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About

VCMI is a multi-stakeholder platform to drive credible, net-zero aligned participation in voluntary carbon markets.

VCMI coalesces stakeholders around a shared vision for voluntary carbon markets to make a meaningful contribution to climate action and limit global temperature from rising to 1.5˚C above pre-industrial levels, while also supporting the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

It connects with, aligns, and amplifies initiatives that share the vision for high integrity voluntary carbon markets.

VCMI also focuses on key areas where there is a clear need for additional work.

This includes:

  • Promoting demand-side integrity to ensure meaningful use of carbon credits for voluntary purposes and the associated business case for scaling high integrity voluntary carbon markets
  • Promoting supply-side integrity and access as countries develop policy options and strategies to promote high integrity voluntary carbon markets, and engaging with supply-side integrity efforts to ensure transparency and assurance.

VCMI’s governance structure is designed to create transparency, build trust, and ensure a diverse range of stakeholders – including government, business, civil society, Indigenous Peoples organizations, and subject matter experts – have opportunities to input into the initiative.

Ten Principles for Voluntary Corporate Climate Action

Vision

A world firmly on track to 1.5 degrees and net zero emissions by mid-century, achieved through a just transition that enhances equality and sustainable development for all.

1.

Science-based action

2.

Comprehensive action

3.

Equity-oriented action

4.

Nature positive action

5.

Rapid action

6.

Scaled-up action

7.

Transparent action

8.

NDC-enabling action

9.

Consistent action

10.

Collective & predictable action

1. Science-based action

High integrity, high ambition private sector climate action is underpinned by the latest scientific consensus on safe upper limits for global warming. As such, the 1.5˚C Paris target is the North Star. Companies align with the science-based mitigation hierarchy, which means delivering emission reductions within their value chains (Scopes 1-3) is a first order priority. This entails the setting of short-term (e.g. 5 year), mid-term (e.g. 5-15 year) and long-term targets (up to mid-century). Different sectors may decarbonize at different trajectories that take into account the special features and conditions of the sector. , Climate targets and roadmaps are regularly reviewed and adjusted in line with the latest scientific consensus on the safe upper limits for global warming.

‘Additional action to finance emissions reductions beyond the company value chain through use of carbon credits – for example, to compensate for as yet unabated or for historic emissions – is in line with best practice standards to ensure they deliver real and quantifiable mitigation. Companies can achieve this by, e.g., (a) applying accurate, conservative baselines, (b) ensuring additionality, (c) including measures to ensure permanence, (d) minimizing and account for leakage, and (e) ensuring to avoid double counting between companies.’ Purchase of carbon credits that finance the protection of nature – tropical forests in particular – is a first-order investment priority over the next 10-20 years since this represents one of the largest, most cost-effective mitigation levers in our toolbox and is critically underfunded, putting the Paris Agreement targets at risk.

As we near mid-century and we make progress on decarbonizing the economy and addressing deforestation and other land-use change, company carbon credit purchases are increasingly made up of emission removal credits to ensure that any unabated emissions are removed in line with the requirements of the net zero global goal. Companies – particularly in harder-to-abate sectors – might start investing into negative emission technologies (both natural and engineered) from today to bring down the cost of removing residual emissions from the atmosphere by mid-century.

In summary, high ambition companies would 1) abate emissions across their value chains in line with a 1.5˚C pathway, 2) engage from today in the voluntary carbon market to finance additional climate mitigation to support the realization of the Paris Agreement temperature goals (prioritizing investments into tropical forest emissions reductions over the next 10-20 years), and 3) ramp up investments into negative emission technologies (natural and engineered) to ensure that any residual emissions at their long-term net zero target date can be neutralized.

For further guidance regarding abatement and neutralization, companies may refer to the Science Based Targets initiative.

2. Comprehensive action

Private sector climate targets and action are built upon accurate and complete GHG inventories in line with the requirements set out in the GHG Protocol. This means companies include all relevant sources of Scope 1 and 2 emissions within their target boundaries, including emissions from land use and land use change, and follow best practice guidance on inclusion of Scope 3 emissions within the target boundaries. For example the SBTi requires that where relevant Scope 3 emissions make up 40% or more of total Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, at least two thirds of Scope 3 emissions should be included in the target.

