akar.earthNesting: Definition
What is nesting in REDD+? How project-level carbon accounting is aligned with jurisdictional reference levels to avoid double counting, with Indonesian context.
Nesting is the process of aligning a project-level REDD+ (or other land-use) activity with the accounting of the jurisdiction it sits in, so that project baselines, monitoring and credits are consistent with the jurisdiction’s reference level and no emission reduction is counted twice.
Why it matters
As countries and provinces adopt jurisdictional REDD+ and report forest emissions against their NDCs, standalone projects with their own baselines can conflict with national figures. Nesting gives projects a defined place in the national system, reduces the risk of over-crediting and gives buyers confidence that the project’s claim is recognised by the host government.
How nesting works
- Baseline allocation: the jurisdiction’s reference level is divided among areas, often by deforestation risk. Verra’s VM0048 uses jurisdictional allocation of activity data to set project baselines.
- Consistent monitoring: projects use data and methods compatible with the jurisdiction’s.
- Crediting rules: agreements set whether projects or the jurisdiction receive credits for which reductions, and how buffers and leakage are shared.
- Registry links: units must be tracked so issuance in one system is reflected in the other.
Verra’s JNR framework sets out nesting scenarios. Our guide to nesting projects in jurisdictions covers practical steps.
Indonesia angle
Indonesia has project-level REDD+ projects, national reference levels and provincial results-based programmes. Perpres 110/2025, Permenhut 6/2026 and the SRUK registry now define how forestry carbon units are recorded and traded nationally, which in practice shapes how projects nest. Projects should check how their baseline aligns with the national forest reference level and whether domestic authorisation is needed.
Common mistakes
- Keeping an old project baseline after the jurisdiction sets a lower reference level.
- Not agreeing benefit sharing between project and government in writing.
- Assuming nesting is automatic once a methodology is updated.
Related terms
See jurisdictional REDD+, REDD+ and leakage, or start at the REDD+ hub.
Frequently asked questions
Why do REDD+ projects need to be nested?
If a project and its jurisdiction both claim the same reduction, it is double counted. Nesting aligns their baselines and allocates credits so each tonne is claimed once.
Does nesting reduce a project's credits?
Often, yes. Allocating a share of the jurisdictional baseline usually gives a project a lower baseline than its own historical model would, but credits become more credible.