Integrating permanence into greenhouse gas accounting for agrifood systems
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Assessing permanence is a critical consideration in project-level greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting to ensure that reported mitigation outcomes are durable and continue to deliver climate benefits over time. In agrifood systems, permanence encompasses both the stability of carbon stocks and the sustained implementation of emission-reducing practices. However, evaluating permanence remains challenging due to complex biophysical, socioeconomic and institutional factors, limited data, and uncertainty in how practices and policies will be maintained over the long term. This report reviews the concept of permanence and examines how it is addressed across major climate finance, international financial institutions and voluntary carbon market frameworks. It explores how risks of reversal and non-continuation may be interpreted when applying the Environmental eXternalities ACcounting Tool (EX-ACT), including considerations of carbon stock longevity, adoption persistence, and potential disturbances. The report also discusses key limitations and practical challenges, including data availability, context-specific conditions, overlapping interventions, and the need for informed judgment in risk-informed interpretation.The report does not prescribe a definitive methodology or replace established accounting standards but highlights structured approaches and areas where further refinement could support more transparent and credible consideration of permanence in agrifood mitigation projects within EX-ACT, strengthening the reliability of reported GHG balances.