Methodology
The Satoyama Mace Initiative methodology is an integrated biodiversity-based carbon sequestration framework designed to quantify and verify greenhouse gas emission reductions and removals generated through the sustainable management of Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS). Developed in accordance with Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) methodologies and Climate Action Reserve (CAR) protocols, the methodology employs robust monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) principles to ensure transparency, accuracy, and environmental integrity.
The methodology is fully aligned with the Satoyama Initiative and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), embedding biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and equitable benefit-sharing into climate mitigation actions. Adopting a landscape-level accounting approach enables the aggregation of diverse nature-based activities within defined geographic boundaries. Designed for application in developing countries, including Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, the methodology facilitates access to carbon finance while delivering measurable benefits for climate, biodiversity, and socio-economic outcomes.
-
Methodology Title: Avoidance of Methane Emissions from the decay of organic waste through resource processing
Developer:
Chiu-Chung Young, National Chung Hsing University
Methodology references
AMS-III.F: Avoidance of methane emissions through composting – Version 12.0
(Web link: CDM: Avoidance of methane emissions through composting --- Version 12.0)
VM0042: Improved agricultural land management V2.1
(Web link: https://verra.org/methodologies/vm0042-improved-agricultural-land-management-v2-1)
Soil organic carbon framework methodology
(Web link: https://globalgoals.goldstandard.org/402-luf-agr-fm-soil-organic-carbon-framework-methodolgy/)
Location(s)/Country or Region: Worldwide
Ecosystem(s): Agricultural
Description of human-nature interactions in the area:
Farmers apply processed organic matter to cultivated fields to enhance soil fertility, soil organic carbon and avoid methane emissions from unmanaged organic waste.
Approved Date: 2026/01/05 Download
(Edited by Prof. Wei-Sheng Chen (National Cheng Kung University) & Mr. Andre Mader (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan).)
-
Methodology Title: Biodiversity Methodologies for Biochar Utilization in Soil and Non-Soil Applications
Developer:
Shu-Mei Wang, National Taiwan University
Funder: National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan
Methodology references
CDM methodology AMS-III.L: Avoidance of methane production from biomass decay through controlled pyrolysis, v2.0
CDM methodology Small-Scale Methodology AMS-III.E: Avoidance of methane production from decay of biomass through controlled combustion, gasification or mechanical/thermal treatment, v17.0
CDM methodology AMS-III.BG: Emission reduction through sustainable charcoal production and consumption, v3.0
CDM Executive Board report EB23 Annex 18: Definition of Renewable Biomass
Location(s)/Country or Region: globally across all agricultural regions
Ecosystem(s): Agricultural and Urban / Peri-Urban
Description of human-nature interactions in the area:
Farmers can use nearby residues to produce biochar without changing traditional practices, applying it to fields to boost yields, reduce waste, enhance soil health, and link farming with carbon sinks and biodiversity for a sustainable cycle.
Approved Date: 2026/01/05 Download
(Edited by Prof. Wei-Sheng Chen (National Cheng Kung University) & Mr. Andre Mader (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan).)
-
Methodology Title: Methodology for Carbon Capture and Sequestration by Crops in Agricultural Facilities
Developer:
Amit Kumar Sharma and Yen-Hsun Su, National Cheng Kung University
Funder: National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan
Methodology references
VM0049 Carbon Capture and Storage – Version 1.0
VMD0056 CO2 Capture from Air (Direct Air Capture) – Version 1.0
VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management – Version 2.1
VM0036 Methodology for Rewetting Drained Temperate Peatlands – Version 1.0
VMD0022 Estimation of Carbon Stocks in Living Plant Biomass
Determination of Total, Organic, Inorganic Carbon and Total Nitrogen in Biological Cultures and Liquid Fraction Process Samples
VMD0053 Model Calibration, Validation and Uncertainty Guidance for Biogeochemical Modeling for Agricultural Land Management Projects – Version 2.1
Location(s)/Country or Region: Any greenhouse area in Asia pacific
Ecosystem(s): Agricultural and Urban/Peri-urban
Description of human-nature interactions in the area:
This methodology is applied to quantify and verify carbon capture and sequestration achieved through crop cultivation within agricultural facilities, including controlled-environment agriculture, open-field systems, and integrated farming infrastructures. It enables the measurement of greenhouse gas (GHG) removals resulting from enhanced biomass production, improved soil organic carbon, and optimized crop management practices. The methodology supports applications such as climate-smart agriculture, regenerative farming systems, and bio-based production chains, while ensuring consistency with internationally recognized carbon accounting principles. By providing standardized procedures for baseline determination, monitoring, and verification, the methodology facilitates the generation of high-integrity carbon credits, supporting compliance and participation in the voluntary carbon market. It is applicable to projects seeking to improve resource efficiency, reduce agricultural emissions, and enhance ecosystem services. Additionally, the methodology serves as a decision-support tool for policymakers, agribusinesses, and land managers to integrate carbon sequestration into their agricultural planning, investment strategies, and sustainability reporting, thereby contributing to long-term climate mitigation and the development of sustainable food systems.
