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Professional learning pathway

Carbon Validation & Verification Practitioner

Learn to examine a carbon project, test its evidence and explain an assessment conclusion. Build from foundations towards a sector-specific audit simulation.

Your learning sequence

From understanding to assessment.

  1. 01

    Build the foundations

    Understand carbon accounting, project eligibility and evidence before moving into audit practice.

    SC01 · Climate Change and Carbon Market FoundationsSC03 · Corporate GHG Accounting and ISO 14064 Part 1SC08 · Carbon Project Screening and Feasibility
  2. 02

    Understand methodologies and MRV

    Follow a project from its methodology and document requirements to monitoring, calculations and data quality. Project-level quantification is distinct from a corporate inventory.

    SC09 · PDD Development and Methodology ApplicationSC10 · MRV Systems and Field Data Quality
  3. 03

    Practise validation and verification

    Use SC12 to assess project design and reported results through separate cases. Build competence in materiality, sampling, recalculation, impartiality and findings.

    SC12 · GHG Validation Verification and Readiness Review
  4. 04

    Assess safeguards and project rights

    Include safeguards in the core route. Add FPIC and benefit-sharing work where the project’s applicable requirements call for it.

    SC39 · Environmental and Social Safeguards for Climate ProjectsSC38 · FPIC and Stakeholder Engagement PracticeSC40 · Carbon Benefit Sharing and Community Governance

05 / Choose a sector

Develop depth in a methodology.

Select a sector relevant to the work you want to assess. Complete its methodology-specific exercise; the list below is a set of options, not a requirement to study every sector. Add GIS and sampling where relevant.

SC15 · Forest Agroforestry and Land Use Carbon ProjectsSC16 · Soil Carbon and Agricultural GHG ProjectsSC17 · Blue Carbon Monitoring and Project DesignSC18 · Clean Cooking Carbon Projects and MonitoringSC19 · Waste Methane and Circular Economy Carbon ProjectsSC20 · Biochar and Durable Carbon RemovalSC21 · Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Carbon ProjectsSC11 · GIS Remote Sensing and Carbon Sampling

Begin with a named methodology.

Explore the VM0047 programme and its shared tool units. Other methodology programmes can be added as their outlines and source dependencies are reviewed.

Explore methodology programmes

06 / Bring the audit together

Programme rules, field practice and a capstone.

Carbon Standard Audit Requirements Clinic

Choose a Verra or Gold Standard case and translate the applicable documents into a review checklist.

View the clinic

Field & Remote Verification Practicum

Practise interviews, source-record tracing, site evidence and defensible findings.

View the clinic

The planned capstone portfolio

Bring together an audit plan, evidence register, sampling rationale, checked calculations, findings, responses and a final report. Defend the conclusions in an oral assessment. The teaching pack and assessment rubric require academic review before delivery.

Professional progression

Training is one part of the route.

Completion prepares learners for further development. Appointment to an audit team, supervised experience and programme-specific approval are separate requirements. No placement, employment or VVB approval is promised.

Understand the certificate

Official references: Verra validation and verification (new tab) · Gold Standard VVB approval (new tab).