In addition to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and the SBTi, the framework for comprehensive action set forth by Climate Action 100+ provides a good starting point for VCMI’s principle on “comprehensive action”.

3. Equity-oriented action

Private sector climate action is consistent with achievement of broader SDGs relating to, e.g., poverty reduction, human development, climate adaptation, food security, biodiversity, land restoration, etc. This means that abatement pathways are based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change pathways that are aligned with the delivery of the SDGs – namely the Shared socio-economic pathway (SSP1) with no or limited overshoot. Moreover, companies consider the impacts of transitioning to a lower-carbon business model on their workers and communities.

Involvement in VCMs builds on partnerships between lower and higher income countries. This involves paying a fair price for carbon credits to account for the costs project developers incur to ensure high integrity supply.

Social safeguards that support healthy, inclusive, and resilient livelihoods and economies are applied to the sourcing of carbon credits. Corporate engagement should follow a rights-based approach that safeguards against any violations of human rights and respects the rights of local stakeholders, in particular, the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). Engagement should also empower women, minorities, and other vulnerable groups. The involvement of IPLCs is recognized as particularly relevant in the context of nature-based climate solutions.

4. Nature positive action

Private sector climate action in general, including in the context of VCMs, is aligned with the need to bend the curve on biodiversity and move toward a ‘nature positive’ state of recovery and renewal since the accelerating destruction of nature and climate change are the twin emergencies threatening humanity today. This means reducing and eventually eliminating nature-based emissions from company value chains by, for example, ensuring that there is no conversion of natural ecosystems.

5. Rapid action

In line with the requirements of science, private sector action in the next 10 years is critical if we are to avert potential tipping points for example where carbon sinks turn into sources due to temperature rises. In recognition of this, businesses set and take action to realize both short-term targets (e.g., 5 years) as well as ambitious mid-term (e.g., 5-15 years) and longer-term targets (e.g., mid-century). Priorities in the short- to mid-term includes (but is not limited to) the following:

  • Ending deforestation and conversion of other natural ecosystems
  • Ending the sale of new fossil fuel boilers by 2025
  • Ensuring all new buildings are zero‐carbon‐ready by 2030
  • Increasing renewable energy capacity by 4 times by 2030
  • Halting sales of new internal combustion engine passenger cars by 2035
  • Phasing out all unabated coal and oil power plants by 2040

6. Scaled-up action

Private finance is critical to delivering the Paris Agreement. Therefore, businesses must raise their ambition to make significant investments in climate mitigation outside their value chains as a supplement to within value-chain abatement investments (but not as a replacement). This can be achieved, for example, through supporting VCMs in countries where they operate, where they source commodities, or in countries which are covered by corporate supply chains more broadly.

In this way, VCMs have the potential to channel significant private sector finance over the next three decades into economies with high nature-based climate mitigation potential (most notably in low- and middle-income countries), as well as into other cost-effective mitigation options. This private sector finance is desperately needed – particularly for natural climate solutions, and more specifically, tropical forest protection. As an illustration of the potential scale of impact, if the Fortune Global 500 companies committed to compensating 100% of their unabated Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025, demand for carbon credits would reach to ~5 GtCO2e in that year alone. At an illustrative price of $10/tCO2e, this would cost the Global 500 $25 billion – less than 0.1% of their total revenues and less than 1.5% of total profits.

7. Transparent action

There is a wide discrepancy in terms of the scope and ambition of company “net zero” targets – with different emission sources and gases included, different timelines, different emission reduction trajectories, and different approaches to compensation and use of carbon credits. Companies increase transparency about their approaches following criteria as set out in a recent article in Nature. Companies also implement the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) to effectively report on climate-related risks and opportunities to investors and other stakeholders. Once published, companies would also look to adopt the recommendations of the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures. Companies are also open and transparent about lessons learned as they take action on climate – i.e., what worked and what did not work.

