/ Standard & Methodology

Democratizing the
carbon market

zeroCO2 lowers the barriers to accessing the voluntary carbon credit market for small landowners, with transparency and innovation

Read the full standard →
/ Our pillars

Five principles underpin every Selva carbon credit

Additionality

The project would not have happened without the revenue from credits. We demonstrate this against a baseline scenario with three tests (financial, regulatory and common practice) and by comparing the forest's growth with the surrounding forests.

Dynamic accounting

Our proprietary model combines machine learning, remote sensing, field data and physiological tree parameters to measure carbon with precision.

Satellite monitoring

Every year we analyze the satellite imagery of every project to measure forest cover and detect disturbances such as logging, fires or forest loss.

Permanence

Every project assesses reversal risks: fires, pests, legal and financial risks. A share of credits set aside as a buffer, calculated according to risk, protects the project's durability.

Co-benefits

Beyond carbon, we measure social impact (local communities, gender equality) and biodiversity. 50% of revenue goes to farming communities.

The market's reference standards are designed for large projects: €100–200k in costs, 200–300 pages of documentation, an average size of 500 hectares1. Selva uses satellite and AI instead of on-the-ground measurements, so small landowners can access the market too. What changes if you own land →

/ How it works

From land to certified credit: 9 steps

01

Registration

The landowner registers on the Selva platform with their identifying information.

02

Property details

Proof of ownership is provided through cadastral records or notarial deeds.

03

Project application

The project name, duration, specific areas and tree species are entered.

04

Eligibility feedback

The Selva team provides feedback on the project's eligibility within a few weeks.

05

Independent validation

An independent third-party verifier checks the eligible projects.

06

Selva Registry

The project becomes official and the credits are available for purchase.

07

Credit purchase

Buyers purchase the credits and the revenue-sharing mechanism is established.

08

Payment to landowners

The revenue is transferred to the landowner according to the agreements.

09

Long-term management

Annual monitoring, risk hedging and updates ensure permanence.

/ Governance

Who governs the standard and who verifies

Selva defines the standard, keeps the registry and sells the credits. That is why project verification is not entrusted to the Selva team but to an independent third party, and the standard is governed by an Advisory Board.

Advisory Board

Governs the Selva framework, i.e. the rules by which projects are assessed and credits are issued.

zeroCO2

Manages the platform and the Selva Registry and issues the credits (Selva Carbon Credits).

Independent third-party verifier

Verifies every project before credits are issued. The reference standard for verifiers is ISO 14065.

/ For buyers

How to verify a Selva credit

01

Unique code

Every credit sold is associated with a unique code in the Selva Registry.

02

Public registry

Anyone can consult the registry: for each project it shows the credits issued, transferred and retired.

03

Retirement

When you use a credit to offset, it is retired and taken out of circulation: it cannot be resold. This is the data to cite in your report.

/ Standard & Methodology

A scientific, transparent and open framework

The Selva GHG Standard defines how Selva Carbon Credits (SCC) are created. Every process ensures the issuance of a single credit for each tonne of CO₂ removed.

The framework is based on: UNI 11646:2021, ISO 14064, ISO 14065, and United Nations CDM methodologies.

Read the full program →
/ Frequently asked questions

Have doubts about the standard?

Yes. The Selva GHG Standard was designed to be aligned with the ICVCM's Core Carbon Principles. Our framework ensures additionality, permanence, rigorous monitoring and verifiable social co-benefits — all fundamental requirements for high-quality credits.
The value of a carbon credit varies depending on the project, the volume of verified CO₂ and the conditions of the international voluntary market at the time of sale. Selva does not apply a fixed price: the value emerges from the quality and traceability of the credit — satellite-verified in line with the UNI 11646:2021 and ISO 14064/14065 standards — which tends to sit in the upper range of the market compared with self-certified credits, precisely because of the greater reliability of the data. The landowner receives 50% of the net revenue generated by the sale.
We use the SM01 Selva methodology, which combines machine learning, satellite imagery analysis, field data and physiological tree parameters. The framework refers to UNI 11646:2021, ISO 14064, ISO 14065 and United Nations CDM methodologies.
Every eligible project undergoes verification by an independent third-party verifier before the credits are issued. This step ensures the integrity of the standard and buyers' trust in the market. Only after validation is the project officially registered in the Selva Registry.
The market's reference standards are designed for large-scale projects: certifying a project costs on average €100–200k, requires 200–300 pages of documentation, and certified projects have an average size of 500 hectares. For most small landowners, these requirements are hard to meet.

Are you with us?

For buyers

Want to buy credits?

Buy verified carbon credits to offset your organization's emissions.

Buy credits →
For landowners

Have land?

Transform your forest into economic income by accessing the carbon market for free.

I own land →