In support of Taiwan’s promotion of nature-based solutions and its net-zero objectives, the Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange (TCX) has, for the first time, listed Improved Forest Management (IFM) projects on its international carbon credit trading platform. The projects also mark TCX’s first credits issued by ACR, expanding Taiwan’s voluntary carbon market engagement with international markets.
Founded in 1996, prior to the launch of the UN Clean Development Mechanism, ACR is the world’s first independent voluntary GHG registry and has long served as the Offset Project Registry under California’s cap-and-trade program. It holds extensive experience in forest and land use projects and is a leading registry in the North American forest carbon market.
In recent years, global corporations have actively deployed high-integrity nature-based solutions. In June this year, Microsoft entered into a landmark agreement to procure 4.8 million tonnes of nature-based carbon credits, marking its largest natural carbon removal purchase in the U.S. to date. In parallel, Apple’s Restore Fund has scaled up investments in nature-based solutions across the United States and Latin America, committing in September to the protection and restoration of California’s redwood forests. Together, these developments indicate that IFM projects have become an important strategy in corporate net-zero transition planning.
TCX stated that unlike Afforestation, Reforestation and Revegetation (ARR) projects, IFM projects are implemented on existing forests. Through measures such as extending rotation periods, reducing harvest volumes, and improving management practices, IFM projects increase forest carbon stocks. The projects listed on the platform are located in Maine, where conventional forestry has historically relied on clear-cutting or intensive harvesting. By shifting forest management strategies, the projects not only generate emission reduction benefits but also protect clean water sources and enhance biodiversity, aligning with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to growing demand for location-based carbon offsetting, TCX added that the introduction of North American IFM credits supports corporate demand for geographically specific offset solutions.
Regarding integrity, TCX incorporates reference guidelines by Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment, alongside satellite remote-sensing technologies and U.S. official databases, to assess natural risks including wildfire, flooding, and pest outbreaks, ensuring that projects meet additionality and permanence requirements.
TCX added that platform members may now log in to access project information and trade credits. The exchange will also co-host a forest carbon project training course with Taiwan’s Forestry Research Institute in January 2026.
Sources: Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange
