Forming high-quality carbon credit creation projects
Green Carbon Inc. (CEO: Jun Okita, hereinafter “Green Carbon”), a company engaged in the creation and sale of nature-based carbon credits, has submitted a methane gas reduction project (hereinafter referred to as ‘this project’) to the JCM Secretariat (Joint Crediting Mechanism Secretariat, hereinafter referred to as ‘JCM Secretariat’) for the introduction of AWD technology※1 in rice paddies in five municipalities in Bulacan Province, northern Philippines. We are pleased to announce that public comments on this project began on 17 June 2025, marking the first time for a Japanese company.
〇Public comments announced by the JCM Secretariat can be found here
◆Project Background and Objectives
Green Carbon is engaged in the creation of nature-based carbon credits, primarily in Southeast Asia, and is developing projects in a wide range of fields, including forest conservation, rice paddies, mangrove planting, reducing cow burps, and biochar projects. In addition to developing carbon credit creation projects tailored to the characteristics of each region’s natural resources, Green Carbon utilises satellite data for site selection and monitoring, thereby realising efficient and transparent project management.
The Philippines is one of the countries where we are conducting large-scale operations, but the current situation in the Philippine agricultural sector is that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reach approximately 54 million tonnes per year※2. Of this amount, emissions from paddy fields account for approximately 13 million tonnes (approximately 25% of agriculture-related emissions), and there is a need to reduce these emissions. Against this backdrop, Green Carbon has begun developing a project to reduce methane gas emissions from rice paddies using AWD (alternate wetting and drying) in collaboration with local research institutions from the 2023 fiscal year onwards.
Green Carbon has submitted the project design document (PDD) for its AWD introduction project in rice paddies, which is already underway in five municipalities (Baliwag, Pulilan, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, and San Rafael) in Bulacan Province, Philippines, to the JCM Secretariat operated by the Japanese and Philippine governments. Currently, documents related to this project (Reference Number: PH008) are publicly available, and a public comment period is open until 17 July 2025.
〇Overview of methane gas reduction project in Bulacan Province through introduction of AWD technology in paddy fields
| Ref No. | PH008 |
| Location of project | Country: Republic of the Philippines Region/State/Province etc: Province of Bulacan City/Town/Community etc: (1) Municipality of Baliwag; (2) Municipality of Pulilan; (3) Municipality of San Miguel; (4) Municipality of San Ildefonso; (5) Municipality of San Rafael Latitude, longitude:(1) N14°54’11” and E120°51’11”; (2) N14°57’00” and E120°54’00”; (3) N15°04’00” and E120°56’00”; (4) N15°08’45” and E120°58’24”; (5) N 15°01’48” and E120°52’48” |
| Name of project participants (Philippines) | University of the Philippines – Los Baños (UPLB) |
| Name of project participants (Japan) | Green Carbon, Inc.; Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.; Fuyo General Lease Co., Ltd. |
| Name of third party entity (TPE) | TPE-PH-002 EPIC Sustainability Services Private Limited (EPIC) |
| Starting date of project operation | 01 Aug 24 |
| Expected operational lifetime of project | 10 years |
| Methodology No. | PH_AM004 Ver1.0（Reducing methane emissions from paddy fields through water management） |
〇Public comments initiated within the JCM Secretariat
◆Project Details
This project will be promoted through industry-academia collaboration, with Green Carbon, Nippon Koei Co., Ltd. and Fuyo General Lease Co., Ltd. participating from Japan, and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), which leads local agricultural research, participating from the Philippines. Additionally, Fuyo General Leasing Co., Ltd. will participate as a co-developer, and the JCM credits generated through this project are scheduled to be distributed among the developers.
2025年7月17日まで意見募集（パブリックコメント）が行われ、2024年8月1日より本プロジェクトが開始、10年間の運用を予定しています。排出削減量の算定には、JCM方法論「PH_AM004 Ver1.0（水管理による水田からのメタン排出削減）」を適用し、検証は第三者機関であるEPIC Sustainability Services Pvt. Ltd.が担当することで信頼性と透明性を担保したプロジェクト運用を実施します。
◆How to utilise JCM credits
In early February 2025, the world’s first methodology for reducing methane emissions from paddy fields was approved under the JCM between Japan and the Philippines. Project registration based on this methodology will enable agricultural practices that contribute to reducing environmental impact and improving productivity in the Philippines, while also contributing to reducing GHG emissions in Japan.
In Japan, it has been decided that JCM credits can be applied to reduce excess emissions reported by companies on the GX-ETS, and demand for these credits is expected to increase further in the future. In addition, trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Carbon Credit Market is also being considered, and improved trading liquidity is expected. Green Carbon aims to contribute to the decarbonisation of both the Philippines and Japan while ensuring the economic viability of its projects in light of these circumstances.
※1：Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD)
Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) is a method that involves repeatedly flooding and naturally drying paddy fields every few days, using the water level as a guide. Compared to continuous flooding, AWD can reduce water usage, contributing to water resource conservation.
※2：Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM)
The Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) is a system where Japan contributes to greenhouse gas emission reductions in partner countries through the spread of its superior decarbonization technologies, and those reductions are then utilized to achieve the emission reduction targets of both countries. The Philippines commenced the JCM with Japan in January 2017, making project implementation between the two countries possible.
◆ Green Carbon, Inc.
Representative ：Jun Okita, CEO
Location ：2-3-2 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Hanzomon PREX North 9F WeWork
Establishment ：December 2019
Business ：Carbon credit creation and sales business, agriculture-related business, environment-related business, other related businesses and ESG consulting business
URL ： https://green-carbon.co.jp/
◆Verde Carbon Capture Inc,
Representative：Takato Senoo, CEO
Location：Principal office at Suite 6A Adamson Center, 121 L.P. Leviste Street, Salcedo Village, Bel-Air, Makati City, Philippines
Establishment ：June 2024
Business：Carbon credit creation and sales business, agriculture-related business, environment-related business in the Philippines
◆About Green Carbon, Inc. Business
Green Carbon operates with the vision of “Saving the Earth with the Power of Life,” providing comprehensive support from carbon credit creation, registration, to sales. Additionally, we are involved in agriculture-related businesses, research and development, ESG consulting, among others. The business has expanded from Japan and Southeast Asia to Australia and South America, generating natural carbon credits (rice paddies, biochar, forest conservation, carbon farming, mangrove planting, cow burps, etc.). In Japan, we obtained J-Credit certification for rice paddies for the first time in 2023, with the largest amount ever (approximately 6,220 tonnes), and we plan to expand this to approximately 40,000 hectares (approximately 80,000 tonnes) in 2024. In addition, we offer a service called ‘Agreen’ that completes credit registration, application, and sales on a single platform, simplifying the procedures and document creation required for credit application registration and reducing the workload of credit creators.
◆Social media in Green Carbon Inc.
Carbon Credits Journal：https://biz-journal.jp/carboncredits/
Linkedin ：https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-carbon-inc/
Facebook：https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557429326458
X ：https://mobile.x.com/GreenCarbon2019
Wantedly：https://www.wantedly.com/companies/greencarbon2019
Youtube ：https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYO4WnGOHDaVB1ikxheZasA
note ：https://note.com/green_carbon/