Exigent situations
When a health emergency, civil unrest or armed conflict makes consultation or a site audit unsafe, NCCF can approve alternatives: postponement, a site visit by an Independent Investigator, or a remote audit.
What counts
An exigent situation is one that may endanger life or health and prevents normal project work, consultation, validation or verification. Examples:
- Health: epidemics such as COVID-19, or hazards notified by government, including infestations.
- Social, civil and political: non-violent unrest, protests or conflicts between groups.
- War and armed conflict: war, terrorism and violent conflicts.
It does not cover verification of a GHG reversal event.
Requesting a deviation
The Delegate Entity emails cri.projects@nccf.in and carbon.registry@nccf.in with evidence of the situation, of the IPP’s inability to implement or monitor, and of the VVB’s unwillingness to audit. NCCF decides within 21 working days.
Stakeholder consultation
If a physical meeting isn’t possible, consult communities, authorities and local NGOs by calls, written comments, email, letters or surveys. Hold the physical meeting before the first verification if you can.
Audit alternatives, in order of preference
- Postponement of the audit by a reasonable time.
- Independent Investigator (II): a person near the site with no ties to the IPP, VVB or NCCF visits it on the VVB’s behalf. Requires statements from at least 2 empanelled VVBs that they are unwilling to visit, and at least 2 candidates. NCCF selects the II; the IPP, VVB and II sign a contract; the IPP and VVB each run a one-day training workshop.
- Remote audit: only with justification from both IPP and VVB. Monitoring periods are capped at 2 years for non-AFOLU and 5 years for AFOLU projects.