High integrity and high ambition claims that relate to the purchase and use of carbon credits for voluntary purposes meet the following criteria:

  • a) Must be true and accurate.
  • b) Must be clear and relevant to their target audience.
  • c) Must be substantiated with objective, transparent, and up-to-date data.
  • d) Must avoid overstating the beneficial environmental impacts of the activities.
  • e) Must avoid creating a false impression or hiding trade-offs.
  • f) Must refer to voluntary actions or achievements that go beyond complying with existing legislation or standard business practice.

8. NDC-enabling action

Companies accelerate national governments’ efforts to raise the ambition of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, channeling long-term finance toward actions that achieve and enhance NDC implementation efforts. Companies inform governments of VCM projects and initiatives and align VCM activity with government policies. Companies also consider providing finance in support of strengthening governance and investments in creating national and subnational enabling environments, readiness, and implementation capacity. In addition to supporting NDCs, companies advocate for robust compliance markets and carbon-pricing mechanisms.

9. Consistent action

While not directly relevant to VCMs, it is critical that companies ensure their lobbying efforts are not contrary to their commitments and that the powerful industry associations, broad-based business coalitions, and lobbying groups of which they are members act consistently with their company-specific commitments.

A good place to start for U.S. based companies is to adhere to the AAA Framework which sets out actions to execute a science-based climate policy agenda. Another useful resource is the Influence Map corporate climate lobbying platform, which provides clarity on and measurement of how companies influence policy needed to address climate change.

10. Collective & predictable action

Achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement requires a collective effort. No company or country can achieve these goals on its own. There is evidence that collective climate action can lead to results where individual companies working in isolation have failed. For example, the Soy Moratorium in the Brazilian Amazon and the Africa Palm Oil Initiative have helped drive industry-wide shifts to reduce deforestation in their targeted regions.

In recognition of the power of collective action, companies work together with governments and NGOs from low-, middle- and high-income countries to act on climate change. Transitioning to a low-carbon, nature positive future requires sustained, collective action across society. Regarding VCMs, this can be achieved by building predictability of future voluntary demand for carbon credits to give entities confidence to increase the supply of credits in the market. Companies can also pool resources to aggregate voluntary demand for carbon credits to increase certainty and help drive systemic change and meaningful action against the climate crisis.

Mission for The Voluntary Carbon Market

To enable high integrity Voluntary Carbon Markets that deliver real and additional benefits to the atmosphere, help protect nature and accelerate the transition to ambitious, economy-wide climate policies and regulation.

Proposed role of VCMI in supporting global efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement

Initial priorities of the VCMI Initiative

The Paris Agreement

Global goal to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C

1. Vision for The Voluntary Carbon Market

A world firmly on track to 1.5 degrees and net zero emissions by mid-century, achieved through a just transition that enhances equality and sustainable development for all.

2. Ten Principles for High Integrity and High Ambition Voluntary Corporate Climate Action

VCMI proposes Ten Principles which relate to both the supply-side access and demand-side of the voluntary carbon market and are intended to guide country access strategies and corporate climate action and to support the vision for the VCM.

3. Supply-side Integrity and VCM Access Strategies

VCMI will monitor, collaborate with, and engage in efforts to ensure supply side integrity and assist low and moderate income countries develop and implement VCM Access Strategies.

4. Claims Categorisation, Utilisation and Supporting Transparency Criteria

VCMI proposes high-level categorisation and utilisation scheme for claims and associated criteria that can be used by companies to transparently communicate how carbon credits are being utilised as part of their climate mitigation strategies.

