# ICVCM integrity principles (Core Carbon Principles, CCP)

> The ten ICVCM Core Carbon Principles set a quality threshold for carbon units. We go through each principle and explain how a program's status differs from the CCP label.

Source: https://7g.carbonplatform.asia/en/kb/icvcm-ccp

The Core Carbon Principles (CCP) are ten quality principles for carbon units developed by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM). They serve as a common threshold: a program and a category of units that meet them qualify for the CCP label. The principles help buyers tell a reliable unit from a questionable one.

## The ten principles

The principles fall into three groups.

**Governance**

1. **Effective governance**: the program is managed transparently and is accountable for quality.
2. **Tracking**: the registry identifies each unit unambiguously and records its transfers and retirement.
3. **Transparency**: project documents, methodologies and reports are accessible.
4. **Robust independent validation and verification** by a third party.

**Emissions impact**

5. **Additionality**: the reduction would not have happened without revenue from units (see [additionality](https://7g.carbonplatform.asia/en/kb/additionality)).
6. **Permanence**: the risk of carbon returning to the atmosphere is accounted for and compensated.
7. **Robust quantification**: a conservative baseline and a well-founded calculation.
8. **No double counting**: a tonne is never issued, claimed or used twice (see [leakage, permanence and double counting](https://7g.carbonplatform.asia/en/kb/leakage-permanence)).

**Sustainable development**

9. **Sustainable development and safeguards**: the project does no harm to people or ecosystems and complies with social and environmental requirements.
10. **Contribution toward the net zero transition**: the project does not lock in high-carbon technologies and is consistent with net zero goals.

## Two levels of assessment

The ICVCM assesses two things separately:

- **the program** (for example, a voluntary market standard): whether its design meets the principles of governance, tracking, transparency and verification; a program that does is granted CCP-Eligible status;
- **the category of units** (the project type and methodology): whether it meets the emissions impact and sustainable development principles.

Important: **CCP-Eligible status of a program does not mean that every unit it issues carries the CCP label.** Only units that belong to approved categories and are issued under an approved program receive the label. Check the label on the specific unit in the registry.

## Applying the principles in practice

For buyers:

1. Make sure the program has CCP-Eligible status.
2. Check that the category of units is approved and that the unit carries the label.
3. Review the project documents: the baseline, verification reports and information about the permanence buffer.
4. Word your claim in line with the VCMI Claims Code of Practice v3.0 to avoid [greenwashing](https://7g.carbonplatform.asia/en/kb/greenwashing).

For project owners:

- choose a methodology that belongs to an approved category;
- build conservative assumptions into the calculation;
- make sure the data can be traced from the primary document all the way to the report.

## How it works in the platform

- The MRV and Market contours, where climate projects will be prepared and carbon units accounted for, are marked “Soon”: they are under development.
- In the GHG contour, you can already see what a calculation is based on: supporting documents are attached to records, each record shows the methodology applied, and the change history for a facility's year shows who changed what and when ([Data entry](https://7g.carbonplatform.asia/data-entry)). This keeps the data traceable from the primary document to the report.

The platform does not assign the CCP label: that decision rests with the ICVCM and the programs.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does the CCP label guarantee that a unit is high quality?

It confirms that the program and the category meet the ICVCM threshold requirements. That is a strong signal, but buyers should still study the documents of the specific project.

### Is the CCP label required to sell units?

No, units without the label can be sold too. However, many buyers rely on it when making a choice, and labeled units may be priced differently.

### Do the CCP principles apply to Article 6.4 units?

The CCPs were developed for the voluntary market. The requirements of the 6.4 mechanism are set by its UN body; check how they relate to the CCPs in the regulatory map.