Integrity Council outlines path forward for CCP eligibility of ART TREES HFLD credits

•  ICVCM decision: ART TREES v2.0’s HFLD and Removals crediting levels are not yet CCP-approved and must complete remedial actions before qualifying.
• Market signal: TREES HFLD credits remain eligible under Phase 2 of CORSIA, and EDF encourages companies to continue viewing them as a credible option to meet climate goals.
• Why it matters: 58.4 million HFLD credits have already been issued under TREES v2.0, helping channel forest finance to Indigenous Peoples and local communities keeping intact tropical forests standing. 

MAY 12, 2026  –  The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) has issued a decision on the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions’ (ART) TREES High Forest, Low Deforestation (HFLD) approach under its Core Carbon Principles (CCP) label. Under this decision, the TREES v2.0 HFLD crediting level is not yet CCP-approved and must complete remedial actions before credits issued under a revised version can become eligible for the CCP label. 

“EDF remains confident in the quality of ART’s TREES HFLD credits today. Continuous improvement is best practice in any industry, and ICVCM’s decision now gives ART a clear process to follow as it works toward CCP eligibility. We encourage all parties to move expeditiously towards approval,” said Mark Moroge, Vice President, Forests, Environmental Defense Fund. “Companies, including airlines participating in CORSIA, should continue to view HFLD credits as a viable way to address emissions while supporting intact forests and the communities who depend on them.” 

“From the perspective of Indigenous Peoples, it is urgent to consider the approval of the proposed HFLD approach, because this would help ensure respect for our rights over our territories and forest resources.” — Onel Masardule, Guna People, Foundation for the Promotion of Indigenous Knowledge

“We are deeply concerned that the ICVCM’s decision regarding the HFLD methodology continues to delay its approval. We hope that this remedial action process will finally provide a definitive pathway forward, rather than becoming another stage of unnecessary technical barriers that fail to recognize the realities of Indigenous Peoples and local communities' territories, which for generations have kept forests standing.” — Fermin Chimatani Tayori, President, National Association of Executors of the Communal Reserves Administration Contract (ANECAP) 

 Background: 
High Forest, Low Deforestation regions are some of the most carbon-rich and biodiverse areas on Earth, but they are facing growing pressure from deforestation and degradation: from 2002 to 2020, 60 of 310 HFLD jurisdictions underwent periods of high deforestation, and 59 lost HFLD status overall.  

HFLD crediting has emerged as an important tool for these regions. For many Indigenous Peoples and local communities in HFLD areas, forest finance can help support continued stewardship of forests that are central not only to climate stability, but also to livelihoods and cultural identity. 

The ART TREES conservative, jurisdictional crediting approach – applied at the national or subnational level – is designed to reward governments and communities that have kept forest loss low while ensuring that credits reflect real, additional climate benefits. 

To date, over 40 million tons of TREES HFLD credits issued by Guyana alone have attracted interest from buyers in both voluntary and compliance markets, including credits already approved for use under Phase 2 of ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) through 2030.