Today, UPM’s Sichuan Rural Poor-Household Biogas Development Programme (CDM PoA 2898, GS 1239) successfully obtained its ninth issuance of Gold Standard VERs covering the year 2020. After deduction of the share of proceeds to support CDM and Gold Standard operations and contribute to climate change adaptation activities, slightly more than 723,000 premium-quality GS VERs are available for sale to help clients around the globe achieve their climate action and CSR objectives.

Due to the expiry of the Kyoto Protocol and the uncertain future of the CDM after 2020, UPM has decided to have all PoA carbon credits as from (and including) vintage 2020 going forward issued solely under the Gold Standard, as GS VERs. However, the waiver of CDM certification only applies to the PoA’s vintage 2020+ issuances, the PoA itself has not been withdrawn from the CDM. It remains registered both under the CDM and the Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG) and there is no change whatsoever in the approach or quality of this project.

In contrast to the previous year, vintage 2020 GHG emission reductions achieved by this PoA increased again. There are two main reasons for this upward trend: Firstly, the swine flu epidemic situation in China improved considerably and secondly, due to COVID-19, many people living in densely populated urban centers returned to their families in the countryside. Consequently, more pigs had to be raised to feed them.

The Sichuan Household Biogas PoA remains one of the leading household biogas programmes globally for its positive climate impact of more than 7.5 million tCO2e since its inception and its large contribution to meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The issuance of vintage 2021 GS VERs from this most reputable climate action programme is expected for the second quarter of 2023.

Your contacts at UPM for the Sichuan Household Biogas PoA and its GS CERs or GS VERs are:

Martin Dilger, Managing Director, UPM Germany
mdilger(at)upm-cdm.eu, T: +49 89 1222197 – 50

and

Gaiai Guo, Vice General Manager, UPM China
guog(at)upm-cdm.eu, T: +86 10 6468 0500