A high-integrity voluntary carbon market is a key complementary tool to reduce and remove emissions above and beyond what would otherwise be possible and to channel finance towards climate resilient development.
Who We Are
The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (Integrity Council) is an independent governance body for the voluntary carbon market.
What We Do
We will set and enforce a definitive global threshold, drawing on the best science and expertise available, so high-quality carbon credits efficiently mobilize finance towards urgent mitigation and climate resilient development.
Our Theory of Change
Our theory of change is simple: build integrity and scale will follow.
The Core Carbon Principles
The Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) and Assessment Framework (AF) will set new threshold standards for high-quality carbon credits, provide guidance on how to apply the CCPs, and define which carbon-crediting programs and methodology types are CCP-eligible.
Announcements
Joint statement: VCMI and ICVCM call on businesses to urgently decarbonize operations and demonstrate climate leadership
Ahead of COP28, the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) and the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI), representing key...
VIDEOS
Integrity Council’s Chair Annette Nazareth Speaks At Economist Impact’s Sustainability Week
Earlier this March, Integrity Council Chair Annette Nazareth spoke at Economist Impact Events’ Sustainability Week, where she discussed the importance of...
Webinar
Taller de PICL de la ICVCM (español)
https://youtu.be/xn1iQxRAPls Los talleres de los PICL introducen el borrador de las directrices y destacan temas que son de interés específico para los PICL....
Press Releases
Joint statement: VCMI and ICVCM call on businesses to urgently decarbonize operations and demonstrate climate leadership
Ahead of COP28, the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) and the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI), representing key...
Any further delay in concerted global action will miss the brief, rapidly closing window to secure a livable future.
IPCC Working Group II
Co-Chair
The world urgently needs a high-integrity voluntary carbon market
Every ton of greenhouse gas emissions in our atmosphere contributes to global warming and every increment of global warming means the impacts of climate change get larger in frequency and intensity. To avoid the worst impacts from climate change, we urgently need to stabilize GHG concentrations in the atmosphere.
A high-integrity voluntary carbon market is an important complementary tool to reduce and remove emissions above and beyond what would otherwise be possible and to channel finance towards climate resilient development.
A high-integrity voluntary carbon market would be CLEAN
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Catalytic: mobilizing finance towards mitigation, especially into developing countries, accelerating innovation and market uptake of emerging breakthrough technologies
Local: creating jobs and prosperity in local communities, delivering sustainable development of co-benefits, protecting and enhancing the livelihoods of marginalized groups, including indigenous peoples.
Empowering: accelerating implementation of NDCs and Net-Zero commitments, paving the way for increased ambition, helping state and non-state actors go above and beyond.
Additional: channeling finance that would otherwise not be available into GHG removals and reductions that would otherwise not happen.
Nature-positive: protecting ecosystems, particularly forests and natural habitats, promoting nature-based climate solutions.
Catalytic: mobilizing finance towards mitigation, especially into developing and emerging countries, and accelerating market uptake of emerging breakthrough technologies.
Local: creating jobs and prosperity in local communities, delivering sustainable development of co-benefits, protecting and enhancing the livelihoods of marginalized groups, including indigenous peoples.
Empowering: accelerating implementation of NDCs and Net-Zero commitments, paving the way for increased ambition, helping state and non-state actors go above and beyond.
Additional: channeling finance that would otherwise not be available into GHG removals and reductions that would otherwise not happen.
Nature-positive: protecting ecosystems, particularly forests and natural habitats, promoting nature-based climate solutions.
The Core Carbon Principles
Find out more about our Core Carbon Principles and Assessment Framework, which will set new threshold standards for high-quality carbon credits, provide guidance on how to apply the CCPs, and define which carbon-crediting programs and methodology types are CCP-eligible.
Meet the Team
Our team encompasses diverse and world-leading expertise across many forms of knowledge, including climate science and academia, sustainable finance, carbon market methodologies, eNGOs, UNFCCC process expertise, policy and regulation, the corporate sector, Indigenous Peoples and local communities
Our Governance Documents
Explore the Integrity Council’s Charter and Principles that guide our work to achieve a high-integrity voluntary carbon market.
Our Funders
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