According to carboncredits.com, Verra has launched its Scope 3 Standard (S3S) Program on September 15, enabling project developers to pipeline-list climate initiatives linked to corporate value chains and laying the groundwork for issuing Scope 3 Units (S3Us).
Structured Pathway for Value Chain Projects
The S3S Program introduces a phased rollout: at launch, developers may pipeline-list projects using two approved methodologies — S3S-VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management and S3S-VM0043 CO2 Utilization in Concrete Production. Full registration, validation, and verification will follow in future updates, after which Verra will issue S3Us. Projects entering now do not receive units immediately; instead, they join a verified pipeline awaiting final certification.
Verra states that Scope 3 emissions typically account for more than 75% of a company’s total carbon footprint. With more than 40% of the world’s largest public companies having net-zero targets that include Scope 3, the program responds directly to mounting regulatory and stakeholder pressure. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) requires companies whose Scope 3 emissions exceed 40% of total emissions to set Scope 3 targets covering at least 67% of those emissions through supplier engagement or reduction goals.
This framework is designed to support SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0, released in June 2026, which emphasizes integrity in market instruments used for target implementation — including how value chain investments deliver measurable reductions.
How S3Us Differ From Traditional Carbon Credits
An S3U represents one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent reduced or removed relative to a baseline scenario — but unlike standard voluntary carbon credits, it is tied to a specific, verified value chain connection. Verra writes:
“S3Us represent the climate impact of projects’ emission reduction and removal activities. Companies that can demonstrate a credible value chain connection to the goods or services affected by the project can then request reportable S3Us that are designed for use toward their Scope 3 net zero claims.”
Each unit carries traceable metadata — including affected product, baseline type, leakage emissions, and reversal risk — and must undergo independent third-party validation and verification. Reportable S3Us will be non-transferable between companies, mitigating double-counting risks that undermine climate integrity.
The program’s digital-first approach leverages the Verra Project Hub and Registry to streamline requirements and enable faster reviews, more frequent issuance, and lower verification costs — particularly beneficial for smaller-scale projects previously excluded by cost barriers.
Agriculture and Concrete Target High-Impact Value Chains
The two launch methodologies address sectors where supply chain emissions dominate. S3S-VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management quantifies emissions reductions and soil carbon sequestration from practices including reduced tillage, improved fertilizer use, residue management, water management, and cover cropping — all critical for food and raw material supply chains. Meanwhile, S3S-VM0043 CO2 Utilization in Concrete Production accounts for both permanent CO2 embedding in concrete and emissions avoided via reduced cement use — significant given cement’s high carbon intensity.
These methodologies apply distinct technical pathways but operate under the same S3S framework, demonstrating its adaptability across vastly different value chains. A food company could support regenerative farming aligned with its purchased agricultural inputs, while a construction firm might invest in low-carbon concrete entering its supply chain — both generating verifiable, attributable climate outcomes.
Source: carboncredits.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
