Isometric Mangrove Restoration protocol

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Methodology Updates is a series covering carbon and biodiversity credit methodologies. This article introduces Isometric’s latest mangrove restoration protocol published earlier this month.

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Author: Nick Lau (Applied Scientist)

Summary

Isometric has released its Mangrove Restoration Protocol v1.0 earlier this month, setting out a framework for issuing high-integrity carbon dioxide removal credits from restored mangrove ecosystems. Mangroves are increasingly recognised for their carbon storage potential and coastal protection benefits, but carbon crediting in these systems has historically faced challenges around baselines, non-CO₂ emissions, and long-term durability.

The overall carbon accounting framework is consistent with Isometric’s broader approach to nature-based solutions, including its Improved Forest Management (IFM) methodology. As with other Isometric protocols, crediting is ex-post, grounded in observed stock change, and relies on dynamic baselines constructed from spatially matched control areas rather than fixed, ex-ante projections. This common structure reflects a deliberate emphasis on conservative additionality and ongoing reassessment as ecosystems recover over time.

At the same time, the mangrove protocol introduces design features tailored to coastal wetland systems. These include explicit eligibility screens to avoid restoration pathways that could increase methane or nitrous oxide emissions, as well as conservative treatment of carbon pools. These adaptations reflect the distinct biogeochemical and durability challenges associated with mangrove restoration, while remaining embedded within Isometric’s broader accounting architecture. For Isometric’s other nature-based methodologies, please refer to the newsletter below.

Isometric’s New IFM Methodology

This article is an automatically translated version of the original Japanese article. Please refer to the Japanese version for the most accurate information. sustainacraft Inc. Newsletter. Methodology Updates is a series that covers methodologies for carbon and biodiversity credits. This article introduces Isometric’s new Improved Forest Management (IFM) Methodology, which

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Isometric’s New Agroforestry Methodology Draft

This article is an automatically translated version of the original Japanese article. Please refer to the Japanese version for the most accurate information. This is a newsletter from Sustainacraft Inc. Methodology Updates is a series dedicated to carbon and biodiversity credit Methodologies. In this article, we will introduce the features

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This newsletter outlines the scope and structure of the Mangrove Restoration Protocol, compares it with existing mangrove-related methodologies under Verra and Gold Standard, and examines how Isometric approaches core accounting concepts such as baselines, leakage, monitoring, and reversal risk. The aim is to clarify how similar restoration activities can lead to materially different carbon outcomes depending on the framework in which they are credited.

1. Scope of the Mangrove Restoration Protocol

Isometric’s Mangrove Restoration Protocol establishes the requirements for quantifying net carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere through the restoration of mangrove ecosystems. The protocol applies to projects that aim to re-establish mangrove habitat in areas where mangroves have been degraded or lost, with the explicit objective of restoring ecological function and increasing long-term carbon storage. All removals are issued ex-post, following third-party validation and verification under the Isometric Standard by the registry.

The protocol is designed to accommodate a range of mangrove restoration project types, provided that activities lead to the recovery of native mangrove ecosystems and meet ecological and accounting requirements. Eligible interventions may include:

• Active replanting or reseeding of native mangrove species.
• Assisted natural regeneration, where existing mangrove recovery is facilitated through management actions.
• Hydrological restoration, such as restoring tidal connectivity or modifying hydrological conditions to support mangrove establishment and growth.
• Active site management that enhances mangrove regeneration, including removal of invasive species or other interventions that improve ecological suitability.

These interventions may be applied individually or in combination, depending on site conditions. The protocol does not prescribe a single restoration pathway, but requires that all activities be ecologically appropriate for mangrove systems and clearly documented in the Project Design Document.

2. Framework-level comparison with Verra and Gold Standard

Before explaining the protocol’s specific mechanics, it is useful to briefly discuss Isometric’s Mangrove Restoration Protocol alongside two widely used mangrove-related methodologies: Verra’s VM0033 (Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration) and Gold Standard’s Sustainable Management of Mangroves.