Carbon Markets

Carbon markets allow companies and governments to ‘offset’ their carbon footprint by purchasing credits generated by projects that reduce emissions or avoid releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. While not a new idea, the concept has undergone a revival in recent years.

Project accreditation and demand for carbon credits to support net-zero plans has spiked since the 2021 Glasgow climate summit. Some projections suggest carbon markets could grow to be worth as much as $100 billion per year. The way these markets evolve will be of critical importance to the world’s chances of meeting global climate targets.

ARIA provides intelligence and analysis to inform a broad set of partners seeking to ensure carbon markets are conducive to climate action. We have provided detailed analyses of burgeoning voluntary carbon markets to media and civil society partners, informing scrutiny of the principal players and market architecture. We have supported efforts to hold major sporting events to account on ‘carbon neutral’ pledges. And we will continue to analyse corporate and country net-zero pledges to understand their intersection with voluntary and compliance schemes.