GCC - PROGRAM PROCESSES · 2019-11-21 · 16. If the GCC Verifier’s Verification Report...

PROGRAM PROCESSES

V2.0 - 2019

Program Processes

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Program Processes

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CONTENTS

1. PROJECT PROCESS ................................................................................................ 5

1.1. PROJECT REGISTRATION .......................................................................... 5

1.1.1. Initial Submission and Completeness Check ............................... 5

1.1.2. Call for Inputs for Global Stakeholder Consultation ..................... 5

1.1.3. Project Verification ........................................................................ 7

1.1.4. Submission of Request for Registration and Review ................... 7

1.2. ACR ISSUANCE PROCESS.......................................................................... 9

1.2.1. Initial Submission and Completeness Check ............................... 9

1.2.2. Emission Reduction Verification ................................................... 10

1.2.3. Submission of Request for Issuance and Review ........................ 10

2. BASELINE AND MONITORING METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ..................... 14

2.1. SCREENING MITIGATION OPPORTUNITIES ............................................. 14

2.1.1. Applicability of Standardized Methodologies ................................ 14

2.1.2. Emission Reduction Potential and Environmental Integrity .......... 14

2.1.3. Replicability ................................................................................... 14

2.1.4. Data/ Information Availability ........................................................ 14

2.2. DEVELOPMENT OF METHODOLOGY ........................................................ 14

2.3. STEERING COMMITTEE APPROVAL.......................................................... 16

2.4. METHODOLOGY REVISION......................................................................... 16

2.4.1. Policy Revisions ............................................................................ 16

2.4.2. Program Revisions ........................................................................ 16

2.4.3. Grace Period ................................................................................. 16

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ACRONYMS

CAR Climate Action Reserve

CDM Clean Development Mechanism

GHG Greenhouse Gas

GORD Gulf Organisation for Research and Development

GCC Global Carbon Council

GS Gold Standard

GSC Global Stakeholder Consultation

VCS Verified Carbon Standard

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1. PROJECT PROCESS

1. For GCC Program, a third-party independent external verification of project documentation

is required to be conducted by GCC Verifiers before two stages in the GCC Project cycle.

The two stages are:

(a) GCC Project Registration Stage; and

(b) GCC ACR Issuance Stage.

1.1. PROJECT REGISTRATION

1.1.1. Initial Submission and Completeness Check

2. Project owners shall prepare the Project Submission Form (PSF) for the project activity,

after conducting local stakeholder consultation.

3. Project owners shall submit, via online IT-platform of GCC (https://www.gctprojects.qa/),

the project documentation required for conducting Global stakeholder consultation (GSC)

of the project as per the requirements of ‘Project Standard’ requiring submission of:

(a) Completed Project Submission Form (PSF) as per the latest template of GCC;

(b) Emission reduction calculation spread sheets required as per the approved baseline

and monitoring methodology;

(c) Investment Analysis spread sheets (if mentioned in the PSF);

(d) Other relevant documents as required.

4. The completeness check of the submission (including completeness and consistency of

documents as well as project´s preliminary eligibility under GCC program) by GCC

Operations Team is conducted within 5 days1.

5. A project activity is considered “submitted” when all of the appropriate forms are deemed

complete and submitted through the GCC website and a unique reference ‘submission

number’ (following format of ‘SXXX’) is assigned to the project activity.

6. Projects must be submitted before the start date of the project which is defined as the date

when the project starts to reduce or avoid GHG emissions.

7. While assessing the submission for its preliminary eligibility and completeness, the GCC

Operations Team may request the project owner for additional information, or revision of

the submission.

8. Upon receiving re-submission, the completeness check and eligibility check is again

performed and only completed submissions are uploaded on GCC website, except those

documents which are requested to be kept confidential by project owners.

1.1.2. Call for Inputs for Global Stakeholder Consultation

9. Once the submitted project documentation is deemed complete, GCC Operations Team

shall make it available on GCC website for Global Stakeholder Consultation (GSC) for 15

calendar days and invite comments from stakeholders.

1 ‘days’ mean ‘calendar days’

https://www.gctprojects.qa/

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Figure 1: Flow chart for Project submission and Registration process

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10. While uploading the complete documentation, the inputs are invited from the stakeholders

globally. The inputs can be about any technical, social, environmental, economic,

regulatory and policy aspects related to the submitted project activity.

