Future role for voluntary carbon markets in the Paris era

This report analyzes the future of voluntary carbon markets under the Paris Agreement, warning that 'double counting' of emission reductions could lead to negative climate impacts. It proposes three viable models—contribution claim, NDC crediting, and non-NDC crediting—and recommends focusing on ambitious host countries and challenging mitigation projects.

• The transition to the Paris Agreement creates risks regarding 'double counting,' where a single emission reduction is used for both voluntary offsetting and a country's national target. If these outcomes are claimed more than once, voluntary carbon market engagement may have a negligible effect or result in a negative impact on the climate.
• The analysis identifies three potentially viable models for voluntary carbon markets in the Paris era: 'contribution claim', 'NDC crediting', and 'non-NDC crediting'. The attractiveness of these models is expected to shift as countries increase the scale of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• To maximize climate impact and mitigate risks, the report recommends that voluntary market activities prioritize project host countries with ambitious NDC targets and focus on project activities that represent challenging mitigation options.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2020). Future role for voluntary carbon markets in the Paris era. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/future-role-for-voluntary-carbon-markets-in-the-paris-era

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Future role for voluntary carbon markets in the Paris era. 2020. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/future-role-for-voluntary-carbon-markets-in-the-paris-era.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Future role for voluntary carbon markets in the Paris era |date=24 November 2020 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/future-role-for-voluntary-carbon-markets-in-the-paris-era |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2020future, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Future role for voluntary carbon markets in the Paris era}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2020}, month = nov, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/future-role-for-voluntary-carbon-markets-in-the-paris-era}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }