MRV (Measurement, Reporting, Verification) is the set of rules under which a greenhouse gas emission reduction is first measured, then documented in a report and finally confirmed by an independent party. Without MRV, any claim that “the project cut emissions by N tonnes” cannot be checked, so it cannot serve as a basis for carbon units or for reporting to a bank or the government.
The three components of MRV
- Measurement. Collecting primary data: meter readings, certificates of completion, invoices, equipment logs. What is measured is not the emissions themselves but activity data — kilowatt-hours, cubic meters of gas, operating hours — which are then multiplied by emission factors.
- Reporting. Emissions under the baseline and project scenarios, the difference between them, the assumptions and the data sources — all set out in a monitoring report prepared under the chosen methodology.
- Verification. An independent review of the report by a validation and verification body. ISO 14064-3:2019 sets the general requirements for such reviews, and ISO 14065:2020 sets the requirements for the bodies themselves.
How project MRV differs from corporate accounting
A corporate inventory under the GHG Protocol or ISO 14064-1:2018 answers the question “how much did the organization emit in a year?” Project MRV answers a different one: “how much lower are emissions thanks to a specific measure, compared with what would have happened without it?”
| Parameter | Corporate accounting | Project MRV |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Organization within its boundaries | Project at a facility |
| Result | Emissions, t CO₂e | Reductions, t CO₂e |
| Reference point | Base year | Baseline |
| Standards | GHG Protocol, ISO 14064-1 | GHG Project Protocol (2005), ISO 14064-2:2019, program methodologies |
The key concept of project MRV is the project baseline: the emissions scenario without the project. The reduction is calculated as baseline emissions minus project emissions, less leakage.
A simple example
A company replaced its lighting and pumps and now buys less electricity from the grid. Before the project the facility used 500,000 kWh a year; afterward, 380,000 kWh. For this worked example, we take a grid emission factor of 0.726 kg CO₂e/kWh (an estimated value):
- baseline emissions: 500,000 × 0.726 = 363,000 kg = 363.0 t CO₂e;
- project emissions: 380,000 × 0.726 = 275,880 kg ≈ 275.9 t CO₂e;
- reduction: 363.0 − 275.9 = 87.1 t CO₂e.
For the verifier and the program to accept this figure, you need to show where the 500,000 and 380,000 kWh come from, why the baseline is correct, which factors (weather, production load) have been taken into account and how meter accuracy is ensured. That is exactly what the monitoring plan is for.
Why companies and banks need MRV
- To issue carbon units. Every program (Verra, Gold Standard, the Article 6.4 mechanism of the Paris Agreement) issues units only against verified monitoring reports.
- For green finance. A bank wants to see the project's confirmed effect, not a forecast.
- For national regulation. In Uzbekistan, Law No. ZRU-1073 of July 7, 2025 (in force since January 9, 2026) provides for “green projects,” a carbon unit registry and verification; the criteria are set by the Cabinet of Ministers.
How it works in the platform
- The MRV contour is still in development and is marked “Soon” in the platform: you cannot yet run climate projects in it, calculate reductions or submit them for verification.
- You can already collect the foundation for the M — primary data. In Data entry, electricity, heat and fuel are entered month by month for each facility, and invoices, certificates of completion and photos of meter readings are attached to the records.
- Once its completeness has been checked, a facility's year is closed and becomes read-only, with its change history preserved, and the administrator creates the annual company report in PDF and DOCX covering all facilities. Read more in the article on closing the year and the annual report.
Frequently asked questions
Can MRV be done without independent verification?
You can handle measurement and reporting yourself, and that is useful for internal management. But issuing carbon units or making claims to investors and regulators requires an independent review: without the V, reductions are not considered confirmed.
How is MRV different from monitoring?
Monitoring is part of MRV: collecting and processing data according to a plan. MRV is broader — it also covers preparing the report under a methodology and having it verified.
Which MRV standard should I choose?
That depends on where the reductions will be counted: in a voluntary program, under an Article 6 mechanism or in a national registry. The general framework is ISO 14064-2:2019 and the GHG Project Protocol; the specific rules come from program methodologies. For current documents, see regulatory documents.