#Carbon Offset/Carbon Credit Market

[poojagblog-blog]

The global Carbon Offset/Carbon Credit Market is expected to grow from USD 414.8 billion in 2023 to USD 1,602.7 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 31.0% according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets™. The voluntary carbon market continues to play a critical role in that transition by helping to channel funding into projects that reduce carbon emissions or remove carbon from the atmosphere. Since, the need to curb global warming has significantly increased, the carbon offsetting has become fundamental to achieving net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions. Increasing investments in carbon capture technologies and solutions along with the rise in projects that are helping communities and creating social impact, is expected to drive the carbon offset/carbon credit market.

[dsiddhant]

Carbon Offset/Carbon Credit Market is projected to reach USD 1,602.7 billion in 2028 from USD 414.8 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 31.0% according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets™. The Carbon Offset/Carbon Credit Market growth has been attributed to rising global warming and the need to remove carbon from the atmosphere. 

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The impoverished imagination of neoliberal climate “solutions

This morning (Oct 31) at 10hPT, the Internet Archive is livestreaming my presentation on my recent book, The Internet Con.

There is only one planet in the known universe capable of sustaining human life, and it is rapidly becoming uninhabitable by humans. Clearly, this warrants bold action – but which bold action should we take?

After half a century of denial and disinformation, the business lobby has seemingly found climate religion and has joined the choir, but they have their own unique hymn: this crisis is so dire, they say, that we don't have the luxury of choosing between different ways of addressing the emergency. We have to do "all of the above" – every possible solution must be tried.

In his new book Dark PR, Grant Ennis explains that this "all of the above" strategy doesn't represent a change of heart by big business. Rather, it's part of the denial playbook that's been used to sell tobacco-cancer doubt and climate disinformation:

https://darajapress.com/publication/dark-pr-how-corporate-disinformation-harms-our-health-and-the-environment

The point of "all of the above" isn't muscular, immediate action – rather, it's a delaying tactic that creates space for "solutions" that won't work, but will generate profits. Think of how the tobacco industry used "all of the above" to sell "light" cigarettes, snuff, snus, and vaping – and delay tobacco bans, sin taxes, and business-euthanizing litigation. Today, the same playbook is used to sell EVs as an answer to the destructive legacy of the personal automobile – to the exclusion of mass transit, bikes, and 15-minute cities:

https://thewaroncars.org/2023/10/24/113-dark-pr-with-grant-ennis/

As the tobacco and car examples show, "all of the above" is never really all of the above. Pursuing "light" cigarettes to reduce cancer is incompatible with simply banning tobacco; giving everyone a personal EV is incompatible with remaking our cities for transit, cycling and walking.

When it comes to the climate emergency, "all of the above" means trying "market-based" solutions to the exclusion of directly regulating emissions, despite the poor performance of these "solutions."

The big one here is carbon offsets, which allows companies to make money by promising not to emit carbon that they would otherwise emit. The idea here is that creating a new asset class will unleash the incredible creativity of markets by harnessing the greed of elite sociopaths to the project of decarbonization, rather of the prudence of democratically accountable lawmakers.

Carbon offsets have not worked: they have been plagued by absolutely foreseeable problems that have not lessened, despite repeated attempts to mitigate them.

For starters, carbon offsets are a classic market for lemons. The cheapest way to make a carbon offset is to promise not to emit carbon you were never going to emit anyway, as when fake charities like the Nature Conservancy make millions by promising not to log forests that can't be logged because they are wildlife preserves:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/18/greshams-carbon-law/#papal-indulgences

Then there's the problem of monitoring carbon offsetting activity. Like, what happens when the forest you promise not to log burns down? If you're a carbon trader, the answer is "nothing." That burned-down forest can still be sold as if it were sequestering carbon, rather than venting it to the atmosphere in an out-of-control blaze:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/07/26/aggregate-demand/#murder-offsets

When you bought a plane ticket and ticked the "offset the carbon on my flight" box and paid an extra $10, I bet you thought that you were contributing to a market that incentivized a reduction in discretionary, socially useless carbon-intensive activity. But without those carbon offsets, SUVs would have all but disappeared from American roads. Carbon offsets for Tesla cars generated billions in carbon offsets for Elon Musk, and allowed SUVs to escape regulations that would otherwise have seen them pulled from the market:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/11/24/no-puedo-pagar-no-pagara/#Rat

