This handbook from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is a guide to unlocking the potential of natural climate solutions. Published in April 2023, it explains natural climate solutions in the context of carbon markets, considering how these mitigation solutions can be scaled. It also addresses the key challenges facing the market at that time.
Released in April 2023, the G7’s principles for high-integrity carbon markets are a resource for stakeholders working on both the demand and supply side of the VCM. By following these principles, the G7 suggest that stakeholders can take full advantage of the VCM’s potential. However, these principles are non-exhaustive and, as the science develops, will need further refinement to ensure they continue to reflect best practices.
The EU Commission adopted the Green Claims Directive in March 2023 to prevent companies from making misleading claims about their environmental impact. This is relevant to buyers of carbon credits to ensure they abide by the Green Claims Directive when promoting their climate action.
Set in a context of market criticism, the paper from The World Economic Forum addresses the challenges (lack of transparency, equity and quality) facing current carbon markets. Published in March 2023, it focuses on the potential of digital technology to help build the next generation of carbon markets that are free from these issues and can better deliver climate mitigation, biodiversity preservation and positive social impacts.
This report focuses on an important group of climate stakeholders: consumers. Published by Boston Consulting Group in March 2023, it is insightful reading for businesses looking to understand their clients’ perceptions of carbon credits. This survey, based on 1,320 consumers, found that greater transparency is needed for consumers to engage with carbon credits. It found a willingness among consumers to learn more about carbon credits and to switch brands if one offered offsets and the existing one did not.
Published in February 2023, this report from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) helps carbon credit buyers conduct thorough, credible due diligence before purchase. Buyers want to be certain that the projects they buy from deliver impacts for the climate, nature and people. The TNC spoke to 24 demand-side actors to help define best practices for due diligence.
Published in February 2023, this Abatable report is aimed at investors and companies who are currently supporting projects in the voluntary carbon market. It is intended to help them in navigating emerging policy and regulatory risks.
It’s widely recognised that climate solutions need finance. But how can this be achieved? This briefing paper, published by The World Economic Forum in January 2023, considers the state of finance in the voluntary carbon market and makes a series of recommendations to help it scale. These include engaging with the ICVCM and VCMI’s work and publicly declaring participation to help signal demand. It also offers guidance to help businesses build evolving carbon credit portfolios over time.
“Respecting Indigenous peoples’ cultural knowledge, rights and responsibilities will boost the resilience and long-term impact of landscape conservation and restoration projects,” the report writes. Published by The World Economic Forum in January 2023, this is essential reading for project developers as they plan and establish carbon projects. It is not appropriate to work on or near Indigenous land without seeking the free, prior, informed consent of the people to whom it belongs. The report shares ALIVE – a framework for action.
This resource is useful for those interested in carbon dioxide removal. Released in January 2023 by multiple funders, it covers both tech-based and nature-based carbon removal strategies, explaining their storage timescales and mitigation potentials. It says that novel CDR solutions are growing more rapidly than conventional techniques, but that these conventional methods already take approximately 2 GtCO2 from the atmosphere every year.