akar.earthVM0048 vs VM0007
VM0048 vs VM0007 for REDD+ in Indonesia: baseline-setting, jurisdictional allocation, transition rules, peat coverage and what it means for existing projects.
Use VM0048 for any new Verra REDD+ project: it is Verra’s consolidated REDD+ methodology and sets baselines through jurisdiction-level allocation instead of project-chosen reference regions. VM0007, the older modular REDD+ Methodology Framework, matters mainly to existing Indonesian projects that registered under it and must plan their transition. If you are buying or financing Indonesian REDD+ credits, the methodology on the credit tells you a great deal about baseline risk.
Side-by-side comparison
| Attribute | VM0048 | VM0007 (REDD+ MF) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Current Verra REDD+ methodology | Legacy for REDD activities; transition rules apply |
| Structure | Core methodology plus activity modules | Modular framework (baseline, leakage, pools, activity modules) |
| Baseline-setting | Verra-allocated jurisdictional activity data and risk maps | Project-defined reference region and historical rates |
| Who sets the baseline | Verra, using a standard procedure | The project proponent, checked by a VVB |
| Baseline updates | Regular reassessment from jurisdictional data | Periodic reassessment, project-specific |
| Consistency with jurisdictions | Designed to align with JNR and national accounting | Often inconsistent with national reference levels |
| Activity coverage | Starts from unplanned deforestation; more modules over time | Planned and unplanned deforestation, degradation, peat and wetland modules |
| Overcrediting risk | Reduced by external, standardised baselines | Criticised for inflated baselines in some projects |
| ICVCM | Check current CCP status on ICVCM tables | Not the target of new CCP-labelled issuance |
| Indonesia relevance | All new Verra REDD+ in Kalimantan, Sumatra, Papua | Many existing Indonesian REDD+ and peat projects |
Key differences
Who controls the baseline. Under VM0007, a project picked a reference region, modelled historical deforestation and projected it forward. Independent studies and media coverage argued that some projects overestimated the threat and earned too many credits. VM0048 removes most of that discretion: Verra produces jurisdiction-level deforestation activity data and a risk map, and allocates a share of expected deforestation to each project based on risk. Read VM0048 jurisdictional allocation and the REDD+ baseline controversy guide.
Alignment with jurisdictions. Because VM0048 starts from jurisdictional data, it is easier to nest within provincial or national accounting. That matters in Indonesia, where the national FOLU Net Sink 2030 target and domestic registry rules shape what projects can claim. See nesting projects in jurisdictions.
Activity and pool coverage. VM0007 was built as a flexible toolbox, which is why many Indonesian peat projects used it. VM0048 began with avoided unplanned deforestation and adds modules over time. If your project’s main emissions source is peat oxidation or fire after drainage, confirm current module coverage carefully; see peatland REDD+.
Transparency. VM0048 baselines come from a published, repeatable procedure, which makes ratings and buyer due diligence easier.
When each fits in Indonesia and Southeast Asia
Indonesia contributed 59.3% of Southeast Asian NbS issuance under VCS and Gold Standard to April 2025, mostly REDD+, so this transition affects a large share of the region’s supply.
- New REDD+ in a concession, PBPH restoration licence or social forestry area: VM0048, with early checks on the jurisdictional data for your province.
- Existing VM0007 projects: map your baseline reassessment and crediting-period dates now. Model credit volumes under VM0048 allocation before you sign new offtakes. Volumes may fall.
- Buyers holding VM0007 vintages: check ratings and baseline reassessment history. BeZero has rated 11 ex-post Indonesian projects with an average of ‘A’, and prices rise about 40% per rating band, so baseline quality is visible in price.
Domestic rules apply to both: Perpres 110/2025, Permenhut 6/2026 and SRUK recording for exchange trading.
Cost and effort considerations
We do not quote fees. Effort shifts in these ways:
- VM0048 reduces the cost of building your own historical deforestation model, but adds work to understand, check and sometimes challenge the allocated baseline and risk map.
- Transition from VM0007 means a new baseline, possibly new monitoring design, and VVB validation. Budget for re-modelling and legal review of existing offtake contracts.
- Monitoring under both requires forest-change detection, often with optical and radar imagery due to cloud cover. See deforestation alerts.
Our due diligence service reviews REDD+ baselines for buyers and investors.
Common misconceptions
- “VM0048 bans peat projects.” It changes how baselines are set; coverage of specific activities depends on modules. Check, do not assume.
- “VM0007 credits are all low quality.” Quality varies by project. Ratings and baseline evidence matter more than the methodology label alone.
- “Transition is automatic.” Projects must re-validate under the new rules at the defined trigger points.
- “VM0048 makes REDD+ jurisdictional.” It is still project-level crediting with jurisdictional baselines. Full jurisdictional crediting runs through JNR or ART TREES; see ART TREES vs Verra JNR.
More in the REDD+ hub.
Frequently asked questions
Is VM0007 still usable for new REDD+ projects?
Verra has moved new REDD+ projects to VM0048 and set transition rules for the older REDD+ methodologies, including the REDD components of VM0007. Check the current status and grace periods on the Verra methodology pages before starting.
What is the biggest change in VM0048?
Baseline deforestation is no longer set by each project from its own reference region. Verra allocates jurisdiction-level activity data and risk maps, and projects receive a share of that baseline.
Do existing VM0007 projects have to move to VM0048?
Generally at their next baseline reassessment or crediting-period renewal, under the transition rules Verra publishes. Each project should check its own dates against the current VCS rules.
Does VM0048 cover peatland emissions?
Coverage depends on the modules available in the current version. Peat-heavy Indonesian projects should confirm which modules and pools apply before assuming a like-for-like transition.