1.1.3. Project Verification

11. A GCC-approved verifier is appointed by project owner.

12. After the end of GSC period, the GCC verifier shall conduct verification and review the

project submission documentation and comments obtained during GSC process, perform

a site visit (where necessary), raise non-conformities and invite the corrective actions from

project owners (if applicable).

13. Upon successful closure of non- conformities, the GCC verifier shall verify that the project

has fully complied with the information provided in the project submission document as

required by GCC Rules including Verification Standard.

14. The verifier shall then submit a Project Verification Report using Project Verification Report

Form to GCC.

15. The GCC Verifier’s Verification Report may either recommend the GCC Steering

Committee to ‘register’ or ‘not-register’ the project activity.

16. If the GCC Verifier’s Verification Report recommends the GCC Steering Committee to

‘not-register’ the project activity, the request for registration cannot be submitted.

17. If the project does not meet GCC rules even after raising corrective actions within a period

of 2 years, the verifier shall communicate to GCC accordingly.

1.1.4. Submission of Request for Registration and Review

18. Project owners shall submit, via online IT-platform, the project documentation required for

registration of the project with GCC Program as per the requirements of ‘Project Standard’

including:

(a) Verified Project Submission Form (PSF) as per the latest template of GCC;

(b) Verified Emission reduction calculation spread sheets required as per the approved

baseline and monitoring methodology;

(c) Verified Investment Analysis spread sheets (if mentioned in the PSF);

(d) Other relevant verified documents as required;

(e) Proof of payment of USD 500 as registration fee; and

(f) GCC Verifier’s Project Verification Report (PVR), as per the latest template of GCC,

recommending the GCC Steering Committee to ‘register’ the project activity.

19. The completeness check of the submission is conducted within 5 days and the submission

is assessed by GCC Operations Team to check completeness, consistency of documents,

and project´s eligibility under GCC program.

20. A ‘request for registration’ of a project activity is considered “submitted” when all of the

appropriate forms have been deemed complete and submitted through the GCC website

and the registration fee is received by GCC Program.

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21. While assessing the submission for its eligibility and completeness, the GCC Operations

Team may request the project owner for additional information, or revision of the

submission.

22. Upon receiving submission, the completeness check and eligibility check is again

performed and only completed submissions are uploaded on GCC website, except those


23. After the submission is deemed complete, the GCC Operations team shall conduct

detailed assessment of the project activity within 10 days.

24. In case, the project documentation meets all requirements of the GCC Program including

Project Standard and applicable Baseline & Monitoring Methodology, GCC Operations

Team shall prepare a ‘recommendation’.

25. In case the recommendation of the GCC Operations Team and that of the GCC Verifier is

matching/coinciding and in the same direction, which can be to ‘register’ the project

activity, a notification is sent to the Steering Committee informing them of the ‘Automatic

Registration’ of the project activity, unless three members of Steering Committee submit

objections, within 10 days.


not matching/coinciding i.e. either to ‘register’ or ‘not-register’ the project activity or more

than 50% of the members of Steering Committee have submitted objections to the

‘automatic registration notification’, within 10 days; the GCC Operations Team shall place

the particular project case for Steering Committee’s consideration and decision, either

through electronic means or in a physical meeting.

27. Once a particular project case has been placed under the consideration of the Steering

Committee, the GCC Operations Team shall appoint Steering Committee member for

his/her assessment and recommendation.

28. The Steering Committee member shall conduct the assessment and provide its

recommendation, within 10 days, which can be either to ‘register’ or ‘not-register’ the

project activity.

‘Decision Criteria’ for Project Registration

S.No. GCC Verifier Report

GCC Operations Team

Recommendation

Steering Committee Member

Recommendation

Steering Committee Decision

Final Decision

1 Register Register - - Register the Project

2 Register Do-not-Register Register Decision by Steering

Committee

Decision by Steering

Committee

3 Register Do-not-Register Do-not-Register Do-not-Register

Do-not-Register the Project

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29. After considering Steering Committee member’s inputs, GCC Operations Team shall

submit the ‘Summary Note’, containing the short summary of all the three

recommendations and a final recommendation, for Steering Committee’s consideration

through electronic means.