What's more, Tesla figured out how to get double the offsets they were entitled to by pretending that they had a working battery-swap technology. This directly translated to even more SUVs on the road:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Tesla,_Inc.#Misuse_of_government_subsidies

Harnessing the profit motive to the planet's survivability might sound like a good idea, but it assumes that corporations can self-regulate their way to a better climate future. They cannot. Think of how Canada's logging industry was allowed to clearcut old-growth forests and replace them with "pines in lines" – evenly spaced, highly flammable, commercially useful tree-farms that now turn into raging forest fires every year:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/16/murder-offsets/#pulped-and-papered

The idea of "market-based" climate solutions is that certain harmful conduct should be disincentivized through taxes, rather than banned. This makes carbon offsets into a kind of modern Papal indulgence, which let you continue to sin, for a price. As the outstanding short video Murder Offsets so ably demonstrates, this is an inadequate, unserious and immoral response to the urgency of the issue:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/14/for-sale-green-indulgences/#killer-analogy

Offsets and other market-based climate measures aren't "all of the above" – they exclude other measures that have better track-records and lower costs, because those measures cut against the interests of the business lobby. Writing for the Law and Political Economy Project, Yale Law's Douglas Kysar gives some pointed examples:

https://lpeproject.org/blog/climate-change-and-the-neoliberal-imagination/

For example: carbon offsets rely on a notion called "contrafactual carbon," this being the imaginary carbon that might be omitted by a company if it wasn't participating in offsets. The number of credits a company gets is determined by the difference between its contrafactual emissions and its actual emissions.

But the "contrafactual" here comes from a business-as-usual world, one where the only limit on carbon emissions comes from corporate executives' voluntary actions – and not from regulation, direct action, or other limits on corporate conduct.

Kysar asks us to imagine a contrafactual that depends on "carbon upsets," rather than offsets – one where the limits on carbon come from "lawsuits, referenda, protests, boycotts, civil disobedience":

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/aug/29/carbon-upsets-offsets-cap-and-trade

If we're really committed to "all of the above" as baseline for calculating offsets, why not imagine a carbon world grounded in foreseeable, evidence-based reality, like the situation in Louisiana, where a planned petrochemical plant was canceled after a lawsuit over its 13.6m tons of annual carbon emissions?

https://earthjustice.org/press/2022/louisiana-court-vacates-air-permits-for-formosas-massive-petrochemical-complex-in-cancer-alley

Rather than a tradeable market in carbon offsets, we could harness the market to reward upsets. If your group wins a lawsuit that prevents 13.6m tons of carbon emissions every year, it will get 13.6 million credits for every year that plant would have run. That would certainly drive the commercial imaginations of many otherwise disinterested parties to find carbon-reduction measures. If we're going to revive dubious medieval practices like indulgences, why not champerty, too?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champerty_and_maintenance

That is, if every path to a survivable planet must run through Goldman-Sachs, why not turn their devious minds to figuring out ways to make billions in tradeable credits by suing the pants off oil companies?

There are any number of measures that rise to the flimsy standards of evidence in support of offsets. Like, we're giving away $85/ton in free public money for carbon capture technologies, despite the lack of any credible path to these making a serious dent in the climate situation:

https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/latest-news/energy-transition/072523-ira-turbocharged-carbon-capture-tax-credit-but-challenges-persist-experts

If we're willing to fund untested longshots like carbon capture, why not measures that have far better track-records? For example, there's a pretty solid correlation between the presence of women in legislatures and on corporate boards and overall reductions in carbon. I'm the last person to suggest that the problems of capitalism can be replaced by replacing half of the old white men who run the world with women, PoCs and queers – but if we're willing to hand billions to ferkakte scheme like carbon capture, why not subsidize companies that pack their boards with women, or provide campaign subsidies to women running for office? It's quite a longshot (putting Liz Truss or Marjorie Taylor-Greene on your board or in your legislature is no way to save the planet), but it's got a better evidentiary basis than carbon capture.

There's also good evidence that correlates inequality with carbon emissions, though the causal relationship is unclear. Maybe inequality lets the wealthy control policy outcomes and tilt them towards permitting high-emission/high-profit activities. Maybe inequality reduces the social cohesion needed to make decarbonization work. Maybe inequality makes it harder for green tech to find customers. Maybe inequality leads to rich people chasing status-enhancing goods (think: private jet rides) that are extremely carbon-intensive.

