Since the last Gitcoin round, dMeter has been working to assess how to create a project onboarding tool to bring positive impact initiatives on chain. Initially we were thinking that we could use Hypercerts alone as the project onboarding tool. However, we have now come to the realization that Hypercerts does not allow for large data inputs and lacks structure in how it points to data. The good news is that a Hypercert can be used as a stepping stone in the project onboarding process. Hedera and the Managed Guardian Service have created one of the leading frameworks for bringing environmental monitoring methodologies on chain. The Managed Guardian Service works with Hedera Hashgraph and IPFS to point to large data sources and structure the way it points to data. Digitizing an onboarding methodology with the Managed Guardian Service, impact initiatives from around the world can provide the data inputs for this methodology and begin their on chain journey. Once all data inputs are provided and the methodology is complete, a Hypercert can point towards the reference location. Impact initiatives have more of an impact than just on carbon. Often times, carbon is missing out on the big picture when it comes to acknowledging the positive impact of community based reforestation initiatives. We must shift our perspective and appreciate the holistic benefits that result from these regenerative actions. Enter the Ecological Benefits Framework (EBF), a powerful structure that paves the way for compelling stories about the positive impacts. EBF encompasses six vital components - air, water, soil, biodiversity, equity, and carbon. The Ecological Benefits Framework and the community behind it, have created an onboarding methodology. This methodology we are now working on digitizing with the Managed Guardian Service so that impact initiatives can begin their on chain journey. We have been working with a select group of impact initiatives to better understand their onboarding process. This has been done by providing funding for community based reforestation and afforestation projects to be used as incentives for projects to participate in the WebTree initiative (largely lead by Silvi). The impact initiatives participating in WebTree are largely Refi Local Node and Green Pill Chapters. These vibrant communities of visionaries, pioneers, and catalysts are united in pursuing a regenerative economy and often have some skill set in web3 technology. Once the onboarding methodology is digitized it’ll apply a holistic EBF lens to assess the actions. Through this it will gather valuable data, secured in a data claim NFT and linked to the respective Hypercert. This adds credibility and validation to these impactful endeavors. Methodologies will further solidify the benefits gained from these remarkable actions (such as amount of clean air, water, etc.). From scaling the MVP we aim to further how we implement dMRV in localized contexts to support regenerative actions and value the benefits from them. About Our Organization dMeter’s dMRV System dMeter is unique in the dMRV space in that we are facilitating the development of a robust, diverse, distributed, decentralized MRV ecosystem that offers options to land users, project developers & community/citizen scientists. It's about public accountability. Public accountability that is necessary to accomplish any kind of effective, comprehensive payment for ecosystem services marketplace, or for natural capital accounting purposes, or to hold polluters to account. MRV consists of three distinct features, all of which are vital to conveying legitimacy of regenerative projects (such as tree planting) or environmental actions (ESG commitments) to stakeholders. Monitoring is the process of measuring the total ecosystem and social services provided by the project. Measurements may be collected through satellite, IOT, georeferenced imagery from boots on the ground, as well as surveys that empower experts & citizen scientists. Reporting involves describing i) measured data, ii) the methodologies that were used to collect and analyze the data, and iii) potential biases as well as assumptions that went into the data collection/analysis. Verification refers to the review process involving a third party that is utilized to ensure the confidence in the validity of the uploaded data and methodologies. Decentralized measurement, reporting and verification (dMRV) means that no single entity will own, manage or regulate how MRV is done. Instead a collective of people from many different organizations can build upon and improve this dMRV system. For current accreditation standards a combination of on the ground data collection, satellite sensing and IOT devices are used to back the credits. Utilizing web3 mentality, trust minimized data collection methods can be created. An example of this is to write open codes for actions that used to be performed by humans, like detecting a tree and the species of tree it is. Other data collection technologies can become integrated into this system as they become standard in the future. Once the data is collected, open source reporting and verification methodologies can be utilized to analyze the data. Entities that collect the data and create the analysis methodologies are paid each time data is used and an analysis done. This inspires entrepreneurs to build specialized dMRV services which can benefit further regenerative projects. The entire dMRV allows for standardization, trustlessness, immutability, transparency, and open accessibility. This paves the way for decentralized data backed credits. These credits are tied to a specific regenerative action and entity who carried out the action continuously updated over time as more data is gathered. This data and the methodologies used to analyze it is stored permanently and immutably. The collectors of this data are the owners of it, allowing for sensitive data to be fully controlled by its