Verra, a leading standards setter for the voluntary carbon market, has issued a detailed CORSIA Label Guidance, outlining the process for applying Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) labels to eligible Verified Carbon Units (VCUs).
Back in October 2024, Verra announced that its Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program qualified for the scheme’s first phase (2024–2026), extending the program’s eligibility from the pilot phase (2021–2023) and significantly increasing the number of VCUs eligible for CORSIA labels.
The guidance document provides key details on eligibility criteria, application procedures, and new labels in the Verra Registry. The eligibility framework covers both the pilot phase and the first phase of CORSIA. It also offers step-by-step instructions for requesting CORSIA labels for qualifying VCUs.
Relevant: ICAO Approves Four Programs For CORSIA Eligibility
New labels in the Verra Registry include: CORSIA – Pilot Phase, 2021–2023 Scope; CORSIA – Pilot Phase, 2021–2023 Eligible; CORSIA – First Phase, 2024–2026 Scope; and CORSIA – First Phase, 2024–2026 Eligible.
Scope labels signify that VCUs meet basic eligibility, while eligible labels confirm full compliance for CORSIA retirement. VCUs with existing pilot-phase labels will be automatically updated to reflect the new designations.
In the new document, Verra emphasizes avoiding double claiming for mitigation outcomes. For VCUs with vintages from 2021 onward, this means that an Article 6 Authorized – International Mitigation Purposes label will be required to qualify for CORSIA’s pilot or first phase eligible labels.
To meet this standard, proponents must provide either evidence of a completed corresponding adjustment for the mitigation outcomes, or a signed CORSIA Accounting Representation and a risk insurance-backed certificate to address potential double claims, using Verra-approved insurance products.
To qualify for the first phase scope label, projects must meet specific criteria:
- Start Date: Projects must have initiated their first crediting period on or after January 1, 2016.
- Vintage: VCUs must be issued for reductions or removals occurring between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2026.
- Project Characteristics: Eligible VCUs must come from non-AFOLU projects under Sectoral Scopes 1–13 and 15, as a main requirement. This excludes projects using AMS-II.G or VMR0006 methodologies or grid-connected renewable electricity projects exceeding 15 MW output.
Further details about the eligibility requirements for the CORSIA labels, as well as other important information can be found in the guidance document.
