What is the Rainbow carbon standard, and how does it relate to Riverse?
Rainbow is a carbon crediting standard and registry for engineered carbon removal, including biochar, rock weathering and mineralisation. Earlier press coverage used the name Riverse, and riverse.io now leads to Rainbow. It is ICROA-endorsed, became an ICVCM CCP-Eligible programme in March 2026, and Frontier approved it as a credit issuer in May 2026.
What it certifies
- Removal: industrial and distributed biochar, enhanced rock weathering, mineralisation of alkaline materials and biobased construction materials. A BECCS methodology was in development in March 2026.
- Separate methodologies for closed-kiln and open-kiln distributed biochar.
- The open-kiln methodology asks for more readings from integrated temperature sensors, drier biomass and stricter feedstock rules, and it is the first Rainbow methodology that requires an external digital MRV system.
Who checks and who issues
Independent, accredited validation and verification bodies validate each project and verify its credits. Rainbow then issues the credits on its own public registry.
Recognition so far
- ICROA endorsement in May 2024.
- ICVCM CCP-Eligible programme from March 2026. Each methodology still needs ICVCM approval before credits carry the CCP label.
- Frontier credit issuer from May 2026. A Frontier supplier can use Rainbow once Frontier also approves the Rainbow protocol for its removal approach.
Worth knowing for India
Rainbow's list of accredited verifiers includes one accredited by NABCB, India's national accreditation board for certification bodies. Confirm the verifier's sector scope covers your activity before you sign.
What Senseible does here
Rainbow's open-kiln method asks for sensor temperature data and external digital MRV. Senseible's offline field app and kiln sensor temperature logs keep that evidence per batch, ready for the verifier.
- Carbon removal projects
- Puro, Isometric or Verra for biochar
- Digital vs paper MRV
- Carbon credit platforms
Sources: Rainbow, Updates: ICROA endorsement (29 May 2024), ICVCM approval, Frontier approval and press coverage under the Riverse name; riverse.io redirects to rainbowstandard.io, Rainbow, The Rainbow Standard: advisory board and accredited validation and verification bodies, Rainbow, Rainbow officially approved by the ICVCM under its Core Carbon Principles (5 March 2026), Rainbow, Frontier approves Rainbow as a credit issuer (12 May 2026), Rainbow, Why distributed biochar needs two methodologies (2 June 2026)
Last reviewed 2026-11-02.