Governance

VCMI draws on the expertise and input of a diverse range of stakeholders from civil society, academia, government, business and other relevant initiatives focused on high integrity voluntary carbon markets. The VCMI governance framework is set out below:

VCMI Governance Framework

Steering Committee

Grants Committee

Expert Advisory Group

Secretariat

Country Contact Group

Stakeholder Consultation Contact Group

Rachel Kyte
Co-Chair, VCMI Steering Committee Read More

Rachel Kyte

Co-Chair, VCMI Steering Committee

Rachel Kyte is the 14th Dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University. A 2002 graduate of Fletcher’s Global Master of Arts Program (GMAP) and a professor of practice at the school since 2012, Rachel is the first woman to lead the nation’s oldest graduate-only school of international affairs, which attracts students from all corners of the globe and at all stages of their careers.

Prior to joining Fletcher, Rachel served as special representative of the UN secretary-general and chief executive officer of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). She previously was a World Bank Group vice president and special envoy for climate change, leading the run-up to the Paris Agreement. She was also vice president at the International Finance Corporation responsible for ESG risk and business advisory services.

In her UN role and as CEO of SEforALL, a public-private platform created by the UN and World Bank, Rachel led efforts to promote and finance clean, reliable and affordable energy as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She served as co-chair of UN Energy.

In the 2020 UK New Year Honours, Rachel was appointed as CMG for her services to sustainable energy and combating climate change.

Rachel is a member of the UN secretary-general’s high level advisory group on climate action, and an advisor to the UK government on climate diplomacy. Rachel is chair of the Rwanda Green Fund and chair of the ESG committee of the board of the Private Infrastructure Development Group. She served as an advisor to Spain’s foreign minister on digitalization and diplomacy and co-chairs a global multistakeholder task force on financial principles for a green recovery. She serves on several not-for-profit boards and advises private sector in areas of climate, energy and sustainable development.

A British citizen, Rachel earned her undergraduate degree in history and politics from the University of London. She is a regular contributor on global media. Rachel has received numerous awards for leadership in climate and sustainable development and was named by Time magazine as one of the 15 women leading climate action.

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Tariye Gbadegesin
Co-Chair, VCMI Steering Committee Read More

Tariye Gbadegesin

Co-Chair, VCMI Steering Committee

Tariye is the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment LTD. An investment professional with over 20 years’ experience in finance, principal investments, and infrastructure, Tariye has mobilized over US$3 billion of capital for infrastructure projects in Africa.

Tariye is a member of the Advisory Council of the Millennium Challenge Corporation in Washington D.C., the Advisory Committee on Infrastructure for the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investing (PRI), and the Technical Working Group on Finance and Investment for the United Nations High Level Dialogue on Energy.

Tariye was on the founding team to establish the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a pan African Development Finance Institution with US$6 billion under management where she led several of AFC’s investments in the sectors of power, transport, industrials, & telecommunications. Tariye previously led the US$800 million Industrial and Telecommunications Infrastructure business at AFC.

Her global experience includes roles at the International Monetary Fund, the Boston Consulting Group, & Price Waterhouse Coopers. Tariye holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Amherst College, and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

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Manuel Pulgar-Vidal
VCMI Steering Committee Read More

Manuel Pulgar-Vidal

VCMI Steering Committee

Manuel Pulgar-Vidal is the global leader of Climate & Energy at WWF-International. He has 35 years of experience in environmental law and policy and previously served as Minister of the Environment of Peru (2011 to 2016) and President of the Twentieth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – COP20 in 2014.

Manuel was the Executive Director of the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law, an influential institution in Latin America. He has a law degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, where he is a professor, and completed a master’s degree in Business Law at the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas. He is a board member of Forest Trends, Amazon Conservation Association and Peruvian Society of Environmental Law, and a member of the Assembly of the World Wide Fund for Nature – Colombia.

He is part of the Aspen Institute Management and Leadership Advisory Group, chairman of the evaluation council of the French sovereign Green Bonds, a Global Ambassador for the Race to Zero and Race to Resilience initiatives, and a member of the IUCN Global Standard Steering Committee. He is an active member of different groups aiming to get strong outcomes as a part of the formal climate talks and the non-party stakeholders’ agenda. He has been recognized by the governments of France, Germany, and Spain, as well as by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, for his contribution to the Paris Agreement.

