We are aware of the recent Reuters article highlighting broader concerns about governance and oversight within the voluntary carbon market.

To clarify, the projects cited in relation to Mr. Ricardo Stoppe were not certified by Cercarbono. Neither Mr. Stoppe nor his associated companies have had any involvement with Cercarbono or with projects certified under our standard.

Cercarbono takes the integrity of its certified projects seriously. As noted in the article, there is no evidence that the projects we certify are failing to deliver on their stated climate outcomes. Furthermore, as part of our commitment to high standards and continuous improvement, we have already strengthened our due diligence processes. These include:

• Ongoing surveillance of publicly available environmental and legal data, such as IBAMA records.
  
• Satellite-based monitoring to detect deforestation risks.
  
• Reinforced, mandatory safeguards compliance guidelines and procedures to ensure that carbon credits are issued only to rightful landowners or holders of carbon rights.

We also continue to engage in a formal review process of projects flagged in external reports, including those mentioned by Reuters, to ensure that any concerns are fully addressed in a rigorous and transparent manner.

Prior to the article’s publication, Cercarbono provided Reuters with detailed information regarding our due diligence systems, project oversight mechanisms, and the facts related to our certification activities. While not all of this information was reflected in the article, we remain fully committed to transparency and open engagement with all stakeholders.

Cercarbono continues to participate actively in international efforts to strengthen the integrity of the market.

We will provide further updates to stakeholders as needed.

Cercarbono
Voluntary Carbon Programme