Developing climate protection projects with the forest climate standard

With the Forest Climate Standard, the eva foundation has established a high-quality standard that serves as a framework for the implementation and certification of climate protection projects in Germany. These projects take the form of forest restoration (reforestation) or forest conversion measures. The Forest Climate Standard takes into account the specific requirements of German forests as well as Germany's legal requirements.

Develop project

The forest climate standard with the forest restoration method is particularly relevant for forest owners who have been reforesting their calamity areas since September 30, 2021 or are planning to do so in the future. Anyone who actively restructures forests from pure stands to climate-stable mixed forests can use the forest restoration method to also have this effort valued for the ecosystem.

For project areas over 50 ha, the costs of certification are borne by eva. For smaller project sizes, the costs have not yet been covered. eva is currently working on a solution for combining small project areas into group audits.

Requirements for the application of the forest climate standard

Are you a forest owner or project consultant and interested in applying the Forest Climate Standard? Then arrange a non-binding appointment with us to get to know us.

Get advice now

Information you should have ready:

  • Farm size / area under management (ha)
  • Current damaged area (ha)
  • How many hectares could be certified in this calendar year (ha)
  • Areas with potential for forest conversion by 2050 (ha)

Calculation of climate performance

  • The project scenario describes the expected development on a project area with climate protection activities and additional management.
  • The " reference scenario" (also baseline) does not include these measures.

It is calculated how much carbon is stored or emitted on the area during the crediting period of 20-30 years (crediting period). The difference between the two scenarios represents the additional climate performance in the form of marketable certificates. The permanence buffer and the fee for eva are already deducted in this calculation.

Certification process

Certification takes place on the certification platform which was specially developed for forest owners. After successful registration, projects can be created there, forest areas can be uploaded and all the evidence required for the standard can be provided. The additional climate performance and the number of corresponding certificates are calculated directly in the certification platform.

Both the certification process and the auditing take place on the platform. 

The certificates issued are stored in the eva-Impact Registry and can be issued to buyers from there. The registry provides an insight into all climate projects that have been certified under the Forest Climate Standard and the eva certificates available and retired as a result.

Register here! Project overview

Find project advice

Forest owners can commission external project consultants and appoint them as project managers. Project consultants are, for example, forestry service providers or FBGs. They often also handle certificate trading. If required, eva can help to find local project consultants.

Contact us at kontakt@ecosystemvalue.org

Brandenburg

Christian Stuhlmann - Waldkonzepte PartG

Schleswig-Holstein

carboncatch

Saxony

OGF GmbH

Lower Saxony

Oldershausen HOFOS GmbH

North Rhine-Westphalia

Natura Waldservice GmbH

Questions and answers

How much time does it take to certify a project?

Through the digital process of the forest climate standard, certification can be implemented quickly. eva is constantly working on optimizing the processes. Certification can be completed in 6 months be implemented.

How many certificates are created in the projects?

The projects of the forest restoration method show total sink rates of 86t - 238t per ha in previous projects (as of January 2024). The storage capacity that would have been created even without the project and further management has already been deducted from this (baseline). In addition, 15% is deducted for the eva buffer and the eva fee.

As a result, 60t - 166t per ha have been distributed in previous projects.

At what price are eva certificates traded?

Prices on the voluntary carbon market are not regulated and are subject to natural fluctuations. Certificates from Germany are particularly popular: around 50% of all German buyers prefer certificates from Germany(Umweltbundesamt, Infopapier zur Marktanalyse Freiwillige Kompensation, Online-Umfrage Adelphi 2021, p. 27).

Due to high demand, low supply and their high quality, eva certificates have already been sold well above the average market price for international removal certificates.

How are eva certificates sold?

If necessary, the forest owner can call in project consultants and/or certificate traders. Project consultants often also take over certificate trading.

We will be happy to put you in touch with the right contacts.

Which tree species may be brought into the area?

The tree species must be in accordance with a 'recognized scientific recommendation' and be suitable for the location and climate-resilient. climate-resilient. All tree species that meet this requirement can be planted or maintained on the project area. The mixture of tree species may deviate from the specifications and must comply with the indicator 4.2.2. must be met.

Recognized scientific recommendations' are recommendations from, among others:

> Forest research institutes, forestry universities or universities of applied sciences

> State forest administrations

> State or federal ministries

> Forestry departments of chambers of agriculture

Does the forest climate standard also integrate agricultural land?

The eva standards currently take forest areasinto account . With methods for initial afforestation & agroforestry, climate protection projects should also be included on agricultural land in the future.

Stay up to date

Would you like to stay regularly informed about everything that happens in and around the Forest Climate Standard? Then sign up for our newsletter.