Whatever the reason, there's a pretty good case that radical wealth redistribution would speed up decarbonization – any "all of the above" strategy should certainly consider this one.

Kysar's written a paper on this, entitled "Ways Not to Think About Climate Change":

https://political-theory.org/resources/Documents/Kysar.Ways%20Not%20to%20Think%20About%20Climate%20Change.pdf

It's been accepted for the upcoming American Society for Political and Legal Philosophy conference on climate change:

https://political-theory.org/13257256

It's quite a bracing read! The next time someone tells you we should hand Elon Musk billions to in exchange for making it possible to legally manufacture vast fleets of SUVs because we need to try "all of the above," send them a copy of this paper.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/31/carbon-upsets/#big-tradeoff

[probablyasocialecologist]

The vast majority of the environmental projects most frequently used to offset greenhouse gas emissions appear to have fundamental failings suggesting they cannot be relied upon to cut planet-heating emissions, according to a new analysis.

[...]

Overall, $1.16bn (£937m) of carbon credits have been traded so far from the projects classified by the investigation as likely junk or worthless; a further $400m of credits bought and sold were potentially junk.

[...]

“The ramifications of this analysis are huge, as it points to systemic failings of the voluntary market, providing additional evidence that junk carbon credits pervade the market,” said Anuradha Mittal, director of the Oakland Institute thinktank. “We cannot afford to waste any more time on false solutions. The issues are far-reaching and pervasive, extending well beyond specific verifiers. The [voluntary carbon market] is actively exacerbating the climate emergency.”

[insightreportsunivdatos]

Carbon Offset and Carbon Credit Trading Service Market Growth, Trend and Forecast to 2032

Carbon offset and services relating to carbon credit trading have received increased attention as the international community wakes up to the issue of climate change. There are social demands to reduce emissions from governments, businesses, and persons, thus interest in proper carbon markets is growing. Carbon offsetting enables industries and firms to balance out their emission of carbon through funding projects that will lead to the emissions of lesser carbon or the absorption of GHG. On the other hand, carbon credits serve as a market instrument where stakeholders can buy and sell permission to emit a specified volume of CO2. This article gives an insight into present developments, issues, and prospects of carbon offset and carbon credit trading services.

According to the UnivDatos Market Insights Analysis, the rise of government regulations and carbon pricing, growing investor and consumer pressure, increasing corporate social responsibility and sustainability goals, and rising environmental awareness drive the carbon offset and carbon credit trading service market. As per their “Carbon Offset and Carbon Credit Trading Service Market” report, the global market was valued at USD 23.31 Billion in 2023, growing at a CAGR of about 22.3% during the forecast period from 2024 - 2032 to reach USD XX billion by 2032. 

Access sample report (including graphs, charts, and figures): https://univdatos.com/get-a-free-sample-form-php/?product_id=35111

The Emergence of Carbon Credits

The demand for carbon credits has been rapidly increasing in the recent past due to the increased need for corporations to work towards their sustainable development goals. This rise is mainly due to the increasing voices from shareholders, government bodies, and customers, who are increasingly demanding less emissions. Nation states across the globe have set their climate goals in line with the Paris Accords, putting pressure on firms in the pursuit of carbon-neutral or net zero. Carbon credit trading services have therefore emerged as a key element of organizational climate initiatives where the greatest contributions to emissions are made by sectors such as energy, manufacturing, and transport.

The market for crediting carbon, that is the ability of companies and people to purchase the right to emit for others, has grown. Carbon credits are also realizing their worth with the price per ton of CO2 equivalent enhancing steadily as the demand gradient the supply gradient. This increase of fees may continue to rise in the future especially when more actors announce their net-zero targets and more stringent laws are implemented.

Market Players and Industry Activities

Carbon offset and credit trading are also best being driven by many Multinational companies around the globe. Several large corporations such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Shell have especially taken their bets on carbon offset initiatives. Microsoft Corporation aims to go a step further and be carbon-negative by 2030. Amazon has also come up with its 2 Billion US Dollars Climate Pledge Fund to support sustainable technologies and Shell intends to neutralize its customers’ emissions besides investing in forest conservation and reforestation projects.

