Appendix A: Biodiversity methodologies comparison table
The WWF has identified 867 terrestrial ecoregions on earth’s land alone. Although the exact number of total existing species is still unknown, currently 1.7 million species have been identified (Convention on biological biodiversity, n.d.; Mora et al., 2011; W W F, n.d.). As markets emerge to protect them, there will likely be several biodiversity standards needed to properly value proper possession of this planetary abundance. Table 7 shows emerging standards, including standards from other certifying bodies in the context of the ISBD at the time it was originally written (July 2023).
More comprehensive reports have emerged in the interim, including this comparison table by Simon Gradeckas at Bloom Labs, and more will likely certainly be added.
To our knowledge, we remain the sole IP and LC crediting methodology globally but we are hopeful this will change as more developers see the need for, and benefits of, IP and LC inclusion in both science and biodiversity projects.
Table 7. Emerging standards (certifying bodies in the context of the ISBD).
Scope
Boreal forests
Global
Global
Global
Global
Global
Crediting factors
Inventories (species richness, population size, remote sensing)
Habitat
1% Δ metrics (5+ inc. targets, habitat, and ecosystem)
Unavailable
Umbrella species
Indicator species
Activities
Conservation, restoration and improved forest management
Conservation, Restoration, Management
Conservation, Restoration, Management
Unavailable
Conservation
Conservation
Certified
No
No
In pipeline
In pipeline
No
In pipeline
Unit
Land (ha)
Land (10m2)
Land (ha)
Unavailable
Land (ha)
Land (ha)
Incorporates traditional knowledge
No
No
No
Unavailable
No
Yes
Land tenure
Unavailable
Ownership
Ownership, Stewardship
Unavailable
Ownership, Stewardship
Ownership, Stewardship
Crediting period/ issued
20 yrs, ha/yrs
20 yrs/Milestones
10-50 yrs/XXX
Unavailable
Every 5 yrs/unlimited renewal
2 months/Annually
Ecosystem classification
Unavailable
IUCN
Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World (TEOW) classification
Unavailable
IUCN
IUCN, CI biodiversity hotspots, UN-FAO LCCS, Holdridge
Issues
BC
VBC
VBC
Unavailable
XXX
VBC
Last updated
