Measurement, Reporting & Verification (MRV) systems bring transparency and consistency in measurements, although they can also bring a relevant financial burden.
Researchers Lisa Vanderheyden, Nathan Gayot, and Goedele Van den Broeck have investigated how costs can be reduced through a hypothetical carbon farming scheme, comparing three different MRV cost models.
The main insight? MRV cost estimation is not just a technical detail.
The carbon farming industry requires tailored systems that can meet the needs and requirements set by certification standards. For instance, MRV costs are higher at a farm scale, as they may not be financially viable without support by small or single farm projects.
Although this research has brought evidence that there are pathways to improve this situation:
- Leverage existing infrastructure (long-term experimental site, existing databases)
- Digitalise and automate data collection
- Optimise sampling strategies
Proposing innovative solutions in the field of MRV, the paper was published in the Journal of Environmental Management within the context of the MRV4SOC project.
Read the full paper here!