Groundwork BioAg's Rootella Carbon programme, which uses mycorrhizal inoculants for carbon dioxide removal, has secured a 'BBB' carbon rating from BeZero Carbon. This rating follows an initial credit issuance of 19,568 tCO2e in June 2026, verified by SCS Global under Verra's VCS. The programme aims to issue 245,000 tCO2e by Q1 2027 and 500,000 tCO2e by Q4 2027. This validation addresses historical scepticism in soil carbon sequestration by employing direct measurement, a 26.43 per cent uncertainty deduction, and distributing up to 70 per cent of net proceeds to farmers.
US biofuels firm Gevo has secured a three-year carbon dioxide removal (CDR) agreement with an unnamed enterprise software company for its North Dakota bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) facility. Environmental asset management platform Ceezer will procure and manage a five-figure volume CDR portfolio on behalf of the customer through to 2029. This agreement follows a recent transaction for Gevo to sequester 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide at the same site. The arrangement reinforces market demand for industrial-scale biogenic carbon removals and demonstrates the commercial viability of integrating CCS with domestic ethanol production.
Sylvera reported that announced carbon credit offtake volumes, excluding Microsoft, almost trebled in the first three quarters of 2026, rising from 8 million to 23 million tonnes. This increase indicates a widening pool of forward buyers in the voluntary carbon market. The data highlights a growing trend of developers securing pre-issuance commitments, with one Latin American ARR developer using a Pre-Issuance Rating to secure an offtake for 65% of future credits.
Regreener has released a guide for companies on how to responsibly purchase carbon credits, aiming to help them avoid common pitfalls such as overpaying or acquiring indefensible credits. The guide outlines a process for defining climate goals, understanding credit quality, and navigating market terminology and standards. It advises companies to set credit volumes based on emissions, choose a mix of avoidance and removal credits, and ensure credits are verified and retired on a public registry. The publication also addresses evolving claim regulations, noting the EU's Empowering Consumers Directive will ban 'carbon neutral' product claims based on offsetting from 27 September 2026.
Sylvera has identified four distinct decarbonisation levers for corporate strategies: physical low-carbon commodities, environmental attribute certificates (EACs), avoidance or reduction carbon credits, and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits. The company notes that while traditional approaches focused on emissions reduction and carbon credit offsets, the market now offers more diversified options like lower-carbon steel and ammonia. Regulatory frameworks such as SBTi and the GHG Protocol are still evolving to address these new levers, with revised rules expected through 2027 and 2028. Sylvera suggests that a diversified approach across these levers can reduce risk, lower costs, and improve stakeholder defensibility compared to relying on a single method.
Sylvera has published an explanation of marginal abatement cost curves (MACCs) and their application in corporate carbon procurement. A MACC ranks emission reduction options by cost per tonne of CO2e and total abatement potential, offering a more comprehensive view than simple price lists. The firm notes that MACCs help companies identify the most cost-effective pathways to meet emissions targets, particularly when cheaper options have limited supply. Sylvera advises that building a MACC for carbon procurement involves defining boundaries and targets, inventorying and costing all options, and accurately sizing each abatement lever.
Sylvera has published an explanation of the 'book-and-claim' mechanism, detailing its application for decarbonising heavy industrial supply chains. This system allows producers to sell physical low-carbon products locally while selling the associated environmental attribute to a different entity, tracked by a registry to prevent double-claiming. The mechanism is particularly relevant for heavy industries like cement, steel, and aviation fuel, where physical transport of low-carbon alternatives is often impractical or emissions-intensive. Sylvera distinguishes between mature energy attribute certificates (EACs) for Scope 2 emissions and nascent environmental attribute certificates for Scope 3, noting differences in market maturity and pricing transparency.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has released version 2.0 of its Net-Zero Standard, incorporating changes from two public consultations and pilot tests. A key update is the replacement of 'Beyond Value Chain Mitigation' (BVCM) with 'Ongoing Emissions Responsibility' (OER), which integrates carbon removals and neutralisation. From 2035, Category A companies will be required to support carbon removals under the OER framework, impacting credit buyers. Companies submitting new targets after 31 January 2028 must use V2.0, with the validation portal for V2.0 submissions expected to open in Q1 2027.
