector. With over 60 years of experience in finance, they can expertly advise on NFS projects and NCCs.
What do we mean by Natural Capital?
The Natural Capital Declaration in 2013 made clear that the term ‘Natural Capital’ is the collective term for earth’s natural resources and ecosystems that derive from them.
These ecosystems created thanks to Natural Capital are the foundation of all human life, and provide food, water, air and energy.
If your project is successfully verified by NFS, this will indicate that you will be able to receive NCCs if the NFS can determine that your project has successfully reduced or removed carbon emissions through independent, third-party verification.
What are NFS’ aims and objectives?
NFS aims to provide a framework for projects to successfully conserve and restore natural resources and forests. These projects conserve these forests by working with the communities that live there and ensuring that their work benefits local communities and indigenous people.
NFS’s standards for REDD+ projects protecting Natural Capital are carried out in a holistic manner, and a variety of aspects are considered before a project is awarded NCCs.
Carbon, biodiversity and social benefits are all considered when evaluating a project’s carbon reduction programme.
What are Go Balance’s NCC goals?
We’re a carbon offset project developer and we focus on REDD+ projects in the Amazon area. All of our projects are managed under the NFS. We aim to achieve fully verified NCCs for all of our projects.
Go Balance’s CEO, Ciaran Kelly has worked in the carbon market for years.
As Go Balance’s CEO, he is committed to creating nature-based climate solutions and is committed to taking an innovative approach to tackling climate change.
