Carbon credits Archives

Mar 25, 2025

Carbon credit auditors suspended for failures in sham rice-farming offsets

Verra has taken unprecedented action against four certification bodies that overlooked integrity problems with the projects. But the worthless credits still need to be compensated

Mar 11, 2025

Will Indonesia’s new carbon market be a climate solution or a game for big players?

As palm oil and timber companies gear up to profit from carbon trading, the government must ensure transparency and a fair deal for Indigenous communities

May 7, 2025

First carbon credit scheme for early coal plant closures unveiled

Proponents hope carbon markets can offer new funding for costly transition from coal to renewables. But concerns have been raised over the risk of low-integrity credits

Mar 7, 2025

Most cookstove carbon credits ruled out of quality scheme in integrity push

The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market has rejected widely used rulebooks for cleaner cooking, which will require projects to switch to more rigorous methods

Jan 31, 2025

Shell dodges paying compensation for sham carbon credits in China

The energy giant exited the failed projects after Verra asked for redress, but a legal expert says Shell should be held responsible

Dec 13, 2024

Experts quit carbon market watchdog in row over quality label for forest credits

Two ICVCM expert advisors have resigned from their positions over what they called a “problematic precedent” set with the REDD+ decision

Oct 31, 2024

Verra’s plan to review carbon credits faster with fewer staff raises integrity concerns

Verra’s new CEO said that “faster does not equal to compromise on integrity” – but independent carbon market experts are sceptical

Oct 3, 2024

Guyana’s carbon-credit deal to protect forests undermines its forest protectors

Guyana’s Indigenous communities are under siege from all sides – including an opaque carbon-offsetting scheme agreed by the government on our lands

Sep 27, 2024

Amazon state that will host COP30 strikes “largest carbon credit sale in history”

A coalition of governments and multinational corporations promises to pay Pará state $180m to save its rainforest

Aug 30, 2024

Verra axing of Shell’s rice-farming carbon credits in China fuels integrity fears

The carbon market standard found “serious” quality issues with the projects, prompting questions about their initial approval

Mar 7, 2024

Fossil fuel firms seek UN carbon market cash for old gas plants

Fossil fuel companies that built gas power plants more than a decade ago are hoping for rewards from a new carbon credit market

Feb 2, 2024

“Shameful”: Shell uses carbon credits under investigation to meet climate targets

The oil and gas giant offset part of its emissions with over a million credits from Chinese projects suspended because of integrity concerns

Jan 18, 2024

Junk offset sellers push to enter new UN carbon market

Renewable energy schemes make up four-fifths of Kyoto-era projects hoping to keep selling offsets under Article 6, sparking concerns over the credibility of the new market.

Dec 29, 2023

Ten climate questions for 2024

The US election and negotiations on a new global finance target are the most important things for the climate in 2024

Dec 28, 2023

Six takeaways from 2023’s climate change news

Fossil fuel fights, finance struggles, a resurgent relationship, and much more. We recap the most impactful international climate developments in 2023.

Dec 20, 2023

Countries go ahead with carbon deals despite Cop28 standoff

The US and EU couldn’t agree on common rules for bilateral carbon trades in Dubai, leaving a vacuum for voluntary certifiers

Dec 13, 2023

Carbon credits talks collapse at Cop28 over integrity concerns

The EU and allies rejected proposed carbon trading rules that followed a “light-touch” approach favoured by the US

Nov 23, 2023

Meet the Italian fugitive advising Emirati start-up Blue Carbon

Samuele Landi has been convicted for bankruptcy fraud in Italy. That was no problem for the UAE firm doing forest carbon credit deals across Africa.

Sep 7, 2023

A wolf in sheep’s clothing: why Africa should shun carbon markets

Turning Africa into a source of carbon credits will benefit polluters and middlemen, not most Africans and not the planet

Aug 1, 2023

As Guyana shows, carbon offsets will not save the Amazon rainforest

With all their flaws, carbon offsets are not the solution to deforestation of the Amazon rainforest – leaders should acknowledge that

Jun 8, 2023

World Bank set to take on risk of insuring carbon credits amid market upheaval

As a growing number of developing countries tighten control over carbon markets, MIGA plans to step in to provide political risk insurance and facilitate investments.

May 23, 2023

Verra boss steps down after criticism of its carbon credits

The carbon credit certifier has both grown rapidly and faced mounting integrity accusations during outgoing CEO’s tenure.

May 4, 2023

Verra’s revamped forest offset programme comes under fire

Verra picked a controversial carbon credit verifier to review its new forest offset rules and critics say the changes don’t fix the problem

Mar 28, 2023

Revealed: How Shell cashed in on dubious carbon offsets from Chinese rice paddies

Shell’s rice farming offset projects are under review. Climate Home found them riddled with accounting loopholes and questionable integrity claims.