What defines high-integrity carbon removal?

As carbon markets mature, buyers are applying increasingly rigorous standards to find the projects that deliver the most significant climate impact for their investment. Credits that meet these strict benchmarks are known as “high-integrity” carbon removals. But what does high-integrity actually mean in practice? Below, we break down four pillars of high-integrity credits and share how Funga’s biodiversity-powered carbon removal lives up to these standards.

No/Low Leakage

High-integrity credits should have a low risk of leakage.

Leakage occurs when a climate solution reduces carbon emissions in one area, only to shift them elsewhere. For example, converting a corn or soy farm into a protected forest would increase carbon storage on that land—but assuming demand for those crops holds constant, land will likely be cleared elsewhere to fill the gap in supply. The shift in the emissions (leakage), means the net benefit to the atmosphere is lessened or even neutralized.

How does Funga stack up?

Funga’s carbon project is uniquely positioned to have no leakage risk, because our intervention creates more timber yield on the same amount of land, not less. By enhancing productivity with soil microbiome restoration, we don’t just avoid straining supply; we actively prepare the timber market for an anticipated increase in demand of this key renewable resource.

Additionality

High-integrity credits must be truly additional—directly attributable to the actions of the project.

Genuine additionality is a carbon benefit that would not have occurred without climate finance. For a carbon registry to issue credits, the project developer must demonstrate why this carbon storage would not have happened without financial incentives afforded by the carbon market.

How does Funga stack up?

If inoculation increases profit, that alone should motivate widespread adoption. Historically, however, forest landowners have been unable to justify the cost of yield-boosting innovations because the financial return is decades away. For example, supplemental nitrogen, a proven yield-booster for timber forests, peaked at 5% adoption in 1999 and has since declined. Tight margins combined with distant payoffs mean most landowners can’t pay for growth-enhancing inputs. Funga’s carbon project eliminates this financial barrier.

Durability

High-integrity credits should create lasting carbon removal.

The durability of carbon credits is the extent to which we expect the additional carbon to stay out of the atmosphere. Stored carbon can be rereleased through human activity or natural cycles, so durability is how we measure the stability of carbon storage rather than assuming permanence. The climate crisis is urgent, and durability should not be prioritized over speed of implementation and impact—but for solutions that are of equal merit in other respects, higher durability is desirable.

How does Funga stack up?

Funga generates carbon removal credits with 100+ year durability. Our inoculation accelerates tree growth, locking carbon into wood biomass. Of the additional wood that our inoculation creates, extensive lifecycle analysis shows that 40% will go into long-lived wood products, such as structural timber. To ensure that our credits are durable, we choose to credit only this 40% fraction, because we can confidently say this portion will stay out of the atmosphere for 100 years or more.

Beyond Carbon Benefits

Ideally, high-integrity credits also benefit the ecosystem and local community.

The best climate solutions don't just remove and store atmospheric carbon; they also restore biodiversity, protect watersheds, and support local livelihoods. For buyers, these benefits ensure the project is both ethical and resilient.

How does Funga stack up?

Funga partners with forest landowners across the Southeastern U.S., where 60% of timberland is owned by individuals or families, not corporations. Where local economies often depend on the health of these forests, Funga provides the technology to increase land value and diversify revenue. By restoring native fungal biodiversity, we equip these forests to better handle climate stress, while supporting the people who steward them.