VCS-1477: Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project
There are significant public concerns about the Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project, especially relating to over-crediting and the risk that emission reductions were overstated. Before buying, we would want clear evidence on how credit calculations compare to actual on-the-ground impact since issuance.
This project issues both avoidance and removal credits. Ask the seller which of the two you are actually buying, because they are different products with different risks.
Project summary
| Registry | Verra |
|---|---|
| Project ID | 1477 · registry record |
| Proponent | PT. Rimba Makmur Utama (PT. RMU) |
| Country | Indonesia (South East Asia) |
| Project type | Blue carbon (mangrove and coastal) |
| Methodology | VM0007 REDD+ Methodology Framework (REDD-MF) |
| Registry status | Registered, as of 26 August 2026 |
| Credits issued | 39,998,290 |
| Credits retired | 37,052,123 |
| Crediting period | Not recorded |
| Credit type | Mixed: avoidance and removal |
| Last assessed | 26 August 2026 |
What this project is
The Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project (VCS-1477), run by PT. Rimba Makmur Utama in Indonesia, conserves and restores tropical peat forest to prevent emissions from deforestation and peatland degradation. The project is registered under Verra using the REDD+ Methodology Framework and issues credits for both avoided emissions and carbon removal via improved forest management. It has issued nearly 40 million credits since 2015, with most already retired.
What independent review has found
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Context
Bloomberg reported in June 2022 that several large buyers had stopped using credits from this project after questions were raised about its climate impact calculations.
Source: Are Carbon Offset Programs Helping the Climate, or Just Making Money?, Bloomberg, 2022-06-21
Ratings
Each dimension is scored from 0 to 100 for concern, where a higher score means more concern. How these are weighted.
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Additionality 60 / 100 concern
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Baseline and over-crediting risk 80 / 100 concern
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Permanence and reversal risk 40 / 100 concern
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Leakage 30 / 100 concern
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Community and safeguards 30 / 100 concern
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Verification quality and recency 40 / 100 concern
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Registry status 20 / 100 concern
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Independent scrutiny 60 / 100 concern
Alternatives from Evertreen
We sell tree planting and verified carbon credits. Here are three options related to this project type and region.
Trees in Indonesia - Katingan Mentaya
Indonesia · Afforestation, reforestation and revegetation from £ 12.00 per tree Same country Plant nowTrees in Timor-Leste - WithOneSeed
Timor-Leste · Afforestation, reforestation and revegetation from £ 15.00 per tree Same region Plant nowTrees in DR Congo - EcoMakala
Democratic Republic of the Congo · Afforestation, reforestation and revegetation from £ 15.00 per tree Popular choice Plant nowTalk to us about a bespoke offset plan
Evertreen is a commercial provider of tree planting and carbon credits. This assessment is generated independently using published sources and our methodology, which you can read in full. We include our own products here so you know exactly where our commercial interest lies. Trees planted and credits retired are separate things and we report them separately.
This assessment is generated from publicly available sources using our published methodology and is provided for information only. It is not investment, legal or procurement advice, and it is not a substitute for your own due diligence. Findings reflect the sources listed and the date shown. If you represent this project and believe something here is inaccurate, please request a correction.
