about us

ART ensures the environmental and social integrity of GHG emission reductions and removals from the forest sector to catalyze new, large-scale finance for forest countries that are enhancing ambition to protect and restore forests

About Us

ART is a standalone, independent program that develops and administers standardized procedures for crediting emission reductions and removals from national and large sub-national REDD+ programs.

ART is governed by an Advisory Board of Directors consisting of globally recognized experts and operated by an independent Secretariat, hosted by Winrock International. 

ART’s standard for the measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification of emission reductions and removals from the forest sector — The REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard, known as TREES — represents the next step in the evolution of global efforts to protect and restore tropical forests.

TREES supports transformational climate action at scale, while upholding rigorous social and environmental integrity.

Governance

ART is financially overseen by the Board of Managers of Environmental Resources Trust (ERT) LLC, a wholly-owned nonprofit subsidiary of Winrock International. The ERT Board assumes fiduciary responsibility for the organization and operates according to robust bylaws.

ART is governed by an independent Advisory Board of Directors whose members represent a diverse group of objective, globally recognized experts. The Advisory Board is responsible for strategic guidance and for ensuring ART’s environmental and social integrity are in line with its Immutable Principles.

Daily operations of ART are managed by the ART Secretariat, hosted by Winrock International. The latest annual report, prepared by the Secretariat, can be downloaded here.

 

Board of Directors

The Advisory Board oversees ART’s implementation in accordance with the evolving UNFCCC processes and guarantees good governance, transparent rules, and processes that assure quality and adequate safeguards. ART Advisory Board members have all agreed to the ART Board Charter and the ART Ethical Standard. Advisory Board members serve in their personal capacities, not as representatives of their organizations or of particular stakeholder groups.

ART Advisory Board Meeting Minutes are available to the public.

Secretariat

The ART Secretariat, hosted by Winrock International, is responsible for the operation of the ART program, including the development of The REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard (TREES) and overseeing the registration, verification and issuance of Board-approved TREES Credits on the ART registry.