Since trading of voluntary carbon offsets first took off in the late 2000’s, voluntary carbon projects have helped to reduce, sequester, or avoid over 437.1 MtCO2e–equivalent to notconsuming over one billion barrels of oil. These projects are supported by companies, individuals and governments purchasing carbon offsets, whose growing demand resulted in a record-high of 42.8 MtCO2e retired in 2018.
Yet the carbon markets landscape is changing fast. New compliance markets, in the form of domestic carbon pricing schemes, international trading through the Paris Agreement, or the international airline industry’s CORSIA program, may generate unprecedented levels of demand for carbon offsets. How those markets are designed and implemented will determine whether voluntary carbon markets thrive, adapt, or diminish.
To reflect the rapidly changing carbon markets landscape this year, we are excited to announce our new mini-report, Voluntary Carbon Market Insights: 2018 Outlook and First-Quarter Trends, that examines the key trends that have emerged in the first quarter (Q1) of 2018. In this report, we present:
- Key findings from the last decade of voluntary carbon project activity.
- New insights about 2018 first-quarter trends of voluntary carbon offset issuances, transactions, and retirements.
- Upcoming policy decisions that might radically change the voluntary carbon markets in upcoming years – including an extended analysis of CORSIA.