Other players, including financial institutions, are also coming into the sector, given the future potential of the carbon credits market. Some of the examples include Goldman Sachs which has invested in carbon offset schemes, and trading platforms. Also, more fintech startups within this market provide carbon credit trading services that are convenient for SMEs as well as individuals. They use blockchain to avoid fraud and check the carbon credit transactions, thus strengthening the market’s credibility.

Related Reports-

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Gear Motors Market: Current Analysis and Forecast (2024-2032)

Middle East Solid State Transformer Market: Current Analysis and Forecast (2024-2032)

Technological Advancements in Carbon Trading

Digital platforms and blockchain are some of the most crucial emerging trends regarding the future of carbon offset and credit trading. Blockchain, in particular, provides an effective mechanism for registering the parties’ carbon credit transactions in a distributed ledger and, therefore, eliminating such significant threats as fraud and double-counting. Other firms like KlimaDAO and Toucan are employing blockchain as an essential tool to tokenize carbon credits so that more parties can invest in these credits.

Similarly, digital marketplaces of carbon credits are emerging into the mainstream markets. Some of these facilities are integrated and efficient to show buyers and sellers of carbon credits such as Xpansiv and Verra’s VCS registry. These platforms not only have the benefit of streamlining the carbon market but also allow small companies to participate in carbon offsetting. This democratization of the carbon market is expected to further inflate the growth of the sector.

Legal Changes and Government Assistance

Policy measures also have an essential influence on the carbon offset and credit trading environment. Carbon prices such as cap-and-trade systems and carbon taxes have been implemented in many countries to encourage companies to lessen their emissions. The largest and most developed emissions trading scheme is the EU ETS being in the European Union which has formed the basis for other countries.

In the United States of America, the Biden administration has demonstrated a good attitude towards combating climate change by planning to bring in more and more investment into new projects in clean energy and carbon offset projects. The U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is also looking into rules that would compel companies that release their financial reports to state the emissions of carbon, which will fuel more demand for carbon offset and credit trading services.

In Asia, China started its national carbon trading system in 2021 which has become the biggest in the world by the amount of emission allowed. It is believed this system will grow in the future and create a market for carbon credits in the region as well as inspire other developing nations.

Click here to view the Report Description & TOC- https://univdatos.com/report/carbon-offset-and-carbon-credit-trading-service-market/

Conclusion

Consequently, the carbon offset and the carbon credit trading services industry stands at a crossroads. Thus, the market will continue to grow with increasing demand from corporations, governments, and consumers. However, some issues must be solved to provide long-term success in the market, including weak standardization and the threat of greenwashing. About future development of carbon offset and credit trading, technological progress, changes in the regulatory environment, and international cooperation will remain the key drivers as the carbon market becomes one of the probably the most important instruments in the fight against climate change and realization of net-zero emissions.

The way forward is going to depend on public and private partnerships as well as strong funding put into sustainable development schemes. As the market grows more and more saturated, carbon trading could prove to be one of the most efficient means of controlling global emissions and transitioning to a cleaner economy. According to the UnivDatos Market Insights Analysis, the rise of government regulations and carbon pricing, growing investor and consumer pressure, increasing corporate social responsibility and sustainability goals, and rising environmental awareness drive the carbon offset and carbon credit trading service market. As per their “Carbon Offset and Carbon Credit Trading Service Market” report, the global market was valued at USD 23.31 Billion in 2023, growing at a CAGR of about 22.3% during the forecast period from 2024 - 2032 to reach USD XX billion by 2032.  

[techninja]

The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Carbon Offsets and Carbon Credits Market

Introduction to Carbon Offsets and Carbon Credits

The carbon offsets and carbon credits market has emerged as a pivotal mechanism in the global effort to combat climate change. Understanding the intricacies of these markets is essential for businesses, governments, and individuals striving to reduce their carbon footprint. This article delves into the fundamental aspects of carbon offsets and carbon credits, their differences, and their significance in the broader context of environmental sustainability.

What Are Carbon Offsets?

Carbon offsets represent a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions achieved through various environmental projects, such as reforestation, renewable energy initiatives, and methane capture projects. These reductions are measured in metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions and can be purchased by individuals or companies to compensate for their own emissions.

Types of Carbon Offset Projects

Forestry Projects: These projects focus on afforestation and reforestation, aiming to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by planting trees or restoring degraded lands.

