Climate Impact Partners and RIZOME Register Asia’s First VM0047 Project with Verra

London, UK, 8 August 2025 - Climate Impact Partners announces the registration of the RIZOME Kawayan Project under Verra’s VM0047 Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) methodology – the first VM0047 project in Asia, and only the second registered globally. 

Delivered in partnership with RIZOME, and working closely with indigenous communities across Mindanao, Philippines, the project restores degraded land using Dendrocalamus asper (giant bamboo), while supporting long-term economic development for communities. 

This milestone marks a major step forward in bringing high quality CCP-labelled credits to market under VM0047, a methodology approved by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) as meeting the requirements of its rigorous CCPs Assessment Framework.

The project is designed to deliver long-term climate and community impact: 

• Carbon sequestration – the project is expected to remove more than three million tonnes of carbon over the next 20 years.  

• Environmental resilience – bamboo’s root systems reduce flooding and erosion, improve groundwater quality, and restore degraded land. 

• Economic opportunity – carbon finance enables landowners to earn income before harvest maturity, with shared revenue from emissions reductions. 

• Social impact – the project supports multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including poverty reduction, gender equality, and clean water access. 

Kelly Fitzwater, Director of Global Supply Chain, Climate Impact Partners, commented:
“The registration of this project is a testament to the technical strength and dedication of our team. Navigating a new methodology and delivering a project of this calibre – in close collaboration with our partners on the ground – demonstrates what’s possible when expertise meets purpose. For corporates on the path to net zero, this project offers the opportunity to support a truly high-quality, community-driven solution that delivers real, lasting impact.” 

Russell Smith, President & CEO of RIZOME, added:
"Giant bamboo is a powerful climate resilience and sustainable development tool. Through this project, we’re not only restoring degraded land, we are also creating a foundation for multi-generational income, opportunities for marginalised indigenous communities, and supporting the transition towards a circular economy in the Philippines. Our partnership with Climate Impact Partners ensures that finance will flow to this project, bringing global support to local communities and ultimately delivering high-integrity credits to the market. We look forward to deepening our partnership over the coming years.” 

With additional VM0047 projects underway, Climate Impact Partners continues to set the standard for high-integrity, carbon market solutions.