Codes & Standards
Codes and standards for environmental restoration activities are at the centre of high-integrity environmental markets. These markets are an essential part of nature finance.
Here we list codes and standards that have already been published, as well as some that are in development. Let us know if you are involved in work that you think should be featured here.
Note that we don’t take responsibility for the use of any products listed below.
Published codes and standards
Peatland Code
This is a voluntary certification standard for UK peatland projects wishing to market the climate benefits of peatland restoration and provides assurances to voluntary carbon market buyers that the climate benefits being sold are real, quantifiable, additional and permanent. It is overseen by the IUCN UK Peatland Programme.
Woodland Carbon Code
This is the quality assurance standard for woodland creation projects in the UK. It generates independently verified carbon units. It is endorsed by ICROA, the global umbrella body for carbon reduction and offset providers in the voluntary market.
Wilder Carbon
The Wilder Carbon Standards are designed to ensure that nature conservation projects in the UK result in long-term removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and secure biodiversity gains. The standards were published in November 2021 and are subject to a programme of further development supported by the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund for England.
Codes and standards in development
UK Saltmarsh Carbon Code
This new product is under development with the support of the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund in England. It will operate on a similar basis to the Peatland Code and Woodland Codes.
UK Farm Soil Carbon Code
Established by the Sustainable Soils Alliance, the Code constitutes a formal set of protocols that allow farmers to quantify and verify reduced greenhouse gas emissions and/or soil carbon capture as a result of adopting regenerative farming practices. The outcome-based Code will be openly accessible to all farmers, applicable for a range of ‘carbon accounting’ purposes, including offset registries, carbon capture incentive schemes, ecosystem services and environmental investment products.
BSI Nature Investment Standards
In England, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), have appointed the British Standards Insitution (BSI) to carry out a three-year standardisation programme to support markets for ecosystem services provided by nature-based solutions.
Working with a range of stakeholders, including public bodies, land managers, and environmental and financial services, the work will shape a set of investment standards to support the flow of finance into nature recovery.