Case Study
Accreditation of Validation and Verification Supporting Net-zero Policies
Summary
To support the net-zero emissions trend in the global economies, Taiwan Accreditation Foundation (TAF) is committed to providing accreditation services for validation and verification bodies (VVBs), and is dedicated to its development.
This case study illustrates the development of accreditation services for VVBs in Chinese Taipei, in line with the implementation of international and domestic policy goals of net-zero transformation and sustainability.
Background
In response to environmental concerns caused by global warming and climate change, the Government has announced the “2050 Net-Zero Emissions” policy, as is the common policy trend of governments around the world. The Ministry of Environment also promulgated the “Climate Change Response Act” in 2023 and officially converted the “2050 Net-Zero Emissions” policy into law to achieve the “Net-zero emissions” goal in the legalization of climate governance.
To support international and domestic policies, TAF actively establishes relevant accreditation services for VVBs to ensure that the results of validation and verification are trustworthy, and to promote international and domestic policies.
Strategy
The scope of TAF’s accreditation activities includes accrediting VVBs that provide greenhouse gas-related services, which is applicable to the Climate Change Response Act. This accreditation service adopts international standards such as ISO/IEC 17029, ISO 14065, and ISO 14064-3. Meanwhile, TAF cooperates with the Ministry of Environment to adopt the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (including validation/verification methods and reduction methodologies, etc.) and continues to promote the global validation/verification method.
In addition, in response to the revisions of the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and Environmental Technical Manual (ETM) of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (ICAO CORSIA) in 2023, TAF cooperated with the Civil Aviation Administration to provide transition assessment to the accredited verification bodies, and confirmed that the competency of verification bodies complies with the rules of ICAO.
Furthermore, in order to broaden accreditation services in global greenhouse gas reduction and removal activities, in 2023 TAF signed an MoU with Verra. Verra owns the Verified Carbon Standard Program, an international voluntary carbon reduction/offset program. In accordance with the memorandum, TAF has been actively building accreditation service capabilities, which will assist domestic enterprises in the future to contribute their reduction and/or removal results – carbon rights – to local and global markets.
Results and impact
In accordance with the “Climate Change Response Act”, the Ministry of Environment has required over five hundred companies to conduct and register their emission sources. TAF provides accreditation services for VVBs to help Chinese Taipei’s economy to implement the Act. TAF’s accreditation activities have strengthened the technical project requirements for VVBs and personnel, to ensure the robust quality of statements issued by VVBs. Furthermore, TAF has worked diligently towards meeting domestic validation and verification needs. The number of accredited bodies has increased from seven in 2022 to the current seventeen by January 2024..
Contact:
Organization: Taiwan Accreditation Foundation (TAF)
E-mail: taf@taftw.org.tw