30. Each Steering Committee member shall consider the ‘Summary Note’ and provide their

individual decision to GCC Operations Team within 10 days, taking into account the

‘Decision Criteria’ (given above) and inform the GCC Operations Team. If the Steering

Committee member does not provide any response or communicate its decision within

allotted time, it will mean that the member is in agreement with the recommendation in the

‘Summary Note’.

31. The final decision shall be made based on by consensus or majority vote (more than 50%).

In case of a tie during voting, the recommendation of GCC Operations Team shall be

considered as final.

32. The decision to Register the project or not shall be made available transparently by the

GCC Operations Team on GCC website within 3 days.

33. The GCC Operations Team shall coordinate with the IHS Markit’s team to inform them of

the decision to Register the project activity and transfer the Registered project documents

to IHS Markit Website within 3 days. After this stage, all the subsequent project

documents shall be submitted directly on IHS Markit website.

1.2. ACR ISSUANCE PROCESS

1.2.1. Initial Submission and Completeness Check

34. Project owners shall implement and operate the project and measure and monitor the

required parameters as per the requirements and as mentioned in the registered project

documentation including the PSF.

35. For the chosen monitoring period, the Project owners shall and prepare the Project

Monitoring Report (PMR), as per the latest template. The Project Monitoring Report (PMR)

will need to be submitted to GCC Program so as to enable the GCC Verifier to start

Emission Reduction Verification of the project activity.

36. Project owners shall submit, via online IT-platform of IHS Markit, the project

documentation prior to starting Emission Reduction Verification as per the requirements

of ‘Verification Standard’ requiring submission of:

(a) Project Monitoring Report (PMR) as per the latest template of GCC, for the chosen

monitoring period;

(b) Emission reduction calculation spread sheets, which shall contain actual achieved

emission reductions, its calculations, measured and monitored parameters and the

data, for the chosen monitoring period; and

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(c) Other relevant documents as required.


is assessed by GCC Operations Team to check completeness, consistency of documents


38. A project activity is considered “submitted” when all of the appropriate forms have been

deemed complete and submitted through the GCC website and a unique reference

‘submission number’ (such as ‘MXXX’) is assigned to the chosen monitoring period of the

project activity.


Team may request the project owner for additional information, or revision of the

submission.

40. Upon receiving re-submission, the completeness check and eligibility check is again

performed and only completed submissions are uploaded on GCC webpage of IHS Markit

website, except those documents which are requested to be kept confidential by project

owners.

1.2.2. Emission Reduction Verification

41. A GCC-approved verifier is appointed by project owner.

42. After the Project Monitoring Report (PMR) for the chosen monitoring period is available

on the GCC webpage of IHS Markit website, the GCC verifier shall conduct verification

and review the submitted project documentation, by performing a site visit, raising non-

conformities and inviting the corrective actions from project owners (if applicable).

43. Upon successful closure of non- conformities, the GCC verifier shall verify that the project

has fully complied with the information provided in the project submission document as

required by GCC Rules including Verification Standard.

44. The verifier shall then submit an Emission Reduction Verification Report by completing

Emission Reduction Verification Report Form to GCC.

45. The GCC Verifier’s Verification Report may either recommend the GCC Steering

Committee to ‘issue ACRs’ or ‘not- issue ACRs’ to the project activity, for the chosen

monitoring period.

46. If the GCC Verifier’s Verification Report recommends the GCC Steering Committee to

‘not-issue ACRs’ to the project activity, the request for issuance cannot be submitted.

47. If the project does not meet GCC rules even after raising corrective actions within a period

of 2 years, the verifier shall communicate to GCC accordingly.

