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A Project Design/Description Document (PDD) is a foundational document for carbon projects that is required for registration and validation under most major standards. It provides a comprehensive description of the project, explaining how it will reduce or remove greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in accordance with the selected biochar or carbon removal methodology.  

The term PDD may refer to either a Project Design Document or a Project Description Document, depending on the standard. For example, Verra Verified Carbon Standard (Verra VCS) and Puro. Earth use “Project Description Document”, Isometric uses “Project Design Document”, and Climate Action Reserve (CAR) uses a modified version called a “Project Submittal Form”, followed by a “Project Data Report” during the reporting period. Regardless of the terminology, all serve the same function of describing the project and demonstrating compliance with the program’s requirements. 

Beyond technical compliance, a good PDD serves as a credible foundation for third-party validation. It demonstrates that the project’s emission reductions are real, additional, measurable, and verifiable. PDDs also communicate the project’s environmental and social context, laying out its rationale, design, and expected impact. By clearly articulating the project’s eligibility, methodology, and monitoring plans, the PDD ensures that stakeholders—from auditors to investors—can confidently assess the project’s contribution to climate mitigation. 

As your trusted carbon partner, Grain will help you complete a PDD to ensure your biochar project meets all requirements for validation, registration, and long-term success in the carbon market. 

ISO 14064-2: The Foundation of Carbon Project Documentation 

All major carbon standards base their PDD requirements on the international framework established by 

This ISO standard provides the international framework for how greenhouse gas (GHG) projects should be planned, documented, monitored, and reported. It ensures that emission reductions and removals are real, additional, measurable, and verifiable: principles adopted across standards like Verra VCS, Puro.Earth, Isometric, and Climate Action Reserve.  

In short, ISO 14064-2 acts as the foundation for all credible carbon project documentation, including biochar projects. By following its principles —relevance, completeness, transparency, and conservativeness— project developers can align their PDDs with globally recognized standards, enabling consistent validation and comparability across methodologies. 

Section 6.2 of ISO 14064-2 outlines the core information every PDD must include, which we explore in the next section. 

Building on the structure outlined in ISO 14064-2, most PDDs follow a common framework that ensures consistency, transparency, and credibility across carbon projects. While each methodology may use different templates or terminology, the core sections remain similar. These sections help ensure that every project —whether under Verra VCS, Puro. Earth, Isometric, or CAR— clearly demonstrates its eligibility, baseline, methodology, and measurable impact. 

 The timeframe during which emission reductions will be quantified and credited. 

 Defines the physical and operational scope of the project. 

What emissions would occur in the absence of the project. 

 Equations, parameters, and assumptions used to calculate reductions. 

Describes how data will be collected, managed, and verified over time to ensure accuracy and transparency. 

You may also see additional sections in a PDD depending on the methodology. These can include stakeholder engagement, which documents how local communities and other affected parties were involved in project planning; environmental and social safeguards, which outline measures to avoid negative impacts and promote co-benefits; and leakage assessments, which evaluate whether project activities might unintentionally increase emissions elsewhere. These elements help reinforce the credibility, transparency, and long-term impact of the project. 

As mentioned earlier, each standard has its own specific requirements. Grain works with Climate Action Reserve (CAR), Isometric, Puro.earth, and Verra Verified Carbon Standard (Verra VCS); the four programs with biochar methodologies approved by the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA). Not all of them use the term “PDD,” but each requires a document that serves a similar purpose. 

Grain Project Design Document Comparison Table.jpg

You can check out the templates for each methodology below, but there’s no need to fill them out on your own. As we mentioned earlier in this article, Grain will guide you through completing the PDD. 

Importance of the PDD for Biochar Projects 

Completing your PDD is a critical step in registering a successful carbon project. It’s the foundation that allows your project to be officially recognized and validated by your chosen methodology. A well-prepared PDD builds trust with key stakeholders, including investors and third-party auditors. It shows that your project is thoughtfully designed, meets all necessary requirements, and can deliver real climate benefits. 

The PDD also serves as a roadmap for your project. It lays out how emissions will be measured, tracked, and verified over time, helping ensure that your project delivers the results it promises. This is especially important for long-term success, as carbon credits are only issued when reductions are proven and verified. In addition, the PDD helps your project stay aligned with regulations and approved methodologies, reducing the risk of delays. 