The VCMI has released the 'Article 6 Senior Officials’ Handbook', a new policy tool designed to assist policymakers in 77 climate-vulnerable countries with engaging in international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The handbook aims to support these nations in navigating the complexities of Article 6 mechanisms. This initiative was announced on 14 October in Bangkok, Thailand, in advance of COP31. The VCMI's involvement underscores a focus on ensuring equitable participation and benefits from carbon markets for vulnerable economies.
The durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) market saw approximately 362,000 tonnes contracted in June 2026, driven by multiple significant deals. Altitude and Equilibrium signed an 8-year, 180,000-tonne biochar offtake, while JP Morgan Chase agreed to purchase 61,500 tonnes from Charm Industrial and invested $20 million in the company. Microsoft secured 36,920 tonnes of enhanced weathering credits from Alt Carbon and purchased North America's first certified direct air capture (DAC) credits from Deep Sky. TD Bank also signed agreements for 18,000 tonnes of CDR with Deep Sky and a multi-pathway portfolio with Climeworks Solutions.
As of 20 June 2026, 40 US projects have issued approximately 850,000 net tonnes of CO₂e removals through Puro.earth and Isometric registries. These certified durable carbon removal projects have grown rapidly since 2022, with annual issued credits increasing from 29,000 tonnes in 2023 to 460,000 tonnes in 2025. Projects are distributed across 22 states, with the South hosting 17 projects and the West 13 projects. Biochar carbon removal currently dominates certified deployment, though other pathways are emerging.
BeZero Carbon's latest analysis, utilising AlliedOffsets' project-level price assessments, indicates a clear price premium for higher-rated carbon credits at the sector-region level. The study found that across Sub-Saharan African Cookstoves, Latin American Avoided Deforestation, and North American Improved Forest Management, higher-rated credits consistently commanded higher prices than lower-rated or unrated credits within the same category. This price-rating relationship has reportedly strengthened significantly over the past two years in these actively traded market segments. The findings suggest that credit ratings are increasingly influencing market value in specific VCM sectors.
Singapore has approved Verra's VM0010 Improved Forest Management (IFM) methodology for use within its International Carbon Credit (ICC) Framework. This addition brings the total to three Verra VCS forest carbon methodologies eligible under the framework, alongside VM0048 REDD+ and VM0047 ARR. Companies liable for Singapore's carbon tax can use eligible ICCs to offset up to 5% of their taxable emissions. The specific eligible methodologies vary by the implementation agreements Singapore has signed with 12 host countries.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Xpansiv have opened a new procurement event for airlines to acquire CORSIA Phase I eligible emissions units throughout November 2026. This initiative, part of the IATA Aviation Carbon Exchange (ACE), introduces new features such as tailored requests for proposals, registry custodial services, and a deferred payment option available until December 2027. These tools aim to simplify transactions and address procurement barriers for airlines needing to meet compliance obligations for CORSIA's first phase, which covers 2024 to 2026. Project-level information for the November event is expected to be released on 21 October.
The BRICS Business Council has proposed a voluntary carbon market framework for agriculture and nature-based solutions, aiming to direct most credit-sale proceeds to farmers. The plan, presented at the BRICS Business Council's annual meeting in New Delhi, calls for shared carbon accounting standards, digital monitoring, and integration with existing international carbon registries. This initiative seeks to overcome high MRV costs that have historically excluded smallholder farmers from VCM participation. Pilot projects among BRICS members will test system compatibility before broader implementation. The framework intends to expand the supply of nature-based credits for corporate buyers while channelling climate finance to agricultural producers.
Grow Indigo, in partnership with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), distributed India's first verified agricultural carbon credit payments to over 2,500 smallholder farmers in Punjab and Haryana. These disbursements, averaging Rs 11,478 per farmer, were for practices adopted between 2019 and 2022 under the Verra VM0042 methodology. Grow Indigo provided upfront digital payments, funded by corporate funds, to overcome financial barriers for farmers transitioning to regenerative agriculture. The Aadi carbon farming programme used crop-simulation models and remote sensing to verify practices like direct-seeded rice and reduced tillage. This initiative aims to establish a scalable framework for incentivising soil health and climate resilience in Indian agriculture.