1.2.3. Submission of Request for Issuance and Review

48. Project owners shall submit, via online IT-platform of IHS Markit, the project

documentation required for issuance of ACRs to the project activity, for the verified

monitoring period, as per the requirements of ‘Verification Standard’ requiring submission

of:

(a) Verified Project Monitoring Report (PMR) as per the latest template of GCC, for the

verified monitoring period;

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Figure 2: Flow chart for ACR Issuance process

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(b) Emission reduction calculation spread sheets, which shall contain actual achieved

emission reductions, its calculations, measured and monitored parameters and the data,

for the verified monitoring period; and

(c) GCC Verifier’s Emission Reduction Verification Report (ERVR), as per the latest template

of GCC, with recommendation to ‘issue ACRs’ to the project activity, for the verified

monitoring period.


is assessed by GCC Operations Team to check completeness, consistency of documents,


50. A ‘request for issuance’ of a project activity, for the verified monitoring period, is considered

“submitted” when all of the appropriate forms have been deemed complete and submitted

through the IHS Markit website.


Team may request the project owner for additional information, or revision of the submission.

52. Upon receiving submission, the completeness check and eligibility check is again performed

and only completed submissions are uploaded on IHS Markit website, except those


53. After the submission is deemed complete, the GCC Operations team shall conduct detailed

assessment of the project activity within 10 days. In case, the project documentation meets

all requirements of the GCC Program including Project Standard and applicable Baseline &

Monitoring Methodology, GCC Operations Team shall prepare a ‘recommendation’.


matching/coinciding i.e. ‘issue ACRs’ to the project activity, a notification is sent to the

Steering Committee informing them of the ‘Automatic Issuance of ACRs’ to the project activity,

unless more than 50% members of Steering Committee submit objections, within 10 days.

55. In case, the recommendation of the GCC Operations Team and that of the GCC Verifier is

not matching/coinciding i.e. either to ‘issue ACRs’ or ‘not- issue ACRs’ to the project activity

or three members of Steering Committee have submitted objections, within 10 days; the GCC

Operations Team shall place the particular project case for Steering Committee’s

consideration and decision, will be made through electronic means.

56. Once a particular project case has been placed under the consideration of the Steering

Committee, the GCC Operations Team shall appoint Steering Committee member for his

assessment and recommendation. The Steering Committee member shall conduct the

assessment and provide its recommendation, within 10 days, which can be either to ‘issue

ACRs’ or ‘not- issue ACRs’ to the project activity.

57. After considering Steering Committee member’s inputs, GCC Operations Team shall submit

the ‘Summary Note’, containing the short summary of all the three recommendations and a

final recommendation, for Steering Committee’s consideration through electronic means.

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58. Each Steering Committee member shall consider the ‘Summary Note’ and provide their

individual decision to GCC Operations Team within 10 days, taking into account the ‘Decision

Criteria’ (given below). If the Steering Committee member does not provide any response or

communicate its decision within allotted time, it will mean that the member is in agreement

with the recommendation in the ‘Summary Note’.

59. The final decision shall be made based on by consensus or majority vote (more than 50%).

In case of a tie during voting, the recommendation of GCC Operations Team shall be

considered as final.

60. The decision to ‘Register’ or ‘Not Register’ the project shall be made available by the GCC

Operations Team, within, 3 days, on GCC website transparently.

61. The GCC Operations Team shall coordinate with the IHS Markit’s team to inform them of the

decision to ‘Issue ACRs’ to the project activity and reflect this decision on the IHS Markit

Website within 3 days.

62. After this stage, all the subsequent transactions, including transferring or retiring credits, shall

be executed directly on IHS Markit website as per its procedures.

‘Decision Criteria’ for ACR Issuance

S.No. GCC Verifier Report

GCC Operations Team

Recommendation

Steering Committee Member

Recommendation

Steering Committee Decision

Final Decision

1 Issue Issue - - Issue ACRs

2 Issue Do-not-Issue Issue Decision by Steering

Committee

Decision by Steering

Committee

3 Issue Do-not-Issue Do-not-Issue Do-not-Issue Not-Issue ACRs

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2. BASELINE AND MONITORING METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

63. Project owners can either use methodologies developed under the GCC Program or use

baseline and monitoring methodologies (hereinafter referred as “methodologies”) of

international GHG programs namely CAR, CDM, GS or VCS for their projects. GCC Program

methodologies are developed by GCC applying the process described below.