owner. The dMRV would assist regenerative projects across blockchains and be interoperable with any new blockchain that came into existence. Every entity that is involved with this dMRV helps to iteratively improve upon it. With this, local communities can become more deeply involved with how the regenerative projects they carry out go through the dMRV process as well as tap into funding that was not previously available to carry out these projects. Along with that the diversity and veracity of Natural Capital assets being valued can exponentially increase. Past Work Operations dMeter has formed an unincorporated nonprofit association in the USA with an employer identification number and is in the process of exploring creating a 501c3 nonprofit. Our member base can be seen here https://sobol.io/d/public/refidao/circles Hypercert EBF MRV Pilot During ReFi week, an incredible regenerative action took place - 700 trees were planted! This impactful initiative has created a buzz in the community, with a hypercert as reference of the action. Silvi, ReFi DAO, and Traditional Dream Factory have claimed a large percentage of the hypercert, playing vital roles in making the planting a reality. dMeter helped to encourage the collaboration of these organizations and the overall structuring of the Hypercert to meet Ecological Benefits Framework criteria. IRL Implementation Ogallala Life IRL Pilot Projects located in Central and Southern High Plains, initially near Amarillo TX.Jon Ray Creek / upper camp pasture, a few hundred acres with stretch of (ex)intermittent watershed suitable for leaky weirs and/or subsurface and sand dams. Livestock to be excluded for few year initial establishment, install check dam cascade and revegetate riparian, then reintroduce rotational grazing along shoulders. Tecovas springs and creek, a half-mile or so stretch of more or less intact string of wetland pools but suffering incision, sedimented reservoir, gullying and decreasing extent and connectivity of watershed. Focus to control erosion and encourage recharge higher in landscape, for improved spring flows here and along parallel watercourses. Landowner's project with our advisement and consultation, and ability to document and record. Livestock to be excluded from certain pasture and buffers constructed or implemented further downstream, and grazier has committed to more intensive management. Bushland playa, or segments thereof. Early pilot here to focus on strips of playa, exclude livestock and document plant species and recovery - what native seed stock exists in soils, and what interventions if any need be directed towards sedimentation and facilitating connectivity between subsurface and surface waters. This pilot project has been getting monitored for around a year. The actions have been monitored through IOT devices from Athena Network and recently powered by Althea’s network connection technology. The IOT devices have been able to continuously collect data about the wind, humidity levels, temperature and other variables. Methodology Creation Member organizations of dMeter created the Open Trees methodology during Sustainable Blockchain Hackathon of Protocol Labs and won first place. This methodology combines remote-sensing (IoT & Satellite), reputation-sensing (DIDs & VCs / Passports), and human sensing. It is an 'Adaptive Agroforestry & Smallholder Stewardship' methodology based on these different types of sensing techniques. Instead of creating the entirety of the methodology, what was created was the data storage framework that this methodology could utilize. Now the methodology is getting further developed through a month long study in Sicily. Data Claim Resolution NFT- Filecoin Green This project allowed for standardization of data collection among projects that implement it. The data is stored on IPFS until it is ready to be utilized. Member organizations that have implemented it so far include Regen Network, Eco Labs, Silvi and Athena Protocol. The standardization of data through this system created data schemas for different types of ecological claims. For instance, create distinct schemas for trees, geolocation, and regenerative project types. Once adopted these standardized schemas to ensure compatibility and ease of data aggregation. It also ensures that all data collected by dMRV tools include essential metadata, such as timestamps, geolocation, and device information to enhance the claim verification process. The design of the NFT with IPFS leveraged IPFS content-addressing and distributed nature. Assign each data item a unique CID to ensure data integrity and tamper resistance, leveraging existing frameworks such as co2.storage. It also created a directory structure or a decentralized database to index and organize the data efficiently, making it easier to locate and cross-reference claims. Code Connect Code Connect has created a framework with which to incentivize open source contributions. Examples of such contributors are people that create open source methodologies for ecosystem service valuation, the creators of the data claim resolution NFT system, decentralized infrastructure providers, etc. By incentivizing such contributions these open source contributors are more likely to become involved as a stakeholder with dMeter. Ecological Benefits Framework Activator A number of our member organizations recently went through a 6 month activator. An unprecedented activator and collaboration of climate experts, web3 and blockchain technologists, carbon registries, standards organizations, environmentalists, academics, impact investors, and the ReFi Community in support of an accelerated response to our planet’s greatest challenges. This was facilitated by the organization called the Lexicon. The Lexicon has created the Ecological Benefits Framework (EBF). This framework is getting massively adopted. Newday is an example of one organization that has already adopted EBF into their investment thesis