Setting the Carbon Standard
Winrock’s ACR and ART demonstrate decades-long commitment to scientific innovation and environmental integrity
Winrock International is known for sound science and environmental integrity, and has worked for decades to mobilize climate actions that benefit the world’s most vulnerable populations through operation of the American Carbon Registry (ACR) and Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART).
“Winrock believes that climate change will have a profound impact on the world’s most at-risk populations and that markets are the most effective path to mobilize action and finance at scale,” said Winrock CEO Rodney Ferguson. “The American Carbon Registry and Architecture for REDD+ Transactions are now essential resources for accelerating transformational carbon emission reduction and removal actions.”
The world’s first private voluntary greenhouse gas registry, ACR leads carbon market innovation and catalyzes transformational change. It is the leading approved offset project registry for the California cap-and-trade program, and was recently approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization to supply credits for its global airline carbon market, the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.
ACR has issued over 150 million tonnes of high quality carbon offset credits—the equivalent of taking 32 million cars off the road for a year.
The 2020 launch of the ART initiative fills an important gap in the carbon credit landscape. This voluntary, international program is designed to attract large-scale financing for countries committed to protecting and restoring forests through REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks). ART aims to unlock new, long-term financial flows for forest countries to protect and restore forests by providing a credible voluntary standard and rigorous process to transparently register, verify and issue jurisdictional REDD+ emissions reductions and removals credits that embody the highest environmental and social integrity. In a milestone decision for REDD+, ART was approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to supply ART-issued jurisdictional forest carbon emission reductions credits to airlines for their compliance under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
By enhancing transparency and credibility, ART helps to unlock new financing to facilitate sustainable land use and protect forests. ART’s board of directors features global environmental leaders including Frances Seymour, Carlos Nobre, Agnes Kalibata, Abdon Nababan, Dan Zarin, Lucía Ruíz and Bill Bumpers.
Related Projects
ACR
Winrock has long recognized the threat posed by climate change. ACR, founded in 1996 and operated by Winrock, is dedicated to the belief that markets are the most effective tools to tackle climate change. As such, ACR has developed transparent and science-based methodologies to incentivize carbon reductions in agriculture, transportation and other industries. ACR is also a partner in assuring that California’s landmark Cap-and-Trade Program can manage, verify and credit carbon offsets effectively.