Project definition
Boundaries, activities, baseline scenario and the methodology being considered.
SustainAI · Carbon credit readiness
Carbon credit readiness, explained step by step
Before a project can produce credible carbon credits, it has to be measured, assessed, prepared and independently verified. Here is how that journey works, and where SustainAI helps.
The assessment journey
Measure, Reduce, Assess, Prepare, Validate, Connect
Select each stage to see what happens, what it produces, who is responsible and what it does not mean.
- You, with SustainAI support
- Independent third party
- Registries and market participants
Stage 1 of 6
Measure: What are our emissions today?
What happens
- Collect activity data such as fuel, electricity and process inputs
- Calculate emissions by scope using recognised methods
- Document assumptions and data gaps
Outcome
An emissions baseline you can report on and plan against.
Who is responsible
Your organisation supplies data. SustainAI performs the assessment.
What this stage does not mean
A baseline is a measurement. It does not create carbon credits on its own.
Getting the terms right
Five things that are often confused
Reducing emissions, qualifying for credits, being verified, having credits issued and selling them are separate steps, carried out or decided by different parties.
| Term | What it means | Who does or decides it | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emissions reduction | A measured decrease in emissions compared with a baseline. | Your organisation, through changes to operations or projects. | Has value for cost, reporting and compliance, even without credits. |
| Carbon credit eligibility | Whether a reduction or removal could qualify under a specific standard and methodology, including tests such as additionality. | Determined under the rules of the chosen standard. | Many genuine reductions are not eligible for credits. |
| Independent validation and verification | Validation checks the project design. Verification checks the results achieved during monitoring. | An accredited third-party validation and verification body. | SustainAI can help you prepare, but does not perform this step. |
| Registry issuance | The creation of serialised credits in a registry after successful verification. | The registry operated for the chosen standard. | Only issued credits can be transferred or retired. |
| Commercial sale | A transaction in which issued credits are sold to a buyer. | The credit owner and a buyer, directly or through intermediaries. | Prices depend on the market, credit type and buyer requirements. Nothing guarantees a sale. |
Readiness assessment
What a readiness assessment looks at
We assess each area, record the gaps and agree a practical plan to close them before a project goes to independent validation.
Rights and ownership
Who holds the rights to the emission reductions, and whether agreements reflect this.
Data and monitoring
Availability, quality and continuity of the data needed to measure results.
Evidence and records
Whether evidence is stored, traceable and ready for independent review.
Stakeholders and safeguards
Community and stakeholder engagement, and environmental and social safeguards.
Host-country requirements
National rules and authorisations that may apply to the project.
Clear boundaries
What SustainAI does not promise
Carbon markets depend on independent checks and market demand that no adviser controls. We are explicit about this from the first conversation.
- We do not guarantee that carbon credits will be issued.
- We do not guarantee credit volumes, prices, buyers or revenue.
- We do not validate, verify or certify projects, and we are not a registry.
- We do not guarantee regulatory approval or host-country authorisation.
- Volume and value estimates are indicative ranges based on stated assumptions.
Find out where your project stands
Tell us about your project and we will explain whether an eligibility and feasibility assessment, or a readiness assessment, is the right next step.