Renewable Energy Projects: These involve the development of wind, solar, and hydroelectric power plants that displace fossil fuel-based energy sources, thereby reducing carbon emissions.

Methane Capture Projects: Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is captured from landfills, agricultural operations, or industrial sites and utilized for energy production, preventing its release into the atmosphere.

Understanding Carbon Credits

Carbon credits, on the other hand, are tradable certificates or permits representing the right to emit one metric ton of CO2 or an equivalent amount of other greenhouse gases. They are part of cap-and-trade systems implemented by governments to control and reduce overall emissions.

Cap-and-Trade Systems

In a cap-and-trade system, a governing body sets a cap on the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted by all participating entities. Companies are allocated or can purchase a certain number of credits that permit them to emit a specified amount. Those who need to exceed their allowance must buy additional credits from entities that have surplus credits, thus creating a financial incentive to reduce emissions.

Compliance vs. Voluntary Markets

Compliance Markets: These are regulated by mandatory national, regional, or international carbon reduction schemes, such as the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).

Voluntary Markets: These operate outside of regulatory frameworks, allowing companies and individuals to voluntarily purchase carbon credits to offset their emissions. This market is driven by corporate social responsibility and consumer demand for sustainable practices.

The Role of Carbon Offsets and Credits in Combating Climate Change

Mitigating Climate Impact

Carbon offsets and credits play a crucial role in mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change by incentivizing the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. They provide flexibility for businesses to meet their emission reduction targets cost-effectively while supporting projects that generate additional environmental and social benefits.

Driving Innovation and Investment

The carbon market stimulates innovation by encouraging the development of new technologies and practices that reduce emissions. It also attracts investment into sustainable projects, thereby fostering economic growth in green sectors.

Promoting Global Cooperation

By facilitating the transfer of funds from developed to developing countries, the carbon market supports global cooperation in climate change mitigation. Developing countries, which often have significant potential for carbon reduction projects, can leverage these funds to implement sustainable initiatives.

Challenges in the Carbon Offsets and Credits Market

Verification and Certification

Ensuring the integrity and credibility of carbon offsets and credits is a major challenge. Robust verification and certification processes are essential to confirm that the claimed emission reductions are real, additional, and permanent.

Market Volatility

The carbon market can be subject to price volatility due to varying regulatory frameworks, economic conditions, and political factors. This volatility can impact the financial stability of projects and the willingness of investors to participate in the market.

Double Counting

Double counting occurs when a single reduction in emissions is claimed more than once, undermining the environmental integrity of the market. Establishing clear guidelines and robust accounting methods is crucial to prevent this issue.

Future Outlook of the Carbon Market

Expansion of Carbon Pricing Mechanisms

The adoption of carbon pricing mechanisms is expected to expand globally as more countries recognize the importance of pricing carbon emissions to drive reductions. This expansion will likely increase the demand for carbon credits and offsets.

Integration with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The integration of carbon offset projects with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will enhance their impact, ensuring that environmental initiatives also contribute to social and economic development.

Technological Advancements

Advancements in technology, such as blockchain and artificial intelligence, are poised to improve the transparency and efficiency of the carbon market. These technologies can streamline verification processes, reduce transaction costs, and enhance market liquidity.

Conclusion

The carbon offsets and carbon credits market is a vital component of global efforts to address climate change. By providing financial incentives for emission reductions and supporting sustainable projects, these markets drive innovation, foster global cooperation, and promote environmental stewardship. Despite challenges, the future of the carbon market holds promise, with ongoing advancements and expanding participation expected to enhance its effectiveness and impact.

[askgaloredigital]

Carbon Credits vs Carbon Debits: What are the key differences

Confused by carbon credits and debits? This blog unravels the difference, explores their roles in climate action, and paves the way for informed choices towards a sustainable future.

[fcfindia]

Use of ESG Investing

By considering ESG(Environmental, Social, and Governance)  factors alongside financial metrics, investors can gain deeper insights into a company's long-term value, risk management practices. ESG investing can be used to construct investment portfolios that align with an investor's values and sustainability objectives.

[envirotechaccelerator]

Carbon Credits and Offsetting: Balancing Act or False Solution?

by Envirotech Accelerator

Abstract

Carbon credits and offsetting schemes have emerged as popular tools for tackling climate change. However, the effectiveness of these mechanisms remains a subject of debate. This article assesses the role of carbon credits and offsets in climate change mitigation, discussing their potential benefits and pitfalls.

