Exploring Co-Benefits Certification on Tribal Lands

The National Indian Carbon Coalition (NICC) and ACR have formed a cooperative relationship to explore, design and implement a framework for certification of co-benefits associated with carbon projects on Indigenous lands in the U.S. and Canada. Products of ACR and NICC’s work together will be nested within ACR’s larger co-benefit certification work, applicable to carbon projects registered with ACR.

A program of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation, NICC is a Tribally led nonprofit organization that assists Tribal Nations and individual Indian landowners in developing carbon projects. ACR is a global carbon crediting program operating in voluntary and compliance markets. Together, the two programs will identify an approach to co-benefits certification that is tailored for Indigenous lands and communities, while also nesting within the broader initiative ACR is developing.

Sovereignty and self-determination make carbon projects on Tribal and First Nations lands different from those in other settings. Having lived on the lands since time immemorial, Tribes and First Nations also bring their own priorities for community values. Recognizing the unique elements of carbon projects on Tribal lands, ACR partnered with the Indian Land Tenure Foundation in 2018 to develop Guidance for Carbon Project Development on Tribal Lands. The current work builds on this relationship and history.

The agreement between NICC and ACR includes the following elements:

• Articulate unique aspects of carbon projects on Indigenous lands.
• Identify priority co-benefits that are valued by Tribal and First Nations communities and carbon credit buyers.
• Assess publicly available data sources for their relevance and accuracy.
• Develop a framework for certification of co-benefits associated with carbon projects on Tribal and First Nations lands.
• Evaluate market interests in verified co-benefits from projects in Indigenous lands.
• Ensure the Tribal and First Nations co-benefits framework aligns with the program ACR develops.

Co-benefits are the environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with a carbon project, in addition to the verified emission reductions or removals. Co-benefits can include biodiversity conservation, water stewardship, community investment, cultural continuity and more.

[Photo Credit: Stephen Taglieri]