What are Protocols and Registries?

Now we know a bit more about how carbon credits are defined and how you can produce them with sustainable land management - but who sets the rules and standards that govern this process? Watch the video below to learn about protocols and the groups who create them, also know as registries. 

What we covered

A carbon registry is a database that tracks the ownership, issuance, retirement, and transfer of carbon credits. It is a system that maintains a record of each carbon credit, along with the details of the project that generated it and the entities that have purchased, sold, or retired the credits. There are many registries, each of which has one or more protocols – methodologies that outline the rules and procedures that determine project eligibility and implementation.

For example, there are protocols for sustainable forest management, regenerative grazing on rangelands, and wetland preservation. Protocols are differentiated by various key features, including:

• Subject matter: ecosystem and management types

• Time commitment for the landowner

• Requirements for changed practices

• How they calculate carbon credits: common methods include direct measurement of soil or trees, or a more hands-off modeling approach.