Objectives of the Product

The primary aim of the service is to expedite and simplify the project approval process for developers seeking certification. By incorporating forest carbon modelling and leveraging Earth observation (EO) data, the service seeks to accelerate project operationalisation, reducing the time required for approval. This integration of advanced technologies not only enhances efficiency but also brings transparency to carbon markets and attracts project financiers. The ForestHQ platform serves as the vehicle for delivering this service, offering additional features such as Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) tools and forest change monitoring. The overarching goal is to provide a comprehensive solution that not only streamlines project approval but also contributes to the broader goals of sustainable forest management and carbon emissions reduction, ultimately fostering a more accessible and transparent carbon market. Through these innovations, the service aims to catalyse positive environmental impact and support the broader ecosystem of stakeholders involved in forest carbon projects.

Customers and their Needs

The users are in greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation projects for AFOLU, specifically forestry carbon projects for the voluntary carbon market. This includes project financiers, project developers, landowners including communities, land managers, auditing bodies, certifying agencies, NGOs and policymakers. These projects are located globally, with particular emphasis in South America and Africa, with large-scale deforestation and degraded land. The registration of forestry carbon projects is complicated, with specific criteria thereby causing a long delay in getting them vetted and available to the carbon markets. Projects with low levels of data and trust result in lower market prices for the credits. Small landowners and communities find the process daunting and have a desire to be more involved and understand the methodologies with the help of technology.

The main SATFORCERT user needs are:

• Calculate carbon stocks from EO and ground truth data
• Carbon stock calculations compatible with carbon standards
• Spatial information:
  • Up-to-date Sentinel-2 images and historical images
  • Forest Canopy change detection
  • Ability to utilise very high-resolution EO data (<0.6m)
• Compatibility with carbon registry methodologies
• Easy-to-understand calculations with mapping analytics
• Mobile application for field data collection
• Secure sharing of data between different stakeholders

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Targeted customer/users’ countries

Worldwide

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Product description

The product is a comprehensive technology platform designed to simplify and enhance the carbon calculation process for users engaged in forest projects. Offering a user-friendly interface, the platform facilitates precise carbon quantity calculations, complemented by detailed reporting through maps, tables, and documentation. Integration of field plot data and project boundaries is seamless, incorporating a quality control process to ensure accurate carbon stock estimations. Emphasising the importance of productive forest areas for carbon capture, the solution employs mapping techniques to exclude non-productive zones from calculations. The platform supports the integration of diverse satellite EO data, varying in resolution and enabling users to map and monitor forest regions effectively. Robust capabilities for EO data management and storage are integral to the platform’s functionality. Recognising the need for specific documentation required by registries like Verra and Gold Standard, the platform digitises templates and forms, offering a standardised service for information input. Ultimately, the product aims to empower users with a comprehensive, digitised ecosystem that optimises forest project management, carbon calculations, and compliance with industry standards.

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Added Value

Various space assets, including a diverse set of EO datasets, play a crucial role in our solution. Low-resolution Sentinel-2 imagery proves valuable for monitoring and change detection across vast areas and at the forest stand level. On the other hand, higher-resolution imagery like Pleiades enhances precision in GHG calculations and enables detailed single-tree monitoring. The choice between high and low resolution involves a tradeoff between data cost and the accuracy of carbon calculation estimations. Opting for higher-resolution data not only ensures more precise GHG estimations but also increases the value of traded credits, effectively offsetting the EO data cost. An innovative aspect of our solution lies in empowering users to assess different methodologies and choose a solution based on either cost-effectiveness or value maximisation. This flexibility allows users to tailor their approach to specific project requirements, emphasising a balanced consideration of cost and value in the decision-making process.

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Current Status

The SATFORCERT activity successfully concluded in April 2024. This innovative solution integrates advanced digital tools for forest management, carbon quantification, and certification processes.

By utilising technologies such as GIS, remote sensing acquisition and analysis, and mobile data collection, the platform streamlines workflows and enhances data accuracy. These developments have been seamlessly integrated into the existing ForestHQ system, streamlining and enhancing forest data management for forest certification and carbon monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV).

Throughout its validation phase, the various features developed received an average approval rating of 77.4, surpassing the benchmark of 70. This indicates strong stakeholder satisfaction, particularly highlighted by the high scores in mapping, satellite image acquisition, and data analysis capabilities. These achievements mark significant progress in the initiative’s goal to enhance the transparency, efficiency, and sustainability of forest management and carbon certification processes.