SHIFT-CM Q&A with YCNCC Research Scientist Sara Kuebbing

This week YCNCC published a Research Update on Science for High Integrity Frameworks to Transform Carbon Markets (SHIFT-CM), a new initiative of the Yale Applied Synthesis Program (YASSP) in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and YCNCC. In advance of publication, YCNCC News sat down with YCNCC and Yale School of the Environment (YSE) Research Scientist and YASSP Research Director Sara Kuebbing to learn more about SHIFT-CM.

YCNCC: What is SHIFT-CM?

SK: SHIFT-CM is a new research initiative designed to address the evidence gaps that undermine trust in natural climate solution (NCS) carbon credits. Through a coordinated network of scientists and practitioners led by researchers at YASSP, YCNCC, and TNC, SHIFT-CM is advancing the science behind the data, methods, and guidance needed to bring greater scientific rigor to carbon accounting. Initial conceptualization and development of SHIFT-CM occurred at a YCNCC-funded workshop at Yale in December 2024.

YCNCC: How can this community of science, civil society, and practice improve the integrity of MRV for natural climate mitigation solutions such as reforestation?

SHIFT-CM operates as a collaborative research initiative designed to ensure carbon market methodologies for NCS are grounded in the best available science. SHIFT-CM focuses on five key research areas, which were identified during a structured gap analysis conducted during the YCNCC-funded workshop in December 2024: 1) Additionality and dynamic baselines; 2) digital measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification (dMMRV); 3) durability risk and management; 4) leakage quantification; 5) reversal risk compensation.

Each research area is led by a dedicated working group of experts who co-develop research priorities, synthesize and generate new evidence, and produce actionable outputs, such as peer-reviewed publications, methodological recommendations, and prototype tools. Findings from SHIFT-CM will feed directly into ongoing standard-setting efforts by engaging with leading registries, project developers, and technical bodies

YCNCC: The academic community has something of a history of “policing” carbon markets. How does SHIFT-CM diverge from this approach in favor of more constructive engagement?

SK: SHIFT-CM is purposefully a community of science and practice that also includes key civil society actors. The initiative’s goal is specifically not to police current or past projects, but rather to use project data at scale – shared from real-word NCS deployments – to conduct protocol intercomparison and other collaborative analyses to inform how we can, working together with industry and civil society, improve protocols and project designs on a forward-looking basis.

YCNCC: What’s next for SHIFT-CM and the YASSP?

SK: The first five working groups were launched in 2025, with new working groups on supply-side and demand-side issues potentially emerging in 2026. SHIFT-CM is actively engaged in fundraising to support expanded activities, including targeted research that strengthens carbon credit quality. The working groups aim to actively collaborate with practitioners to, for example, pilot approaches emerging from SHIFT-CM research. The SHIFT-CM network is continuing to expand and develop new ideas to actively speak to ongoing carbon market debates.