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Pedro Moura Costa
VCMI Steering Committee Read More

Pedro Moura Costa

VCMI Steering Committee

Dr Pedro Moura Costa has been involved in all aspects of climate policy, carbon finance and GHG mitigation projects since 1991, when he developed and ran the first carbon-funded projects worldwide, which involved nature-based solutions implemented by the Sabah Foundation in Malaysia. In 1996, he co-founded EcoSecurities Group Plc, the world leader in carbon trading as listed in the London Stock Exchange and comprising a portfolio of more than 700 GHG mitigation projects in over 50 countries around the world.

More recently, Pedro co-founded BVRio Environmental Exchange, a Brazilian non-profit organisation aimed at promoting market mechanisms to facilitate compliance with environmental laws. Through BVRio, he developed the Responsible Timber Exchange to facilitate the trading of legal timber products; Circular Action Hub, the first global platform to promote the circular economy; and the Responsible Commodities Facility, an initiative to promote the production and trading of zero-deforestation soy in Brazil. Pedro is a Fellow of the IETA, was an Honorary Research Associate of the Smith School at Oxford University and has published over 100 articles and books on climate policy, the science of GHG mitigation, and carbon trading, including as a Lead Author in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that were recognised with a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

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Tuntiak Katan Jua
VCMI Steering Committee Read More

Tuntiak Katan Jua

VCMI Steering Committee

Originating from the Ecuadorian Amazon town of Shuar, Tuntiak began his work in his Tuutinentsa community supporting the organization la Federación Interporvincial de Centros Suhar (FICSH). This work focused on the social and environmental rights of the indigenous communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Tuntiak became the leader of the Territorios y Recursos Naturales en la Confederación de nacionalidades Indígenas de la Amazonia Ecuatoriana (CONFENIAE), engaging with communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon in the construction of the PDI Implementation Plan for the framework of Climate change and REDD+, RIA+, and Sacred Basins.

Tuntiak completed a certificate in Conservation Biology and Natural Resource Management with the Missouri Botanical Garden and studied Applied Ecology and Environmental Management at the University of San Francisco in Quito.

He has led and managed many environmental, social, and linguistic projects in Ecuador and internationally with funding from USAID, NORAD, NICFI, IKI, NFS, National Geographic and others. Since 2018, he has been the Deputy Coordinator of the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA), an indigenous organization represented in nine countries. Since 2019, he has served as the General Coordinator of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, made up of five international indigenous organizations that own more than 600 million hectares of tropical forests throughout the world. His interest is to generate concrete actions in the Amazonian territories, communities, and tropical forests throughout the world.

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Usha Rao-Monari
VCMI Steering Committee Read More

Usha Rao-Monari

VCMI Steering Committee

Usha Rao-Monari serves as the Under Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Ms. Rao-Monari has over 30 years of investment experience and has held several senior positions, particularly in the infrastructure area. She previously served as Senior Adviser to Blackstone’s Infrastructure Group, as Chief Executive Officer of Global Water Development Partners, a Blackstone portfolio company, and held several senior positions, notably as Director of the Sustainable Business Advisory Group at the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group.

She has until recently served on the Boards of a number of organizations in the field of sustainable development and has held a number of Board and advisory positions in the areas of water, natural capital, biodiversity, and environment.

Ms. Rao-Monari holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Finance, School of International and Public Affairs/School of Business, Columbia University, New York, a Master’s degree in Management Studies, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management, Mumbai, India, and a B.A. Honors Economics, Delhi University, New Delhi.

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Sonia Medina
Executive Director, Climate Change, Children’s Investment Fund Read More

Sonia Medina

Executive Director, Climate Change, Children’s Investment Fund

Sonia leads CIFF’s climate change portfolio, which includes vital work on energy and industry decarbonisation, air quality, and food systems transformation. It invests into cross-cutting tactical approaches such as climate diplomacy, litigation, business engagement and communications.

Previously, Sonia was COO of a biomass start-up in Africa. Before this she spent seven years at EcoSecurities, a large carbon offset project developer, where she was US Country Director and Global Head of Origination.