Introduction

The concept of carbon credits and offsetting has gained traction in recent years as a means of balancing greenhouse gas emissions. James Scott, founder of the Envirotech Accelerator, provocatively states, “Carbon credits can be both a boon and a bane — while they may foster emission reduction, they can also create a sense of complacency, inadvertently slowing down genuine progress.” This article scrutinizes the efficacy of carbon credits and offsets, weighing the benefits and drawbacks of these mechanisms in the fight against climate change.

Carbon Credits and Offsetting: An Overview

Carbon credits represent tradable permits that allow the emission of a specified amount of greenhouse gases, typically one ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (Anderson & Newell, 2004). Offsetting, on the other hand, involves compensating for emissions by investing in projects that reduce or remove an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases elsewhere. Examples of offset projects include reforestation, renewable energy installations, and methane capture from landfills.

Potential Benefits

Incentivizing Emission Reduction: Carbon credits create a market-driven approach to emission reduction, encouraging businesses to adopt cleaner technologies and practices (Stavins, 1998).

Funding Climate Projects: Offsetting initiatives can provide vital financial support for climate mitigation and adaptation projects in developing countries (Bumpus & Liverman, 2008).

Raising Awareness: Carbon credits and offsetting programs can raise public awareness of the need for emission reduction and promote sustainable consumption patterns.

Challenges and Pitfalls

Additionality: Critics argue that some offset projects would have occurred regardless of the offset market, leading to no real emission reductions (Schneider, 2009).

Leakage: Emission reductions achieved in one location may inadvertently cause increased emissions elsewhere, undermining the intended environmental benefits.

Moral Hazard: The availability of offsets may discourage more substantial, systemic changes needed for deep decarbonization (Spash, 2010).

Conclusion

Carbon credits and offsetting schemes present both opportunities and challenges in addressing climate change. While they can incentivize emission reduction and finance climate projects, concerns about additionality, leakage, and moral hazard persist. To ensure the effectiveness of these mechanisms, robust monitoring, reporting, and verification systems are crucial. Ultimately, carbon credits and offsets should complement — rather than substitute for — comprehensive climate policies and actions.

References

Anderson, S., & Newell, R. G. (2004). Prospects for carbon capture and storage technologies. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 29, 109–142.

Bumpus, A. G., & Liverman, D. M. (2008). Accumulation by decarbonization and the governance of carbon offsets. Economic Geography, 84(2), 127–155.

Schneider, L. (2009). Assessing the additionality of CDM projects: practical experiences and lessons learned. Climate Policy, 9(3), 242–254.

Spash, C. L. (2010). The brave new world of carbon trading. New Political Economy, 15(2), 169–195.

Stavins, R. N. (1998). What can we learn from the grand policy experiment? Lessons from SO2 allowance trading. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 12(3), 69–88.

Read more at Envirotech Accelerator.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil looks to start-ups in battle to reforest the Amazon

Standing in front of a vast stretch of Amazonian grassland, the forest visible only on the horizon, Renato Crouzeilles and his team attract curious looks from a trickle of passers-by, unaccustomed to seeing strangers in such a remote corner of Brazil.

As director of science at Mombak, a two-year-old reforestation start-up, Crouzeilles is planting 3mn trees across almost 3,000 hectares in the country’s Pará state, in one of the largest such projects aimed at restoring forest in the Amazon biome.

“The biggest challenge in the region is to change the culture. It is not a forest culture, they don’t think about reforestation. What they did in the past was to deforest and then put cows here,” he said.

The Amazonian rainforest absorbs vast amounts of carbon and is a crucial buffer against climate change. But the region has been ravaged by deforestation linked to illegal cattle ranching, gold mining and timber exports. Last year, forested land equivalent in size to 3,000 football pitches was razed every day, according to non-profit environmental group Imazon, with the then-government led by rightwing populist Jair Bolsonaro accused of turning a blind eye.

But with the election in October of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has pledged to end illegal deforestation, environmental protection is again centre stage.

While government efforts have so far focused on bolstering enforcement to prevent the destruction, a series of private companies are working on reforestation. They purchase or lease land, plant trees and generate revenue by selling carbon credits, which buyers use to compensate for pollution produced by their activities. Each offset represents a tonne of emissions avoided or removed from the atmosphere.

