Carbon Credits 101
Clear definitions: verification, issuance, and retirement — plus why registries like Verra matter for credibility.
The Three Milestones
Verification
Third-party confirmation that a project meets the relevant standard and monitoring requirements. An independent auditor reviews project methodology, baseline data, and monitoring reports.
Issuance
When credits are formally issued and recorded in a registry. This happens after verification and can occur in batches over the project's crediting period.
Retirement
When credits are permanently retired to claim an environmental benefit. Once retired, credits cannot be traded or transferred again — this is the final step.
Timelines Are Part of Integrity
Carbon credits don't appear overnight. Real-world verification follows rigorous processes that take time — and that's a feature, not a bug.
Verification milestones follow real-world auditing processes
Issuance can occur in batches over time as monitoring data is collected
Retirement workflows require specific registry accounts and compliance steps
Project Registration
Project Design Document (PDD) submitted and validated by Verra.
First Monitoring Period
Data collection begins. Baseline established and monitoring protocols enacted.
First Verification
Independent auditor verifies carbon sequestration against baseline. Credits can be issued.
Periodic Verification
Continued monitoring and verification cycles. Additional credits issued per period.
How We Display Registry Information
We separate data deliberately so you always know what you're looking at.
Yield profile (first audit) shown separately
The baseline verified at first audit is recorded as a yield profile and displayed separately from ongoing issuance data.
Issued credits update over time
As credits are issued by the registry, they appear as timeline updates — always shown separately from yield projections.
Registry sources always referenced
Every data point links back to its source — Verra project page, audit reports, or issuance records.
Degraded data is flagged honestly
If sync is stale or data is unavailable, we show 'Last updated' timestamps and static preview notices.
Why Registries Matter
Carbon registries like Verra provide the independent infrastructure that makes credits credible.
Methodology Standards
Registries define how carbon is measured and what counts as a valid reduction or removal.
Independent Auditing
Third-party auditors (VVBs) verify claims against registry standards — not project developer claims.
Public Records
All registered projects, issuances, and retirements are publicly searchable on registry platforms.
See It in Action
Browse real projects with their verification status, yield profiles, and issuance timelines.