The carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry stands at a critical juncture where credibility depends on robust audit practices. As more projects enter the market and new technologies emerge, the need for reliable verification is vital for the integrity of the market. In his latest whitepaper, Roxby Hartley, Ph.D., climate risk director at EcoEngineers, provides a comprehensive guide to ensuring the credibility and effectiveness of CDR audits.

These requirements address the complete audit cycle, from understanding the hierarchical nature of CDR validation to selecting appropriate assurance levels, managing the dynamic nature of audits, ensuring auditor competency, and maintaining transparency. The guidance provided balances the need for rigorous verification with the practical constraints faced by innovative CDR projects.

As the CDR industry grows, one question keeps surfacing: How do we know if these projects deliver what they promise? The answer lies in high-quality auditing. However, not all audits are created equally. Success in carbon removal verification requires understanding and implementing five key requirements that separate effective CDR audits from the rest.

1. Understand the Audit Hierarchy: Establishing a clear hierarchy for methodology audits, project validation, and verification of carbon removal claims is crucial for systematic validation.
2. Align Assurance with Claims: Selecting the appropriate level of assurance based on project maturity and capabilities ensures accurate verification.
3. Embrace the Dynamic Nature of Audits: Recognize that audits are investigative processes that adapt to evidence and uncover areas needing more attention.
4. Choose Competent Auditors: Ensure that auditors have the right expertise at each stage of the audit process, from scientific competency to practical audit experience.
5. Make Results Public: Sharing audit results and methodological approaches drives industry-wide innovation and builds market confidence.

The whitepaper emphasizes the importance of transparency, systematic validation, and competent verification to maintain trust in the CDR industry. By following these guidelines, CDR projects can defend their carbon removal claims and contribute to industry-wide improvement.

Read and download the whitepaper “Five Requirements for High-Quality CDR Audit” by clicking on the thumbnail below.