Shaping the market we all rely on: our feedback on the CNZS

In today’s carbon markets, ambition is easy to find. Rigour is not.

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is now revising its Corporate Net-Zero Standard (CNZS), and we’ve shared our perspective. As a developer of Verra-certified forest carbon projects across Europe, we’re directly affected by how land-based removals are defined and accounted for.

Our work requires meeting high standards for permanence, transparency, and third-party verification, while also standing up to third-party audits and evolving market scrutiny. We’re pleased to support this revision process and share insights from our experience on the ground.

For companies, the updated standard will influence how residual emissions are addressed. For developers like us, it will influence how forest projects are evaluated, financed, and scaled over the coming decade.

Let’s unpack what’s changing.

Why this standard matters

The original Corporate Net-Zero Standard drove an essential wave of corporate climate ambition. But as the market matures, the focus must now shift to demonstrated delivery.

Version 2.0 reflects this shift. It proposes:

• Cyclical validation and progress assessments
• Durability thresholds for carbon removals
• Clearer rules around Scope 3 targets and traceability
• Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (BVCM) as an explicit leadership pathway

These are meaningful changes, but their impact depends on on how well they work for those building and verifying climate solutions on the ground.

Why we contributed

We took part in the CNZS Version 2.0 consultation to help ensure the revised standard reflects what’s actually needed to scale land-based carbon removals and trust in the voluntary carbon markets (VCM).

As a developer working across afforestation and improved forest management, we support landowners throughout the entire project lifecycle. From planning and modelling to monitoring and risk management, our team is deeply involved in both the technical details and the operational realities.

This gives us a useful vantage point:

• A developer’s view on feasibility
• An MRV team’s insight into verification and permanence
• A market participant’s focus on scalability and investor confidence

Our feedback on the CNZS Version 2.0

Our feedback focused on five key areas:

Flexible approach to residual emissions

Residual emissions are one of the most closely-watched parts of this update. How companies are allowed to address them will shape the role removals play in corporate net-zero strategies.

We supported Option 3, which gives companies the flexibility to combine further emissions reductions with high-quality removals. This avoids a strict removals-only target, which could distort incentives and delay action, especially for companies already investing in long-term decarbonisation.

We also backed alignment with the EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), which uses a 200-year durability benchmark. This is a balanced, evidence-based threshold that reflects the realities of project development. By contrast, a 1,000-year requirement risks excluding proven nature-based solutions, simply because they don’t meet an arbitrary cut-off.

Adaptable verification pathways for inclusivity

We strongly support robust MRV and third-party assurance as essential components of credible climate progress. At the same time, the complexity of land-sector MRV, particularly for Scope 3 and FLAG (Forest, Land and Agriculture) categories, comes with unique challenges that must be considered. We emphasised the importance of adaptable verification pathways that recognise the nuances of forestry and nature-based solutions.

BVCM as a core enabler of climate leadership

We welcome the growing recognition of BVCM as a leadership action within CNZS Version 2.0. Companies already investing in Verra-certified removals should be able to report those contributions transparently, not only at net-zero but throughout their climate journey. We see BVCM not as a peripheral effort, but as a core enabler of ambitious corporate climate leadership.

Alignment with the voluntary carbon markets

Given the increasing convergence of voluntary and compliance markets, it is crucial that CNZS Version 2.0 remains aligned with existing VCM frameworks. This includes methodologies like Verra’s VM0047 and VM0045, as well as guidance from the ICVCM Core Carbon Principles and Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative. Buyers need confidence that supporting high-quality nature-based removals today remains aligned with net-zero frameworks tomorrow.

Supporting wider participation

Finally, while differentiated requirements by company size and geography are a step forwards, we encouraged SBTi to go further, ensuring that incentives actively channel investment into early-stage carbon markets and underrepresented geographies. Widening participation is essential to scaling the supply of high-integrity nature-based solutions.

Looking ahead

If implemented effectively, Version 2.0 has the potential to:

• Align corporate demand with credible supply
• Reduce investment risk for early-stage developers
• Support the scalability of Verra-certified removals and other high-quality nature-based solutions
• Ensure market claims match the scientific and operational realities of delivering long-term climate impact

For Arbonics, taking part in this consultation is one step in a wider effort to support a carbon market that values scientific rigour, practical delivery, and long-term impact equally.

Final thoughts

Although the consultation for CNZS Version 2.0 closed on June 1, 2025, we encourage other developers, landowners, MRV experts, and buyers to stay engaged as the process moves forward.

Standards like this shape the market we all rely on. They should be built not only by policymakers and corporate buyers and theory, but by those delivering measurable climate outcomes on the ground.

We remain committed to contributing to this conversation and to building solutions that can stand the test of time and the scrutiny of a rapidly evolving market.