Google has signed an agreement to purchase 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from enhanced weathering company Terradot. The deal also includes the purchase of 1 million metric tonnes CO2e of methane elimination by 2030. This commitment represents a significant corporate offtake in the durable CDR market. Separately, Granitor agreed to purchase 5,000 tonnes of CDR from Stockholm Exergi over five years, starting in 2030, and Salesforce backed 3,661 tonnes of durable CDR pre-purchases through Milkywire across DAC, alkalinity enhancement, and biomass direct storage.
An open letter signed by 130 civil society organisations has called on the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body to suspend the first carbon credits issued under the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism. The credits originate from a cookstove programme in Myanmar, which received approval for Article 6.4 credit issuance in February 2026. Critics allege the project operates in a conflict zone with human rights abuses and that independent analyses by Carbon Market Watch indicate significant over-crediting, by a factor of 14 under CDM and seven under Article 6.4. The organisations urge an independent assessment of the programme, citing concerns over its social and political context and the integrity of its emissions reductions claims.
Residual Carbon has launched a new Buyer Portal, with 25 major buyers already subscribed. The platform provides early access to project pricing, delivery schedules, and risk assessments for carbon removal projects. This initiative aims to streamline the procurement process by offering commercial terms and project details upfront, moving due diligence earlier in the purchasing cycle. The company, founded by executives from BeZero and Oka, seeks to address market demands for greater transparency and efficient transaction infrastructure.
Verra has approved the first carbon credits under its VM0046 Methodology for Reducing Food Loss and Waste, v1.0. The credits were generated by the Brightly – Reducing Food Loss and Waste project (Verra Project 4711), which avoided approximately 720,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions by rescuing 15.3 billion pounds of surplus food between March 2020 and December 2023. This issuance marks the first application of a methodology designed to quantify GHG reductions from preventing food waste, offering a new pathway for carbon finance in this sector. The project, based in the United States, involves 29 independent food rescue organisations.
Carbon credit retirements decreased by 9% year-on-year to 30.6 million in Q3 2026, while the market value of these retirements rose to $211.8 million from $190.6 million, according to Sylvera. The average price per retired credit increased to $6.92 from $5.66. Investment-grade credits (rated BBB or higher) accounted for 18% of rated retirement volume but 42% of rated market value, indicating a premium for higher-quality credits. Renewable energy credits constituted 41% of retirements, with Sylvera rating most of these C or below due to additionality concerns. While overall carbon removal offtake remained down, volumes excluding Microsoft nearly tripled, driven by new buyers like Woodside and Alphabet.
A new report by Carbon Market Watch, 'Verified but not trusted: Do audits ensure carbon credit quality?', concludes that third-party audits fail to guarantee carbon credit quality. The analysis of 15 Verra-registered projects, responsible for 94.3 million retired credits between 2023 and 2026, found all to be 'risky' or 'highly risky' according to major rating agencies. Auditors noted over 450 high-severity issues across 88 audits for these projects but still greenlit them. The report suggests that Verra's audit requirements do not adequately assess project integrity or the quality of climate claims.
The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market's Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) are reshaping the biochar carbon credit sector by establishing a unified quality baseline. This framework requires carbon-crediting programmes and methodologies, including those from Climate Action Reserve, Isometric, and Verra, to undergo rigorous scrutiny for CCP-Eligible or CCP-Approved status. The aim is to address fragmentation in credit quantification, permanence, and additionality, providing an objective benchmark for high-integrity biochar credits. This standardisation is expected to streamline procurement for corporate buyers and enhance pricing power for developers using approved methodologies. Registries securing timely approvals will gain a market advantage in the evolving VCM.
Varaha is developing artisanal biochar projects in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, and Yavatmal, Maharashtra, India. These projects convert waste biomass, such as Prosopis juliflora and cotton stalks, into biochar using Kon-Tiki kilns. The biochar is then applied to agricultural fields, improving soil health and sequestering carbon. Each tonne of carbon removal is digitally tracked, photographed, and geotagged for verification. This initiative aims to provide durable carbon removal and income for local communities.
