What is a Registry?

A registry is an organization that maintains detailed, public records of the creation (issuance), trading, and retirement of carbon credits.  All reputable carbon credits also meet a ‘protocol’, often though not always set forth by a particular registry, that spells out standards, methods, and best practices for a particular kind of carbon project.  For instance, the Verra registry authored a protocol that all avoided deforestation projects on their registry must meet, while landfill gas collection projects must meet a United Nations protocol.