Version history
Version history and changes to the Rainbow Procedures Manual
👉 See Archived Rainbow Standard Documents for full versions of previous documents
Change log for Procedures Manual V3.0 Public consultation
Replace V2.2 with V3.0 November 2025, linked with Standard Rules V7 release
Update Teams and stakeholders section with current governance structure
Remove Provisional Credits, continuous issuance, and ex-ante validation
Update Credit Status types and definitions to align with new procedures
New requirements for creation of Rainbow Annual Report, with specific content
Project certification
Methodologies define the crediting period duration
Methodologies define whether projects must update and comply with revised versions of methodologies
Non-conformities procedure for enforcement, consequences, and remediation procedures for project non-conformities
Project documentation
Define project documentation that must be made publicly available
Create procedure for requesting non-publicly accessible project information
New "Registry" section
Outlines organization and user types, user requirements
New IT Security standards, audit, and incident procedure
Revise credit pool block definition
Minimum requirements for various documents
PDDs, methodologies, monitoring plans, audit reports, compliance certificates
Cancelation and compensation
Procedure for compensation if there are insufficient buffer pool credits
Define avoidable and unavoidable reversals, and corresponding buffer pool replacement liability
VVBs
Non-conformities for projects
Move Requirements for Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) file into VVB section of Procedures Manual
New VVB oversight requirements on training, rotation/sequential audits, qualifications/accreditation, trainings, and sanctions
Updated VVB performance review procedure
Detailed requirements for Audit Pland and Audit Report
Change log for Procedures Manual V2.2
Replace V2.1 with V2.2 October 2024, linked with Standard Rules V6.2 release
Replace PDD and Project Design Document with PDD and Project Design document
New ABC policy
Replace some instances of Verification Report with Monitoring Report, harmonized
Create procedures for
Erroneous issuance cancelation
Discontinuing a methodology
Renewing crediting periods
Introduce continuous issuance procedure and eligibility criteria
Publish current Methodology Creation Mandates
Minimum requirements for PDDs
Clarify Project status throughout certification procedure
Change log for Procedures Manual V2.1
Replace V2.0 with V2.1 May 2024
Terminology changes, reflected in the Glossary (notably discount factor and buffer pool). Clearer performance criteria for VVBs, including timeliness, accuracy, and communication metrics. Clarifications regarding compliance with updates to Rainbow Standards or methodologies.
Change log for Procedures Manual V2.0
Replace V1.0 with V2.0 February 2024
More detailed/new procedures related to site registration, VVB protocols, site audits (remote and in-person), methodology creation/revision, RCC management section on provision pools, over/under achievement and reversal/cancelation
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