Dutch utility Eneco has signed a Letter of Intent with Denmark-based Klimate to explore carbon dioxide removal (CDR) opportunities. This expands on Eneco's 2023 co-leadership in Klimate's seed funding round, which raised $3.7 million (€3.5 million). The partnership grants Eneco access to Klimate's CDR platform, project portfolio, and market expertise, aiming to deepen Eneco's understanding of the CDR market and meet customer demand for high-quality removals. Eneco views carbon removal as crucial for addressing residual emissions, complementing its primary focus on emissions reduction.
Cotierra has raised $3 million in funding to scale the commercial deployment of biochar within tropical agricultural supply chains. The investment aims to overcome barriers to biochar implementation in fragmented farming systems, including complex supply chains and MRV challenges. Cotierra will use the capital to expand operational infrastructure, streamline feedstock sourcing, optimise pyrolysis production, and automate carbon credit issuance. This expansion will facilitate increased biochar distribution to improve soil fertility and generate verifiable carbon credits, validating the commercial scalability of agricultural carbon removal.
Pacific Biochar and Humboldt Sawmill Company have partnered to convert sawmill residues into biochar, generating over 6,900 Core Carbon Principles (CCP)-labelled carbon credits. The project, a retrofit to an existing bioenergy facility, is expected to produce approximately 10,000 credits annually over 30 years. This initiative addresses challenges in utilising woody biomass while achieving verifiable carbon dioxide removal in California. The biochar is deployed on agricultural lands, enhancing soil health and sequestering carbon with over 95% projected to remain stored beyond 200 years.
Verde Resources Inc. has expanded its master commercialisation agreement with Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc. in the United States to scale engineered biochar adoption. This collaboration aims to integrate sustainable carbon-sequestering materials into infrastructure, particularly cold-paving and road construction. Additionally, Verde signed a memorandum of understanding with Highway International for a pilot initiative in Singapore. These partnerships establish frameworks for material supply, licensing, and market entry, facilitating the generation of high-integrity carbon credits. The initiatives address the high carbon intensity of the traditional infrastructure sector and barriers to biochar adoption.
Wyoming-based Cowboy Clean Fuels completed its first sale of durable carbon removal credits, providing 500 tonnes of permanent carbon removal to Salesforce. This transaction was part of a 3,661-tonne purchasing round arranged by Milkywire to support early-stage climate technology suppliers. Cowboy Clean Fuels uses a method that injects agricultural processing residues into depleted coalbed methane reservoirs, where microorganisms capture methane for commercial use and bind carbon dioxide to coal formations. The credits for 2026 delivery were independently verified against ISO 14064-2:2019 standards. This deal provides early revenue for a commercial-scale project and supports corporate buyers' long-term sustainability commitments.
Over 30 members of Indigenous communities from Biliqo Bulesa have filed a legal case against the Northern Kenya Grassland Carbon project, operated by Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) in Kenya. This is the second lawsuit by Indigenous communities against NRT and the first directly challenging its carbon project, which has sold nearly 6.2 million carbon credits to companies including Netflix and Meta. The plaintiffs allege NRT converted their land into a conservancy and enrolled it in the carbon project without their free, prior, and informed consent, generating millions in revenue. They are seeking control over their lands, accountability from NRT, and transparency regarding the carbon credit proceeds. Verra, the carbon certifying company, has twice suspended and then reinstated the project, most recently in June 2026.
Direct air capture (DAC) company 1PointFive has sold over 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits through channel partners including CUR8, Supercritical, and Patch. These partnerships enable smaller and medium-sized organisations to access high-integrity carbon removal solutions. The channel partners streamline the purchasing process, making DAC credits available to a wider range of buyers. This approach helps connect large-scale CDR projects with diverse buyer needs, facilitating broader adoption of carbon removal. The sales include credits for large events and year-end portfolio additions.
Anew Climate has signed a ten-year agreement to be the exclusive commercialisation partner for EKEN's improved forest management (IFM) carbon credits from Sweden. The partnership aims to connect corporate buyers with these credits, which are generated under Verra's VM0045 methodology, one of the first IFM methodologies approved for the CCP label. EKEN anticipates issuing 30,000 to 65,000 IFM credits between 2027 and 2031, with the first issuances expected in Q4 2027.