Learn what Project Design/Description Documents (PDDs) are, why they are essential for carbon project development and validation, and how their structure varies depending on the methodology used.

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A Project Design/Description Document (PDD) is a foundational document for carbon projects that is required for registration and validation under most major standards. It provides a comprehensive description of the project, explaining how it will reduce or remove greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in accordance with the selected biochar or carbon removal methodology.  The term PDD may refer to either a Project Design Document or a Project Description Document, depending on the standard. For example, Verra Verified Carbon Standard (Verra VCS) and Puro. Earth use “Project Description Document”, Isometric uses “Project Design Document”, and Climate Action Reserve (CAR) uses a modified version called a “Project Submittal Form”, followed by a “Project Data Report” during the reporting period. Regardless of the terminology, all serve the same function of describing the project and demonstrating compliance with the program’s requirements. Beyond technical compliance, a good PDD serves as a credible foundation for third-party validation. It demonstrates that the project’s emission reductions are real, additional, measurable, and verifiable. PDDs also communicate the project’s environmental and social context, laying out its rationale, design, and expected impact. By clearly articulating the project’s eligibility, methodology, and monitoring plans, the PDD ensures that stakeholders—from auditors to investors—can confidently assess the project’s contribution to climate mitigation. As your trusted carbon partner, Grain will help you complete a PDD to ensure your biochar project meets all requirements for validation, registration, and long-term success in the carbon market. <h2>ISO 14064-2: The Foundation of Carbon Project Documentation </h2>All major carbon standards base their PDD requirements on the international framework established by <a href="https://www.iso.org/standard/66454.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ISO 14064-2:2019, Greenhouse gases — Part 2: Specification with guidance at the project level for quantification, monitoring and reporting of GHG emission reductions or removal enhancements.</a> This ISO standard provides the international framework for how greenhouse gas (GHG) projects should be planned, documented, monitored, and reported. It ensures that emission reductions and removals are real, additional, measurable, and verifiable: principles adopted across standards like Verra VCS, Puro.Earth, Isometric, and Climate Action Reserve.  In short, ISO 14064-2 acts as the foundation for all credible carbon project documentation, including biochar projects. By following its principles —relevance, completeness, transparency, and conservativeness— project developers can align their PDDs with globally recognized standards, enabling consistent validation and comparability across methodologies. Section 6.2 of ISO 14064-2 outlines the core information every PDD must include, which we explore in the next section. <h2>Sections of the PDD </h2>Building on the structure outlined in ISO 14064-2, most PDDs follow a common framework that ensures consistency, transparency, and credibility across carbon projects. While each methodology may use different templates or terminology, the core sections remain similar. These sections help ensure that every project —whether under Verra VCS, Puro. Earth, Isometric, or CAR— clearly demonstrates its eligibility, baseline, methodology, and measurable impact. <ul class="bullet"><li value=1>Description: Provides a high-level overview of the project, setting the context for the rest of the document. </li></ul><ul class="bullet"><li value=1>Eligibility: Outlines how the project meets the standard’s requirements for participation, including:  </li></ul>- Location: Where the project is implemented. - Start Date: When the project activities began. - Crediting Period: The timeframe during which emission reductions will be quantified and credited. - Project Boundary: Defines the physical and operational scope of the project. <ul class="bullet"><li value=1>Additionality: Demonstrates that carbon removal would not have occurred without the project. This might include a barrier analysis to identify financial, technological, or institutional obstacles, and/or an investment analysis to show that the project is not financially viable without carbon revenue. Projects can also demonstrate that the project activity is not already widely adopted in the region or sector. For a deeper understanding of this topic, read <a href="https://grainecosystem.com/knowledge-hub/articles/6785453e2918ca9860d5047c" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Additionality: Definition, Types, and Applications.