Standard rules, methods, and processes are essential for legitimately translating ecological data into a “credit” that can legally offset an impact. The General Crediting Protocol is the must-read document for all market participants (managers, buyers, sellers, and third parties) as it provides the basic process and framework they need to develop, sell, and buy ecosystem credits. The Protocol packs the big picture of market operations into 29 pages. It describes an integrated, functions-based accounting system that includes the rules governing trades and the metrics required for quantifying ecosystem benefits and impacts. It outlines crediting and debiting and the principles on which it is founded. There are eligibility requirements for both buyers and sellers including a requirement of additionality.  Eligible projects must then be validated by the Market Administrator, estimated with approved tools, verified by an accredited verifier, registered online, and tracked for the duration that credit is claimed from them.