Introduction about carbon credits
Many businesses that pledged to participate to global carbon neutrality can’t fully eliminate their emissions, or even lessen them as quickly as they might like. Carbon credits are then necessary to offset emissions they can’t get rid off by other means. The voluntary carbon market also permits direct private financing to go to climate-action projects that would not otherwise get off the ground.
The history of the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM)
Carbon trading started formally in 1997 under the United Nations’ Kyoto Protocol on climate change which had more than 150 nation signatories. The Voluntary Carbon Market has grown since the Paris agreements in 2015, reaching more than $2 bn in 2021. This level has more or less stabilised in 2022, despite a difficult macro-economic context. According to various studies, the market could grow 10 to 20 times by 2030.
Riverse’s role in the Voluntary Carbon Market
Riverse is a standard for the certification of carbon credits on the voluntary carbon market. Riverse offers its own carbon credit methodology and a carbon measurement, verification and monetization platform for Greentech and circular economy projects in Europe.
What to expect in this handbook
The Voluntary Carbon Credit market is often misunderstood and underestimated, plagued by numerous misconceptions and misguided assumptions. This handbook explores the 10 most recurring misconceptions we have experienced at Riverse, to shed light on the carbon credit mechanism and increase transparency on the market.