Continue reading.

[dsiddhant]

Chicago, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global Carbon Offset/Carbon Credit Market is expected to grow from USD 414.8 billion in 2023 to USD...

[rjzimmerman]

The next big climate target: Ending carbon offset scams. (Washington Post Op-Ed)

Excerpt from this Washington Post story:

Most major airlines now offer customers an add-on to their ticket purchase: the chance to offset the carbon emissions generated by their flight. Guilt-free travel for a few extra bucks: It almost sounds too good to be true. Unfortunately, as new reporting shows, sometimes it is.

Carbon offsets or credits are investments in sustainability projects around the globe that, in theory, conserve enough emissions to counteract those produced by carbon-intensive activities such as manufacturing or jet travel. The projects represent a variety of efforts, including renewable energy development and reforestation schemes. Another popular offset class is forest conservation, touted as protecting trees that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. And it’s not just travelers who can purchase a stake in such projects; corporations and governments have made carbon offsets a multibillion-dollar market by purchasing enough credits to earn their “carbon-neutral” labels.

The catch is that corporate climate pledges hinge on the validity of the offsets they purchase — and many are bogus. A recent investigation by The Post put the spotlight on the Brazilian Amazon, a key locus of forest conservation offset projects. For a carbon credit to be valid, the project needs to have “additionality” — meaning it must save carbon emissions that would not otherwise be reduced. According to The Post’s reporting, however, many projects illegally lay claim to public lands, which are already protected by national governments. So, the companies purchasing these credits — ranging from Netflix to Salesforce to Boeing — aren’t getting what they pay for. The Post’s analysis found no evidence that these corporations knowingly acted improperly, but the programs they bought into nevertheless don’t do much to offset carbon emissions.

The voluntary carbon market — where credits are purchased — appears to be rife with such problems. A lack of additionality is just one way in which they fail to deliver on their promises. To soak up as much carbon as they claim to, offset projects also need to remain in place for the long term and shouldn’t have harmful spillover effects. But, in some cases, a project can sell credits that commit to permanently storing carbon in a newly planted forest — only for that carbon to be released back into the atmosphere when the seller fails to protect the trees from being cut down. Many credits are also inherently difficult to validate: In the Brazilian Amazon, a popular format is the “avoided deforestation” venture. Instead of promising to plant new trees, these projects sell credits simply by committing to protect existing forests. Because there is no way to prove that an area would otherwise have faced unavoidable deforestation, it’s nearly impossible to quantify real carbon savings from such projects.

[probablyasocialecologist]

What do you think of carbon credits?

A non-solution that enriches the wealthy and fails to tackle climate change in any meaningful way.

[readytoplaygod]

Hey look 👋🏼 I'm talking about ~carbon offsets~ this time, wow!

The graph for the cap-and-trade program

Additionality: the amount of GHG reductions that would not have occurred if a carbon reduction project (eg. planting more trees, preserving pleat and wetlands, investing in carbon removal technologies) could not have been undertaken without carbon offset credits

Carbon offset credits: a representation of emission reduction by one metric ton of CO2, acting as proof that an organization has reduced their carbon emissions

Knife's Edge of Feasibility: the likelihood of a project occurring on its own without the support of carbon offset credits. These are projects that could quickly become feasible or infeasible if any variety of variables change in the project (eg. commodity price, technology, market conditions)

[clementine1107]

The Future of Carbon Credits: Introducing CLEMENTINE

The rise of carbon credit markets marks a pivotal shift in the fight against climate change, offering innovative ways to offset carbon emissions while driving economic growth. However, despite its promise, the carbon credit ecosystem faces numerous hurdles that hinder its widespread adoption and impact. To address these challenges, CLEMENTINE emerges as a comprehensive solution, poised to redefine the carbon credit industry by tackling existing limitations and fostering meaningful community engagement.

The Current Landscape: Challenges in Carbon Credit Adoption

Lack of Awareness and Engagement: Many carbon credit projects struggle to build an active community of supporters and users. This lack of engagement limits growth and discourages innovation within the ecosystem.

Verification and Transparency Issues: Traditional carbon credit markets often encounter challenges with verifying carbon reduction projects and maintaining transparency in transactions. These issues undermine trust and slow down adoption rates.

Access and Inclusivity: The carbon credit sector sometimes remains out of reach for small businesses and individuals, with complex processes and limited access to credits.

