Carbon removal certification
Formal recognition that a defined quantity of carbon has been durably removed and stored, under an approved methodology.
Certification converts a removal activity into a recognisable unit. It requires a methodology defining what counts as removal, how it is quantified, how long storage must last, and how monitoring continues after issuance.
Durability is the central distinction from avoidance. Biological storage must be monitored for decades and carries reversal risk; geological or mineral storage is more durable but harder to reverse if problems emerge. Certification schemes encode these differences in monitoring periods and liability rules.
The market's credibility problem is comparability: a tonne stored for a century and a tonne stored for a millennium are not equivalent, yet both may be sold as removal. Certification is only meaningful if the duration and the monitoring obligations behind it are disclosed alongside the claim.
Frequently asked questions
How long must carbon stay stored?
Requirements vary by scheme, typically from several decades to centuries, with monitoring and liability arrangements attached.
What happens if stored carbon is released?
Depending on the scheme, the shortfall must be replaced from a buffer, purchased back, or is carried as a liability by the project.