PEFC RED III Certification Update — What's New and Why It Matters
- Peterson Solutions Indonesia
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
PEFC Update: RED III Standards Officially Approved for Renewable Energy Compliance
On 8 May 2025, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) General Assembly officially approved the long-anticipated PEFC RED III standards. This marks a major advancement in aligning forest biomass certification with the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive III (RED III), which sets stricter sustainability and greenhouse gas (GHG) requirements across the renewable energy sector.
Strengthening PEFC's Alignment with RED III
The approval represents the final procedural step in PEFC's standard-setting process. It follows a positive technical assessment from the European Commission (EC) in April 2025, confirming the readiness of the PEFC RED III certification scheme. The new standards allow PEFC Chain of Custody-certified organisations to obtain a PEFC RED III certificate, enabling them to demonstrate compliance with the sustainability criteria of RED III.
Organisations not yet PEFC-certified can also access this framework by simultaneously obtaining both the Chain of Custody and RED III certificates. PEFC RED III certification is applicable worldwide and covers forest biomass, processing residues from forest industries, ligno-cellulosic waste, and fuels derived for heating, cooling, and electricity generation.
Key Differences Between PEFC RED II and RED III
Aspect | PEFC RED II | PEFC RED III |
Legal Alignment | Based on RED II (Directive 2018/2001) | Fully aligned with RED III (Directive 2023/2413) |
Certification Structure | Separate from PEFC Chain of Custody | Integrated with PEFC Chain of Custody with added requirements |
GHG Emissions Reporting | Default values acceptable | Requires reporting of actual or default values for full traceability |
Geographic Scope | Primarily EU-based adoption | Global applicability |
Compliance Pathways | Single-level compliance mechanism | Multi-level: Level A (risk assessment) and Level B (evidence-based) |
Documentation Requirements | Less prescriptive | More detailed audit trail and mandatory documentation |
Risk Assessment Framework | Not formally defined | PEFC ST 5004 enables recognised Level A national/subnational tools |
Key Features of PEFC RED III Certification
The newly adopted PEFC RED III scheme is a revision of the previous RED II framework and introduces several core comp onents:
Expanded Scope: It includes additional requirements for both certified organisations and certification bodies, defined under PEFC ST 5002 and ST 5003 respectively.
GHG Calculations and Declarations: Certified producers must report default or actual GHG emissions values throughout the supply chain.
Level A Risk Assessments: PEFC ST 5004 provides a mechanism for developing recognised national or sub-national risk assessments that verify compliance with harvesting and land-use carbon stock criteria under Article 29 of RED III.
Multi-level Compliance Options: Forest biomass producers in countries with recognised Level A risk assessments are eligible for simplified compliance pathways. Where such assessments are lacking or partial, Level B compliance applies through additional PEFC certification and documentation.
Implementation and Global Relevance
PEFC RED III certification can be adopted by economic operators globally and is designed to ensure harmonised implementation while offering flexibility to suit different regional contexts. The PEFC scheme integrates seamlessly into the broader EU compliance framework by supporting data traceability and regulatory reporting obligations.
This milestone reinforces PEFC's commitment to credible, transparent certification and provides renewable energy operators with a trusted route to demonstrate RED III compliance through sustainably sourced forest biomass.
Peterson Solutions Indonesia stands ready to support your transition to PEFC RED III certification. We offer tailored services including gap assessments, certification readiness support, and training on GHG emissions reporting and risk documentation.