2.1. SCREENING MITIGATION OPPORTUNITIES

64. GCC uses an internal screening process to identify suitable project categories and associated

methodologies. It takes into account a number of aspects when developing a new

methodology or revising existing international methodology to adapt to regional

circumstances. These aspects are as follows:

2.1.1. Applicability of Standardized Methodologies

65. Project categories shall allow the application of standardized concepts and therefore not be

technically too complex or specific. For complex project categories, where standardized

concepts cannot be adopted, either GCC will revise the methodologies of international carbon

standards (CDM, CAR, Gold Standard, or VCS) to simplify them and make them fit for regional

use, or project owners may directly use these methodologies for submission of project

documentation to GCC.

2.1.2. Emission Reduction Potential and Environmental Integrity

66. In general, GCC methodologies will focus on standardized default factors to reduce the

transaction costs for project development. Although, the methodologies will be scale-neutral

(no differentiation between large-scale and small-scale projects), for larger projects higher

level of stringencies shall be applied to safeguard the environmental integrity.

2.1.3. Replicability

67. The GCC program will prioritize project types which are important for the sustainable

development of the region and can be replicated.

2.1.4. Data/ Information Availability

68. Credible and current data/information on default emission factors, penetration rates of

technologies/fuels/feedstocks etc. should be available for GCC to be able to develop

methodologies.

2.2. DEVELOPMENT OF METHODOLOGY

69. The following figure-1 summarizes the methodology development process.

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Figure-3: Flow chart for Methodology development.

70. To initiate the project methodology development process, GCC will conduct research and

develop initial draft and put together a diversified team consisting of internal experts for its

development. GCC’s “Standard for Key Project Requirements and Development of

Methodologies” shall be followed in the methodology development process.

71. Where required, external experts (e.g. sectoral experts) will be involved for specific inputs by

invitation. The internal experts shall lead the process by conducting background research,

collecting all relevant information and preparing the draft methodology.

72. First draft of methodology shall be prepared, with or without consultation of external expert,

within 2 months of decision to develop a methodology.

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73. The Methodology is made available on GCC website for public inputs for 15 days. GCC team

revises the methodology taking into account the public inputs at the end of public consultation

period.

2.3. STEERING COMMITTEE APPROVAL

74. GCC shall forward the “draft methodology” to an appointed member of Steering Committee.

75. Steering Committee member shall provide his/her comments within 10 days which are taken

into account by GCC in developing the final draft of methodology that shall be forwarded for

Steering Committee’s consideration and approval within 20 days of receiving Steering

Committee member comments.

76. The Steering Committee shall discuss the “final draft methodology” either electronically or in

a physical meeting and will provide its approval, subject to amendments/changes, if any.

77. GCC shall revise the methodology based on amendment suggested by steering committee

and publish it on the GCC program website, with appropriate version numbering (e.g. Version

1.0). It is immediately available for use.

2.4. METHODOLOGY REVISION

78. As shown in figure 3, depending upon the project requirements, GCC team revises, simplifies,

streamlines, expands or corrects the provisions of methodology. The revised version is

prepared and uploaded on GCC website in maximum 2 months’ time following due

procedure, depending upon the nature of revision, as given below.

2.4.1. Policy Revisions

79. Policy revisions are significant revisions that affect project definitions or eligibility, or that

involve changes/ adjustments to baseline estimations, quantification of emission

reductions/removals, monitoring requirements, or contents of positive lists. Depending on the

extent of the revision, GCC may involve external expert/s. All policy revisions require approval

from the Steering Committee. When adopted, a policy revision creates a new version of the

methodology.

2.4.2. Program Revisions

80. Program revisions are editorial in nature and do not require approval from the Steering

Committee. Program revisions create a new sub-version of the methodology. For policy and

technical revision, the version number is incremented by 1, e.g. from 1.0 to 2.0. For editorial

revision, the version number is incremented by 0.1, e.g. from 1.0 to 1.1.

2.4.3. Grace Period

81. A project using previous version of methodology can be submitted by project owner to GCC

within 30 days from the date on which a revised methodology is adopted. After this date the

use of latest version of methodology shall be compulsory to make the project submission.

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DOCUMENT HISTORY

Version Date Comment

V 2.0 25/06/2019 ▪ Revised version released for approval by GCC Steering Committee.

▪ This version contains details and information to be provided, consequent to latest developments world-wide (e.g., CORSIA EUC).

v1.0 01/11/2016 ▪ Initial version released for approval by GCC Steering Committee under GCC Program Version 1

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