Approved Date: 2026/01/05 Download
(Edited by Prof. Wei-Sheng Chen (National Cheng Kung University) & Mr. Andre Mader (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan).)
-
Methodology Title: Methodology for Crop Rotation in Integrated Agricultural Land-use Systems
Developer:
Amit Kumar Sharma and Chen-Piao Yen, National Cheng Kung University and Tainan New Agricultural Biotechnology Production Cooperative
Methodology references
VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management – Version 2.1
VM0051 Improved Agricultural Land Management in Rice Production Systems – Version 1.0
VM0036 Methodology for Rewetting Drained Temperate Peatlands – Version 1.0
VMD0056 CO2 Capture from Air (Direct Air Capture) – Version 1.0
VM0049 Carbon Capture and Storage – Version 1.0
Geologic Carbon Storage (GCS) Non-Permanence Risk Tool
VMD0022 Estimation of Carbon Stocks in Living Plant Biomass
CDM TOOL09 Determining the baseline efficiency of thermal or electric energy generation systems
CDM TOOL10 Tool to determine the remaining lifetime of equipment
CDM Tool for Testing Significance of GHG Emissions in A/R CDM Project Activities
CDM TOOL16 Project and Leakage Emissions from Biomass
Location(s)/Country or Region: Worldwide
Ecosystem(s): Agricultural and Urban/Peri-Urban
Description of human-nature interactions in the area: The region encompasses a mosaic of landscapes, including secondary forest lands that foster ecological regeneration and biodiversity, ponds and ditches for water management, and extensive pastures and grasslands to promote ecological stability. With a mix of traditional and modern farming practices, the region focuses on water management and crop diversification. Approximately 71,000 ha of land are used for crop rotation, which includes paddy rice, corn, peanuts, vegetable soybeans, black soybeans, mungbeans, sweet potatoes, sesame, citrus, mangoes, longans, cucurbits, melons, vegetables, cut and pot flowers, and specialized crops.
Approved Date: 2026/01/05 Download
(Edited by Prof. Wei-Sheng Chen (National Cheng Kung University) & Mr. Andre Mader (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan).)
-
Methodology Title: Methodology for Wetland and Seagrass Restoration
Developer:
Ya-Hui Chang and Shu-Mei Wang, National Cheng Kung University and National Taiwan University
Funder: National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan
Methodology references
VCS Module VMD0019, "Methodology for Predicting Future Conditions": Applied to forecast future GHG emissions and to integrate the dynamic impacts of climate variables, particularly sea level rise, on the baseline scenario.
VCS Module VDM0052, "Demonstration of Additionality of Tidal Wetland Restoration and Conservation Project Activities": Used to demonstrate the project's additionality by meeting regulatory surplus and assessing low activity penetration.
VCS AFOLU Non-Permanence Risk Tool: Utilized to assess the future impacts of erosion and submergence caused by sea level rise on the project’s carbon stocks, thereby determining the required contribution to the AFOLU pooled buffer account.
CDM Tools and Procedures Cited:
CDM Tool AR-Tool02: Comprehensive tool for identifying baseline scenarios and demonstrating the additionality of A/R CDM project activities.
CDM Tool AR-Tool05: Estimation of greenhouse gas emissions related to fossil fuel combustion in A/R CDM project activities.
CDM Tool AR-Tool14: Calculating changes in carbon stocks of trees and shrubs.
CDM Tool AR-Tool05: Estimating CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion.
Location(s)/Country or Region: Worldwide
Ecosystem(s): Agricultural/In-land water/Coastal/Urban/Peri-urban/Other
Description of human-nature interactions in the area:
This methodology is applied to quantify and verify greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon sequestration achieved through the restoration of wetlands and seagrass. It supports the generation of carbon credits, biodiversity conservation, enhancement of coastal resilience, and sustainable management of coastal and marine ecosystems within climate mitigation and nature-based solution frameworks.
Approved Date: 2026/01/05 Download
(Edited by Prof. Wei-Sheng Chen (National Cheng Kung University) & Mr. Andre Mader (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan).)
-
Methodology Title: Replacing Fossil-Fuel-Based Hydrogen Production (Blue Hydrogen) with Renewable-Based Green Hydrogen
Developer:
Jyh-Ming Ting, National Cheng Kung University
Methodology references
AM0124: Hydrogen production from electrolysis of water — Version 1.0
https://cdm.unfccc.int/methodologies/DB/X31VJK28R9DCAKOMET9BRS2PXSIKKX
ACM0002: Grid-connected electricity generation from renewable sources --- Version 22.0
https://cdm.unfccc.int/methodologies/DB/XB1TX7TAZ6SLWM9B7BC67THHVD16JV
ACM0013: Construction and operation of new grid connected fossil fuel fired power plants using a less GHG intensive technology --- Version 5.0.0
https://cdm.unfccc.int/methodologies/DB/7E9VKG4RTU85IJ6HYJ3JTNLDHFDT2R
Location(s)/Country or Region: Global applicability
Ecosystem(s): Forest/Grassland/Agricultural/In-land water/Coastal/Dryland/Mountain/Urban/Peri-urban/Other
Description of human-nature interactions in the area: Fossil-fuel-based hydrogen production is prevalent in industrial areas, contributing to high carbon emissions. Transitioning to renewable hydrogen reduces dependence on fossil fuels, mitigating environmental degradation.