</a> </li></ul><ul class="bullet"><li value=1>Permanence: Explains how the project ensures that GHG reductions or removals are long-lasting and not easily reversed. This may include risk assessments (e.g., fire, pests, land-use change), buffer pools or insurance mechanisms, and long-term monitoring plans. </li></ul><ul class="bullet"><li value=1>Regulatory Compliance: Confirms that the project adheres to all applicable laws and regulations at the local, national, and international levels. This section may also address permitting, land tenure, and alignment with environmental and social safeguards. </li></ul><ul class="bullet"><li value=1>Emission Reduction Calculations: Details how the project quantifies its climate impact, including: </li></ul>- Baseline scenario: What emissions would occur in the absence of the project. - Project scenario: Emissions with the project in place. - Quantification methodology: Equations, parameters, and assumptions used to calculate reductions. - Monitoring plan: Describes how data will be collected, managed, and verified over time to ensure accuracy and transparency. You may also see additional sections in a PDD depending on the methodology. These can include stakeholder engagement, which documents how local communities and other affected parties were involved in project planning; environmental and social safeguards, which outline measures to avoid negative impacts and promote co-benefits; and leakage assessments, which evaluate whether project activities might unintentionally increase emissions elsewhere. These elements help reinforce the credibility, transparency, and long-term impact of the project. <h2>Methodology-Specific Documents </h2>As mentioned earlier, each standard has its own specific requirements. Grain works with Climate Action Reserve (CAR), Isometric, Puro.earth, and Verra Verified Carbon Standard (Verra VCS); the four programs with biochar methodologies approved by the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA). Not all of them use the term “PDD,” but each requires a document that serves a similar purpose. <img src="/media/GrainProjectDesignDocumentTable.jpg" alt="GrainProjectDesignDocumentTable.jpg" width="900" height="288"/>You can check out the templates for each methodology below, but there’s no need to fill them out on your own. As we mentioned earlier in this article, Grain will guide you through completing the PDD. <ul class="bullet"><li value=1>CAR: Project Data Report (PDR). <a href="https://climateactionreserve.org/how/protocols/ncs/biochar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Listed under Project Registration Documents.</a> </li></ul><ul class="bullet"><li value=1>Isometric: Project Design Document (PDD). <a href="https://docs.isometric.com/user-guides/certify/project-design" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Completed online through Certify.</a> </li></ul><ul class="bullet"><li value=1>Puro.Earth (2025 v.1): Project Description Template (Version 2024). <a href="https://puro.earth/document-library?tab=templates_and_guidelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Listed under Templates and Guidelines.</a> </li></ul><ul class="bullet"><li value=1>Verra VCS: VCS Project Description Template, v4.4. <a href="https://verra.org/programs/verified-carbon-standard/vcs-program-details/#rules-and-requirements" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Listed under Templates and Forms.</a> </li></ul><h2>Importance of the PDD for Biochar Projects </h2>Completing your PDD is a critical step in registering a successful carbon project. It’s the foundation that allows your project to be officially recognized and validated by your chosen methodology. A well-prepared PDD builds trust with key stakeholders, including investors and third-party auditors. It shows that your project is thoughtfully designed, meets all necessary requirements, and can deliver real climate benefits. The PDD also serves as a roadmap for your project. It lays out how emissions will be measured, tracked, and verified over time, helping ensure that your project delivers the results it promises. This is especially important for long-term success, as carbon credits are only issued when reductions are proven and verified. In addition, the PDD helps your project stay aligned with regulations and approved methodologies, reducing the risk of delays. <h2>Related content </h2><ul class="bullet"><li value=1><a href="https://grainecosystem.com/knowledge-hub/articles/6785453e2918ca9860d5047c" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Additionality: Definition, Types, and Applications</a> </li></ul><ul class="bullet"><li value=1><a href="https://grainecosystem.com/knowledge-hub/articles/67acecbd23e6759660f10f42" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A Guide for Projects Already Producing Biochar: Navigating Eligibility and Additionality</a> </li></ul><ul class="bullet"><li value=1><a href="https://grainecosystem.com/knowledge-hub/articles/674763fc0f29280cdf023b34" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How to Choose the Best Methodology for your Biochar Project</a> </li></ul><ul class="bullet"><li value=1><a href="https://grainecosystem.com/knowledge-hub/articles/6728f17b8fb102739587a394" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A Practical Guide to Carbon Benchmark Setting for Sustainability Goals</a> </li></ul>

What are Project Design/Description Documents (PDDs)?