The Climate Action Reserve is incorporating a modular protocol structure that improves the efficiency of developing, updating, and expanding into new jurisdictions while maintaining the jurisdiction-specific considerations that have long been a hallmark of the Reserve program.
Under this approach, protocols are organized into a protocol (i.e., the Forest Protocol) containing requirements applicable across jurisdictions and jurisdiction modules containing location-specific requirements (i.e., Mexico Module). For the phases of project registration:
- Project submittal: Projects may submit under the applicable jurisdiction module, if available, or under the protocol if the applicable jurisdiction module is not available. Advanced project submittal demonstrates compliance with the protocol’s requirements, establishes the project submittal date, and signals interest in the development of the applicable jurisdiction module.
- Project listing and registration: Projects are only eligible for final listing and registration in jurisdictions for which a jurisdiction module has been developed.
Existing projects have the option to remain under previously adopted country-specific protocols (i.e., the Mexico Forest Protocol) through the end of the crediting period or to transition to the modular protocol structure and applicable jurisdiction module. Jurisdiction modules are noted below.
Filter by protocol sector:
- All
- Natural climate solutions
- Waste handling and methane destruction
- Industrial processes and gases
Natural climate solutions |
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| Sector | Protocol | Applies to / Module | Active version | Date issued | Development status | ICVCM CCP label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochar | U.S. and Canada Biochar Protocol | U.S. and Canada | 1.0 | March 19, 2024 | Approved; undergoing update to V1.1 |  |
| Forest | Guatemala Forest Protocol | Guatemala | 1.0 | January 24, 2024 | Approved | |
| Mexico Forest Protocol | Mexico | 3.0 | October 5, 2022 | Approved; undergoing update to V3.1 | |
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| Panama Forest Protocol | Panama | 1.0 | January 24, 2024 | Approved | ||
| U.S. Forest Protocol | U.S. | 5.1 | July 20, 2023 | Approved | ||
| Grassland | Canada Grassland Protocol | Canada | 1.0 | October 16, 2019 | Approved; undergoing update to V1.1 | |
| U.S. Grassland Protocol | U.S. | 2.1 | February 13, 2020 | Approved; undergoing update to V2.2 | ||
| Nitrogen Management | U.S. Nitrogen Management Protocol | U.S. | 2.1 | December 3, 2021 | Approved | |
| Rice Cultivation | U.S. Rice Cultivation Protocol | U.S. | 1.1 | June 3, 2013 | Approved | |
| Soil Enrichment | U.S. Soil Enrichment Protocol | U.S. | 1.1 | May 31, 2022 | Approved; undergoing update to V2.0 | |
| Urban Forest Management | U.S. Urban Forest Management Protocol | U.S. | 1.1 | April 18, 2019 | Approved | |
| Urban Tree Planting | U.S. Urban Tree Planting Protocol | U.S. | 2.0 | June 25, 2014 | Approved | |
Waste handling and methane destruction |
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| Sector | Protocol | Applies to / Module | Active version | Date issued | Development status | ICVCM CCP label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Plugging of Marginal Oil and Gas Wells | U.S. Early Plugging of Marginal Oil and Gas Wells Protocol | U.S. | 1.0 | – | In development | |
| Landfill | Argentina Landfill Protocol | Argentina | 1.0 | June 4, 2025 | Approved | |
| Chile Landfill Protocol | Chile | 1.0 | – | In development | ||
| Mexico Landfill Protocol | Mexico | 2.0 | October 5, 2022 | Approved | ||
| U.S. Landfill Protocol | U.S. | 6.0 | June 8, 2022 | Approved | |
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| Livestock | Argentina Livestock Protocol | Argentina | 1.0 | October 2, 2024 | Approved | |
| Dominican Republic Livestock Protocol | Dominican Republic | 1.0 | October 4, 2023 | Approved | ||
| Mexico Livestock Protocol | Mexico | 2.0 | September 29, 2010 | Approved; undergoing update | ||
| U.S. Livestock Protocol | U.S. | 4.0 | January 23, 2013 | Approved; undergoing update | ||
| Mine Methane | Modular Protocol | |||||
| Mine Methane Protocol | Open | – | – | Open for public comment | ||
| Jurisdiction Modules | ||||||
| U.S. Module | – | – | Open for public comment | |||
| Country-Specific Protocol | ||||||
| U.S. Coal Mine Methane Protocol | U.S. | 1.1 | October 26, 2012 | Approved | ||
| Organic Waste Composting | U.S. Organic Waste Composting Protocol | U.S. | 1.1 | July 29, 2013 | Approved; undergoing update | |
| Organic Waste Digestion | U.S. Organic Waste Digestion Protocol | U.S. | 2.1 | January 16, 2014 | Approved | |
Industrial processes and gases |
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| Sector | Protocol | Applies to / Module | Active version | Date issued | Development status | ICVCM CCP label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adipic Acid Production | China Adipic Acid Production Protocol | China | 1.0 | October 4, 2023 | Approved | |
| U.S. Adipic Acid Production Protocol | U.S. | 1.0 | September 30, 2020 | Approved | |
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| Boiler Efficiency | Mexico Boiler Efficiency Protocol | Mexico | 1.0 | November 1, 2016 | Approved | |
| Low-Carbon Cement | U.S. Low-Carbon Cement Protocol | U.S. | 1.0 | October 4, 2023 | Approved | |
| Ozone Depleting Substances / Halocarbon | Article 5 Ozone Depleting Substances Protocol | Article 5 countries | 2.0 | June 27, 2012 | Approved | |
| Mexico Halocarbon/ ODS Protocol | Mexico | 1.0 | June 16, 2021 | Approved | ||
| U.S. Ozone Depleting Substances Protocol | U.S. | 2.0 | June 27, 2012 | Approved | |
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| Nitric Acid Production | Modular Protocol | Nitric Acid Production Protocol | Open | – | – | Public comment period closed |
| Jurisdiction Modules | ||||||
| India Module | – | – | Public comment period closed | |||
| U.S. Module | 1.0 | July 16, 2026 | Approved | |||
| Country-Specific Protocol | ||||||
| U.S. Nitric Acid Production Protocol | U.S. | 3.0 | August 7, 2025 | Approved | ||