Road-testing Selected Offset Protocols: Standards Comparison

This working paper compares offset protocols from five different programs, focusing on landfill methane, manure digesters, and afforestation project types to assess quality standards and credibility in offset markets.

• The paper compares U.S. EPA Climate Leaders’ protocols for three specific project types—landfill methane, manure digesters, and afforestation—against protocols from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), California Climate Action Registry (CCAR), and Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX).
• Protocols are identified as the foundation of offset programs because they establish eligibility requirements and determine the quantification of offsets, which in turn influences the development of sequestration and emission reduction projects and ensures the credibility of offset markets.
• Version 2.0 of the analysis, published in June 2009, updates the original road test by incorporating revised protocols from the California Climate Action Registry (CAR) for forest projects and all project protocols from the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), alongside reviewer clarifications and sample project modifications.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2009). Road-testing Selected Offset Protocols: Standards Comparison. https://www.sei.org/publications/road-testing-selected-offset-protocols-standards-comparison-offset-protocols-landfills-manure-afforestation-reforestation/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Road-testing Selected Offset Protocols: Standards Comparison. 2009. https://www.sei.org/publications/road-testing-selected-offset-protocols-standards-comparison-offset-protocols-landfills-manure-afforestation-reforestation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Road-testing Selected Offset Protocols: Standards Comparison |date=5 October 2009 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/road-testing-selected-offset-protocols-standards-comparison-offset-protocols-landfills-manure-afforestation-reforestation/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2009roadtesting, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Road-testing Selected Offset Protocols: Standards Comparison}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2009}, month = oct, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/road-testing-selected-offset-protocols-standards-comparison-offset-protocols-landfills-manure-afforestation-reforestation/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }