This report from Calyx Global considers whether the VCM is ‘on track’ to raise quality and looks at the state of beyond-carbon benefits (co-benefits) for people and biodiversity. Published in June 2024, it finds that the market values beyond carbon benefits, with projects contributing to the UN SDGs capturing a significant proportion of retirements. While it concludes the market is entering its VCM 2.0 era, it recommends a stronger emphasis on the principle ‘do no harm’.
Curious about natural climate solutions? Interested in investing but not sure where to start? This report, published by ERM Sustainability Institute; ERM; Natural Climate Solutions Alliance; WBCSD and the Forest Investor Club in June 2024, provides practical guidance to companies and financial institutions to invest in high-integrity NCS projects. Its ultimate purpose is to increase the flow of financial capital into these promising, high-impact solutions.
Carbon Tanzania’s 2023 impact report can be read as an example of high-integrity in the voluntary carbon market. Published in May 2024, it is useful for project developers interested in improving community engagement and learning from best practices in carbon revenue sharing. It is also useful for corporates looking for examples of high-quality nature-based climate solutions.
This report from NCS Alliance and WBCSD addresses the role of project developers and communities in natural climate solution carbon credits. Published in May 2024, It includes a blueprint for developing NCS projects covering initiation, feasibility, design and implementation. Section 3 considers how NCS works in practice with a discussion of additionality, FPIC and methodologies.
Published by Meta and Carbon Direct, this report discusses the opportunities for ecological restoration in the VCM. Released in May 2024, it covers barriers for ecological restoration projects in the VCM and provides a roadmap to guide buyers to best support ecological restoration. In 2022, carbon credits from nature-based projects represented about 17% of issuances from the four largest registries. But how to increase this percentage further?
Published by the Biden-Harris Administration in May 2024, this factsheet accompanies the White House’s ‘Joint Statement of Policy and New Principles for Responsible Participation in VCMs’ that confirmed the U.S. government’s approach to advancing high-integrity VCMs. It examples the steps needed to strengthen the VCM to support corporate decarbonisation.
In May 2024, the Biden-Harris administration recognised the potential of carbon credits to support decarbonization efforts, both within the US and globally. This includes emission reduction and removal as well as delivering co-benefits for people and biodiversity. This 12-page statement shares a series of principles for voluntary carbon markets and provides an overview of the state of the market until 2024.
Published in May 2024, Ecosystem Marketplace’s annual state of the voluntary carbon report provides an overview of dynamics in the voluntary carbon market. Drawing on interviews with project developers and credit resellers, it is relevant to those operating in both the supply and the demand sides of the market.
This research from IETA and AlliedOffsets investigates corporate demand for carbon credits and their potential to help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Published in April 2024, it revealed that 81% of companies have not yet set climate targets, highlighting the need to focus criticism and attention on the laggards, not the leaders, of climate action. Those companies that have set targets have exceeded emission reduction goals by an average of 26% for Scope 1 and 2.
Published in April 2024, IETA’s guidelines are designed to help companies incorporate carbon credits into their decarbonisation strategies with integrity. As well as its six specific recommendations, these guidelines contain a useful comparison of the different guidances currently available to companies.