Frequently asked questions

Getting started

What is an MCU?

An MCU is the unit of exchange in CR-I. One MCU represents one verified and certified metric tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) reduced or removed. Read more: Marketable Carbon Units (MCUs)

Who governs CR-I?

The Governing Council gives final approval on registrations, issuances and methodologies. An Administrative Structure runs daily operations, advised by an Advisory Board and a Methodology Panel. Read more: How CR-I is governed

Who leads CR-I?

Carbon Registry India is chaired by Anil Jauhri, former CEO of the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), and led by its Chief Executive Officer, Richard Noel Bright, who brought the Layered Assurance Framework to CR-I. Read more: About CR-I

What is NCCF?

The Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests (NCCF) is an Indian not-for-profit society that develops sustainability standards. It created and manages CR-I. Read more: About NCCF

Who takes part in CR-I?

CR-I has five kinds of participant: NCCF as the regulator, Independent Project Proponents (IPPs), Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs), Independent Methodology Developers (IMDs) and Transactional Organisations (TOs). Read more: Who does what

What does CR-I cover?

CR-I accepts projects anywhere in the world, covers the six Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases, and uses the sectoral scopes of the UN Clean Development Mechanism. Read more: Scope: sectors, gases and geography

Registry accounts

How do I open a Registry account?

Every IPP, VVB, IMD and TO needs an account on the CR-I Registry platform. You sign up with your email, complete KYC and accept the Terms and Conditions; NCCF then reviews the application. Read more: Creating a Registry account

What KYC documents are needed?

Know Your Customer (KYC) checks confirm who you are before an account is opened. Individuals prove identity and address; organisations prove legal status, address, signatories and owners. Read more: KYC documents

What types of Registry account are there?

The Registry platform has four account types, one for each kind of participant: IPP, VVB, IMD and TO. Each account can carry out a different set of actions. Read more: Account types

What fees does CR-I charge?

The Fee Schedule lists every Registry fee in Indian Rupees, from account opening to issuance, retirement, methodologies and VVB empanelment. It has applied since 16 September 2021. Read more: Fee Schedule

Projects

Which projects are eligible?

A project is eligible if it reduces or removes greenhouse gases within CR-I’s sectoral scopes, uses an approved methodology, is not an excluded type, and meets the Carbon Standard’s requirements. Read more: Eligible projects

Which projects are excluded?

Carbon Standard v1.1 excludes nine kinds of project, including most hydropower, renewable energy that claims RECs, fossil-fuel generation and HFC-23 destruction. Read more: Excluded project types

How is project scale defined?

Projects are micro, small or large scale, based on their annual net GHG reductions or removals: up to 10,000, up to 60,000, and above 60,000 tCO2e per year. Read more: Project scale

How does CR-I assess additionality?

A project is additional if its outcomes would not have happened without the incentive from CR-I. Micro-scale projects, and some small-scale projects, are automatically additional. Read more: Additionality

What is a Detailed Project Document (DPD)?

The DPD is the main design document for a project. It is prepared on the CR-I template, together with a Stakeholder Consultation Report (SCR), and submitted to an empanelled VVB for validation. Read more: The Detailed Project Document (DPD)

How long is a crediting period?

Choose a fixed or a renewable crediting period. Non-AFOLU projects: up to 10 years fixed, or up to three periods of 7 years. AFOLU projects: up to 30 years fixed, or up to three periods of 20 years. Read more: Crediting periods

What are the deadlines after a project starts?

The start date is when a project begins generating reductions or removals. Carbon Standard v1.1 sets how soon validation must follow it; the Registration and Issuance Procedure sets listing and registration deadlines. Read more: Start date and deadlines

How does the project cycle work?

A CR-I project moves from design and listing, through public consultation and validation, to registration. Each monitoring period is then verified before MCUs are issued. Read more: The project cycle at a glance

Can a CDM project move to CR-I?

A special provision lets projects registered under the CDM on or after 1 January 2016 convert to CR-I and receive MCUs from 1 January 2019, if they have not been issued CERs for 2019 or later. Read more: Converting CDM projects

Credits

How are MCUs issued?

MCUs are issued for each verified monitoring period after NCCF approves the request for issuance and the issuance fee is paid. Each MCU carries a unique serial number linked to its project and vintage. Read more: Issuance of MCUs

How are MCUs retired or cancelled?

Retirement permanently withdraws MCUs to claim an offset; cancellation permanently removes them for any other purpose. Both are irreversible. Retirement costs INR 0.20 per MCU; cancellation is free. Read more: Retirement and cancellation

Can MCUs be transferred?

MCUs can be transferred between IPP and TO accounts, whether sold or not. NCCF does not set prices, and tracks every transfer by serial number. Read more: Transferring MCUs

What is the buffer pool?

Land-based projects assess the risk that stored carbon is released again, and deposit a Minimum Buffer Percentage (MBP) of 12% to 40% of their MCUs in the CR-I Buffer Pool. A High risk in any category makes a project ineligible. Read more: Reversal risk and the buffer pool

VVBs

What does a VVB do?

A VVB is an independent, impartial auditor, accredited and empanelled with CR-I. It validates project designs, verifies results before MCUs are issued, and assesses new methodologies. Read more: What a VVB does

How does a VVB get empanelled?

A VVB is eligible if it is a UNFCCC Designated Operational Entity, an active Verra VVB, or accredited to ISO 14065 or ISO 17029. Empanelment takes an application, a review, the annual fee and a signed agreement. Read more: Eligibility and empanelment

What is an Independent VVB Expert (IVVE)?

Validation and Verification Standard v1.1 lets qualified individual experts (IVVEs) validate and verify micro-scale projects, subject to training, conflict-of-interest rules and annual re-qualification. Read more: Independent VVB Experts (IVVEs)

Methodologies

Which methodologies are accepted?

Projects can use methodologies approved and listed by CR-I, and methodologies and tools approved under the UN Clean Development Mechanism, within the scope of the Carbon Standard. Read more: Which methodologies can be used?

How do I propose a new methodology?

A new methodology goes from synopsis to full document, 30 days of public consultation, assessment by two independent VVBs and a final NCCF review before it is listed. Read more: Approval of a new methodology

Standards and help

What changed in version 1.1?

Version 1.1 of the Carbon Standard and the Validation and Verification Standard applies from 7 March 2026. It lowers the project scale thresholds, adds Independent VVB Experts for micro-scale projects, relaxes validation deadlines and broadens VVB eligibility. Read more: What’s new in version 1.1

How do I raise a complaint or appeal?

Complaints and appeals are made by email to the relevant CR-I address. NCCF assigns an investigator with no conflict of interest and decides by email. Its decision on an appeal is final. Read more: Complaints and appeals