Last year, the overall value of the global carbon market was $1.4B, flat over 2023 and down slightly from $1.7B in 2022, reflecting continuing fallout from the critical press about the questionable quality of carbon credits. The voluntary market grew slightly (3%), though nature-based carbon removal projects were on pace to grow by 50%. Yet, they still represent only 4% of carbon credit issues in the voluntary carbon market between 2022 and 2024.  While the market is poised to grow this year, it has a long way to go before contributing in meaningful ways to halting the rise in global temperature. For details and some prognostication of the future,  see Carbon Direct's State of the Voluntary Carbon Market in 2024.

More on Nature-Based Offtake Deals

The Climate Trust announced a $2 million investment, in partnership with Inlandsis and Montana Land Reliance (MLR), to fund two grassland conservation easements in southeast Montana. These perpetual no-till easements, managed by the Montana Land Reliance, aim to protect soil carbon and support a 38,000-acre family owned and operated ranch. This initiative is part of The Climate Trust's Grassland Conservation Carbon Program, which promotes sustainable land stewardship across the Great Plains.  

“We are doing easements with folks who wouldn’t otherwise be able to do them. The carbon is another revenue stream to keep the ranch in business.”

- Brad Hansen, Conservation Program Director, Montana Land Reliance

The Climate Trust, a small nonprofit carbon developer that is one of some 2,000 mostly larger carbon entities across the globe, has thrived by sticking to its knitting: facilitating nature-based projects on forestland and grasslands.  Since its founding in 1997, the Trust has completed projects that have sequestered 9.8 million metric tons of carbon.  We sat down with Julius Pasay, the Trust's executive director, to get his perspective on the voluntary carbon market and some of the challenges and opportunities in advancing nature based projects. See his interview here. 

See the interview here!

The American Forest Foundation (AFF) has launched the AFF Carbon Auction, a new way for businesses to buy carbon credits more easily and transparently. This auction model gives buyers access to important project details before bidding, helping them make informed choices. It also requires partial upfront payments to fund sustainable forestry projects, directly supporting family forest owners. This initiative helps companies reach net-zero goals while benefiting rural communities and fighting climate change.

“The American Forest Foundation Carbon Auction is a win-win-win for America’s rural forest owners, buyers and the planet. This auction offers companies an easier way to purchase carbon credits and meet their climate mitigation goals while providing the necessary upfront funding to make a transformative impact for rural landowners, communities and nature."

- Rita Hite, President and CEO at AFF

Chestnut Carbon has entered a long-term agreement with Microsoft to provide high-quality, nature-based carbon removal through its afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation (ARR) project in the Southern U.S. One of the largest ARR offtakes in the U.S. will deliver over 7 million tons of carbon removal credits.