Absolute Climate has released its first Environmental Attribute Certificate (EAC) methodology for natural gas power generation with carbon capture and storage (NGCCS). The methodology aims to provide a standardised framework for quantifying, issuing, and unbundling low-carbon power attributes, allowing project developers to monetise emission reductions separately. This initiative seeks to facilitate financing for CCS deployments by enabling corporate buyers to purchase verified decarbonisation claims. The 45-day public consultation period for the methodology is open until 13 November 2026.
Dutch carbon developer Green Earth reported its carbon credit sales pipeline exceeded $56 million by the end of September, with firm contracted future sales reaching $53 million. This represents an increase from $47 million at the end of June and a 23-fold rise from the end of 2025. A significant contributor is a $4.8 million deal for its Uganda project, covering deliveries from 2027 to 2031, with an option for additional volumes potentially increasing the total to $16.3 million. The growth reflects a trend of buyers securing future carbon credit supply through long-term offtake agreements.
The European Union's ESG Ratings Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/3005) will bring carbon credit ratings under formal EU oversight, supervised by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), starting 2 July 2026. This framework mandates governance, independence, conflict-of-interest management, and transparent methodologies for rating providers. Providers must apply for authorisation by November 2026, with decisions expected in early 2027, and an ESMA public register will list authorised entities. The regulation formalises engagement rights for project developers and aims to differentiate high-quality credits through regulated ratings.
Brightly, a food waste and climate solutions company, has secured the first issuance of Verra carbon credits for a project that diverts edible food from waste streams. The project generated 721,649 Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) from 3.1 billion pounds of qualifying rescued food between March 2020 and December 2023. These credits were issued under Verra's VM0046 methodology, with SCS Global Services providing independent validation and verification, and BeZero Carbon assigning an 'A' ex-ante rating. Most net proceeds from credit sales will be returned to the 198 Feeding America partner food banks and 28 independent food rescue organisations across the U.S. that participated in the project. This initiative establishes a new funding stream for food rescue operations, supporting infrastructure and expansion.
Verra will expand its project review prioritisation pilot from 14 October 2026, allowing projects to pay for faster review of registration, verification, or combined registration and verification requests. Previously, the pilot was only open to projects submitting a second or subsequent verification approval request. Fees for prioritisation range from $15,000 to $30,000, depending on the request type and project standard, plus a deposit towards the anticipated issuance fee, capped at $50,000. Verra states that revenue from these fees will be reinvested to reduce processing times for all projects. The pilot will run until at least March 2027.
The European Commission, EFRAG, and the Nordic Carbon Removal Association (NCRA) are developing communication guidance to incentivise corporate purchases of high-quality permanent carbon removals. This initiative follows a working session at the Carbon Removal Policy Summit in Brussels, where over 200 participants discussed challenges faced by buyers. The proposed guidance aims to address corporate concerns regarding greenwashing accusations and legal exposure, which currently deter purchases. An NCRA outlook suggests 70% of buyers would increase spending on permanent carbon dioxide removal (CDR) if such guidance were available. This effort seeks to stimulate private sector demand, crucial for scaling the European CDR industry ahead of the Commission's planned 250 million tonne CDR purchases between 2031 and 2040.
Swiss climate technology firm Cotierra secured $3 million in a funding round co-led by Carbon Removal Partners and PINC, bringing its total capital raised to approximately $4.75 million. The investment will advance its decentralised biochar operations from field deployments to commercial scale. Cotierra's integrated platform combines reactor hardware with digital software, enabling on-site biochar production and robust monitoring for carbon removal. The company plans to expand beyond the coffee industry into cocoa, cotton, and citrus, establishing decentralised biochar as a core element of regenerative agriculture in tropical regions.
Terrestrial Storage of Biomass (TSB), also known as wood vaulting or biomass burial, is gaining traction as a durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) pathway. This method involves storing waste wood in purpose-built vaults to prevent decomposition and maintain its stored carbon. CDR.fyi's review indicates dedicated methodologies from registries and several suppliers issuing credits, with indicative pricing ranging from $100 to $350 per tonne of CO2. Projects prioritise waste wood that would otherwise decompose or be burned, such as urban waste wood or forest-thinning residue, to ensure a genuine climate solution. Key considerations for project quality include baseline assessment, biomass sorting (coarse woody biomass only), preservation of nutrient cycling, and site-specific engineering to ensure long-term carbon storage.