Mission
Build credible and reproducible systems for measuring, accounting, reporting, and independently checking environmental outcomes.
TRACE
Transparent Reporting, Accounting, Carbon & Environmental Verification
The measurement, assurance, and sustainable-finance platform of GAINS — translating field observations, Earth observation, and GeoAI into transparent environmental evidence for decisions.
About TRACE
Environmental claims should be traceable to evidence
TRACE is an emerging GAINS platform for measurement, reporting, and verification. It connects field protocols, remote sensing, accounting rules, uncertainty, and transparent documentation so environmental performance can be assessed without overstating what the evidence shows.
Vision
Decisions and investments grounded in transparent data, explicit uncertainty, ecological integrity, and accountable methods.
Principles
Traceable evidence. Conservative claims. Additionality. Permanence. Transparent uncertainty. No automatic equivalence between metrics.
GAINS connection
GAINS and its platforms generate scientific and operational data; TRACE structures the evidence needed for reporting, assurance, and finance-readiness.
Pillars
Four focus areas
TRACE is being developed around the following capabilities. These are program directions, not claims of certification or registry authority.
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01
Spatial MRV
Field, satellite, UAV, and LiDAR evidence integrated through transparent workflows for monitoring, reporting, and verification.
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02
Carbon & nature accounting
Baselines, inventories, additionality, leakage, permanence, biodiversity indicators, and uncertainty reported with clear boundaries.
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03
Supply-chain & ESG evidence
Location-aware environmental footprints and documented evidence that support responsible reporting and risk screening.
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04
Assurance & finance readiness
Methods, data rooms, audit trails, and decision support for projects seeking external review, investment, or recognized standards.
Approach
How TRACE works
A transparent chain from project definition to evidence-based reporting.
- DefineSet boundaries, baselines, indicators, standards, and decision rules before measurement
- MeasureCombine field observations and Earth observation with documented quality controls
- VerifyTest consistency, uncertainty, additionality, and potential sources of bias
- ReportProduce traceable evidence packages without converting estimates into unsupported claims
Collaboration
Pathways ahead
TRACE is in development. It does not currently issue credits, certify projects, or replace accredited validation and verification bodies.
Research partners
Methods collaboration across ecology, Earth observation, carbon accounting, and uncertainty.
Project partners
Pilot MRV and evidence systems for forests, coasts, cities, and circular-economy interventions.
Standards alignment
Methods can be mapped to recognized frameworks after project-specific review.
Training
Coming soon.
Connect
Make environmental evidence auditable
Collaboration on spatial MRV, carbon and nature accounting, transparent reporting, and environmental assurance is welcome.
Email TRACE