Enter CLEMENTINE: Transforming the Carbon Credit Ecosystem

CLEMENTINE aims to address these obstacles by creating a more inclusive, transparent, and efficient platform for carbon credits. With a focus on community involvement, verification, and accessibility, CLEMENTINE is set to reshape the carbon credit industry and encourage greater participation in sustainable practices.

At the core of CLEMENTINE’s mission is the desire to create an inclusive platform where anyone can engage with carbon credits, contribute to reducing emissions, and benefit from a growing eco-friendly economy. Our vision is to empower individuals and businesses to make a meaningful environmental impact while promoting transparency and accessibility.

Impact Analysis: CLEMENTINE’s Influence on Key Areas

To understand how CLEMENTINE impacts the carbon credit industry, let’s analyze its effect on key areas:

Community Engagement and Adoption:

Previous Impact: Many carbon credit projects faced difficulties in building active and supportive communities, leading to slow growth and limited impact.

Current Impact with CLEMENTINE: CLEMENTINE focuses on engaging communities through campaigns, token rewards, and easy-to-use interfaces, driving greater participation and adoption.

Verification and Transparency:

Previous Impact: Traditional systems lacked robust verification and transparency, causing trust issues among stakeholders.

Current Impact with CLEMENTINE: CLEMENTINE employs blockchain technology to verify carbon credit projects and ensure transparent, tamper-proof transactions, building trust and credibility.

Access and Inclusivity:

Previous Impact: Access to carbon credits was often limited to large corporations, excluding small businesses and individuals.

Current Impact with CLEMENTINE: CLEMENTINE democratizes access to carbon credits through an inclusive platform, making it easier for everyone to participate in carbon reduction initiatives.

Innovation and Features:

Previous Impact: Traditional carbon credit platforms may have lacked user-centric features and services.

Current Impact with CLEMENTINE: CLEMENTINE introduces user-friendly modules like real-time tracking and AI-based analytics, enhancing user experience and maximizing impact.

Financial Incentives and Inclusivity:

Previous Impact: Past platforms often overlooked financial incentives for users, limiting engagement.

Current Impact with CLEMENTINE: CLEMENTINE offers a rewards-based system, encouraging greater participation by providing tangible benefits for carbon reduction efforts.

CLEMENTINE’s Key Features: Empowering Users and Driving Impact

Carbon Credit Token Module:

This module enables the secure tokenization of verified carbon credits, ensuring transparent issuance and trading. Smart contracts manage the distribution, while KYC/AML procedures validate participants.

Airdrop Module:

The Airdrop module distributes tokenized carbon credits to users, enhancing awareness and participation. Customizable eligibility criteria and automated distribution ensure fair and widespread engagement.

Staking Module:

Users can stake their carbon credit tokens to earn rewards and participate in governance. This module promotes user involvement and rewards contributions to carbon offset efforts.

Decentralized Marketplace:

The marketplace allows businesses and individuals to buy, sell, and trade carbon credits directly. Peer-to-peer trading is facilitated through secure and transparent blockchain technology, ensuring accessibility and fairness.

AI-based Analytics:

CLEMENTINE leverages AI to provide users with insights into their carbon footprint and the impact of their credits. This empowers users with data-driven tools to make informed environmental decisions.

Eco-Friendly Wallets:

User-friendly wallets enable secure management of carbon credit tokens across various devices. Integration with hardware wallets and multi-signature features enhances security and control.

Engagement and Rewards Platform:

CLEMENTINE’s rewards platform encourages users to refer others and participate in carbon reduction initiatives, fostering a vibrant and growing community committed to sustainability.

Embracing a Greener Future with CLEMENTINE

As the world confronts the challenges of climate change, the need for innovative carbon credit solutions has never been greater. CLEMENTINE stands at the forefront, driving transformation through transparency, accessibility, and community empowerment.

By overcoming traditional barriers in carbon credit markets, CLEMENTINE is set to revolutionize the landscape, making carbon credits accessible and impactful for all. Join us on this journey towards a sustainable and eco-friendly future with CLEMENTINE.

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Carbon Footprint Calculator For Business

The Carbon Trust offers a comprehensive online tool called the Carbon Footprint Calculator. It allows businesses to measure their carbon emissions across various scopes, including direct emissions from operations and indirect emissions from energy consumption.