Validators and verifiers
Validators and verifiers approved by the FOEN independently assess offsetting projects as specified in the CO2 Act and the associated CO2 Ordinance.
This page provides information required by validators and verifiers (VVs) of offsetting projects in Switzerland and abroad.
1. What is the VV’s role?
Emission reduction projects must be assessed by an FOEN-approved VV. The costs are borne by the project applicant. A VV validates the project description and verifies the project monitoring report – for a given project/programme, there must be a different VV in each case. VVs must be independent. The Compensation Office reviews the verified monitoring report based on the validated project description and decides whether to issue attestations.
The VV is responsible for submitting the application and monitoring documents by email to:
- kop-ch@bafu.admin.ch for projects in Switzerland
- carbonoffset@bafu.admin.ch for project abroad
The following documents must be submitted:
- project description / monitoring report
- validation / verification report and
- where applicable, redacted versions of project description/monitoring report and validation/verification report, as well as of Excel spreadsheet for calculating emission reductions for publication on the FOEN website and, where applicable, other documents (supporting documents, etc.).
If the documents are too large to be sent by email, they can be sent via secure file transfer (link provided on request by the compensation office). For security reasons, alternative transfer systems cannot be accepted.
The VV informs the applicant that they also need to send a signed original of the project description or monitoring report by post to the Compensation Office (at the address: Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, Compensation Office, Climate Division, 3003 Bern, Switzerland) for the application to be complete. The postmark date is taken as the submission date.
2. As the VV, how do I prepare to validate a project/verify a monitoring report?
The enforcement aid entitled ‘Offsetting CO2 emissions: validation and verification’ describes the practices of the Compensation Office. It provides guidelines on best practices for validators and verifiers, defines the approbation and (re-)approbation requirements and describes the feedback process of the Compensation Office to the OVV for quality improvement of their activities and the withdrawal procedure of OVV’s approval.
The enforcement aid entitled ‘Offsetting CO2 emissions: projects and programmes’ relating to the CO2 Ordinance provides guidelines on developing offsetting projects that meet the Swiss legal requirements.
3. What templates are available to me as the VV?
4. What legislation applies and what else do I need to consider?
Applicable legislation:
Fedlex: CO2 Ordinance (esp. Articles 6 and 7) (available in German, French or Italian)
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Further information:
The processes of the Compensation Office for projects abroad, from the submission of applications to the issuing of international attestations, as well as various requirements for specific measures abroad are described in more detail in the following document.
VV reports – Compensation Office evaluation (only available in german):
5. How can I be approved as a VV?
To be approved as a VV or to register new staff, contact the FOEN.
Complete one of the following forms as appropriate:
Approval is granted for a given project. The requirements to be met by the VVs are explained in the registration form. Once approval has been granted, the VV is given a brief introduction to the main requirements and available aids.
6. Which validators and verifiers are approved?
Projects in Switzerland:
Projects abroad:
7. Where do I find the latest information on conducting an offsetting project?
The ‘Offsetting CO2 emissions’ newsletter informs project applicants, VVs, entities subject to the offsetting obligation and other stakeholders about important developments, decisions, innovations and publications regarding carbon emissions offsetting in Switzerland and abroad.
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Partner countries
In order to achieve part of its climate target, Switzerland can implement offsetting projects abroad. To this end, Switzerland has concluded bilateral agreements with a number of partner countries in accordance with Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. The Compensation Office, which is run jointly by the Federal Office for the Environment and the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, is responsible for implementing these agreements.
Applicants
Below you will find an overview of the legal requirements and conditions for submitting applications to the Compensation Office for offsetting projects in Switzerland and abroad.