Approved Date: 2026/01/05 Download
(Edited by Prof. Wei-Sheng Chen (National Cheng Kung University) & Mr. Andre Mader (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan).)
Modules
Modules are applied as interoperable building blocks within the methodology to support specific technical functions and implementation steps. They enable standardized execution and data integration while preventing double-counting of carbon credits by ensuring clear boundaries, traceability, and non-overlapping accounting.
-
Module Title: Module for Estimation of Carbon Capture Storage using Indoor Plants
Developer:
Amit Kumar Sharma and Yen-Hsun Su, National Cheng Kung University
Module references
VMD0022 Estimation of Carbon Stocks in Living Plant Biomass
VT0008 Additionality Assessment
Determination of Total, Organic, Inorganic Carbon and Total Nitrogen in Biological Cultures and Liquid Fraction Process Samples
Summary description of the module:
This module provides the methods and framework for estimating, calculating, and validating carbon sequestration using indoor plants to quantify carbon credits for greenhouse gas use.
Approved Date: 2026/01/05 Download
(Edited by Prof. Wei-Sheng Chen (National Cheng Kung University) & Mr. Andre Mader (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan).)
-
Module Title: Module for Estimation of Carbon Stocks Changes and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Biodiversity Ecosystem via System-of-Systems Solution in Monitoring, Validation, and Verification
Developer:
Tsung-Sheng Cheng, Li-Hsueh Chang, Li-Yu Chang (Taiwan Space Agency) &
Ya-Hui Chang, Amit Kumar Sharma, Yen-Hsun Su (National Cheng Kung University)
Module references
VMD0001 Estimation of carbon stocks in the above- and belowground biomass in live tree and non-tree pools (CP-AB), v1.2
VMD0007 Estimation of baseline carbon stock changes and greenhouse gas emissions from unplanned deforestation and unplanned wetland degradation (BL-UP), v3.3
Qualitative illustration of how different technological solutions for quantifying field-level carbon outcomes fit in the accuracy and cost diagram. (Ref: Earth-Science Reviews 243, 104462 (2023))
Determination of Total, Organic, Inorganic Carbon and Total Nitrogen in Biological Cultures and Liquid Fraction Process Samples
Summary description of the module:
This UNU-IAS/IPSI–endorsed System-of-Systems Solution provides an integrated framework for Monitoring, Reporting, Validation, and Verification (MRV/VV) of greenhouse gases and carbon cycles in biodiversity-rich Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS). By combining satellite and telemetry systems, field-based ecological surveys, simulation models, machine learning–based estimation, and management decision-support systems, the framework delivers robust, transparent, and scalable carbon accounting. It serves as a critical tool for safeguarding environmental integrity while supporting Indigenous peoples and local communities through inclusive data co-production and respect for traditional knowledge. The system enhances the credibility of carbon sequestration and emission reduction outcomes, reduces uncertainty, and prevents double-counting. By strengthening MRV capacity, the solution enables communities, practitioners, and policymakers to effectively link ecosystem restoration and sustainable land stewardship with high-integrity carbon markets, biodiversity conservation, and equitable benefit-sharing, supporting long-term climate resilience and sustainable development.
Approved Date: 2026/01/05 Download
(Edited by Prof. Wei-Sheng Chen (National Cheng Kung University) & Mr. Andre Mader (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan).)
-
Module Title: Methods for Soil Sampling, Preservation and TOC, CH4, N2O Analyses
Developer:
Cheng-Han Lee & Yen-Hsun Su, National Cheng Kung University
Module references
ISO 18400-204:2017 - Soil quality — Sampling
ISO 20951:2019 - Soil Quality — Guidance on methods for measuring greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O, CH4) and ammonia (NH3) fluxes between soils and the atmosphere
ISO 10694:1995 Soil quality — Determination of organic and total carbon after dry combustion (elementary analysis)
NIEA S102.64B土壤採樣方法
NIEA S103.60C土壤檢測方法總則
TARI S201.1B
Determination of Total, Organic, Inorganic Carbon and Total Nitrogen in Biological Cultures and Liquid Fraction Process Samples
Summary description of the module:
This module provides the methods and framework for estimating, calculating, and validating carbon sequestration using indoor plants to quantify carbon credits for greenhouse gas use.
Approved Date: 2026/01/05 Download
(Edited by Prof. Wei-Sheng Chen (National Cheng Kung University) & Mr. Andre Mader (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan).)