Sonia has worked for UNEP and holds a BSc in Environmental Sciences from Madrid University, an MSc in Environmental Change and Management from Oxford University and an Executive MBA from the London Business School.

In 2009, Sonia was named a World Business Council for Sustainable Development Future Leader; in 2014, a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader; and in 2015, a Rising Talent by the Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society.

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Akim Daouda
CEO, Gabonese Sovereign Wealth Fund (FGIS) Read More

Akim Daouda

CEO, Gabonese Sovereign Wealth Fund (FGIS)

Mr. Akim Daouda is an investment professional with two decades of experience in driving large-scale social and economic development projects and initiatives across the African continent. As the Chief Executive Officer of Fonds Gabonais D’Investissements Stratégiques, the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Gabon, he oversees the execution of the Fund’s strategy, supporting the government’s plan towards energy transition and biodiversity promotion and protection, including leading the world’s first and largest ever carbon credits issuance by a sovereign.

Prior to this role, Mr. Daouda was Chief Investment Officer, managing the fund’s portfolio of $1.9 billion assets. Currently, Mr. Daouda sits on the Africa network advisory board of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), which was created to help unlock investment and support engagement with African financial institutions.

He also sits on the board of several corporate entities, including as the Chairman of the board of Union Gabonaise de Banque, a subsidiary of Morocco’s Attijariwafabank and Gabon’s second largest bank.

He holds a double MSc in International Finance from Westminster University, London, and Skema Business School, Sophia Antipolis, Mr. Daouda is a recipient of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders award and the Tutu Fellowship Programme. He is also a member of the Harvard University Center for African Studies Leadership Council and an Advisory Board Member of The Forum of Young Global Leaders.

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Anirban Ghosh
Chief Sustainability Officer, Mahindra Read More

Anirban Ghosh

Chief Sustainability Officer, Mahindra

Anirban Ghosh heads the Centre for Sustainability at the Mahindra University. He was the $20 billion Mahindra Group’s first Chief Sustainability Officer and shaped Mahindra’s sustainability framework, guided businesses to make ambitious climate commitments and enabled accelerated achievement of goals.

Anirban has held roles in Sales, Marketing and Strategy in the Farm Business of Mahindra. He has been the President of Mahindra USA and has been on the Board of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers in the US. Anirban has delivered lectures at many business schools like Harvard, INSEAD, and Indian Institutes of Management and also been an invited speaker at many international climate conferences. He has been recognised as a “Thought Leader” a “Global C-Suite Sustainability Champion” and a “Top 50 Global Sustainability Leader”.

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Zita Schellekens
Sustainability Director & Special Advisor to DSM Honorary Chairman Read More

Zita Schellekens

Sustainability Director & Special Advisor to DSM Honorary Chairman

Bio coming soon.

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The Country Contact Group provides a forum for governments representing both demand and supply-side perspectives to:

  • Provide insights and perspectives on VCMI work areas and processes, helping actively shape VCMI’s strategic objectives and outcomes;
  • Promote peer-to-peer exchange and learning, as well as interactions with other key stakeholders such as corporate buyers;
  • Engage with VCMI to develop VCM ‘Access Strategies’, which is an offer from VCMI to support an initial handful of countries to identify opportunities for accessing direct investment into country-specific mitigation action, aligning voluntary carbon market finance flows with national climate policy and finance priorities.
Alexia Kelly
Managing Director, Carbon Policy & Markets Initiative, High Tide Foundation Read More

Alexia Kelly

Managing Director, Carbon Policy & Markets Initiative, High Tide Foundation

Alexia Kelly has worked for more than 17 years at the intersection of policy and finance to address the climate crisis. Alexia currently serves as Managing Director of the Carbon Policy and Markets Initiative (CPMI) at High Tide Foundation. The CPMI accelerates ambitious climate action and capital mobilization through robust rules and guidance for voluntary corporate action and disclosures, and by building the next generation of high-integrity carbon and environmental services markets. In this role she serves on the Board of the Integrity Council for Voluntary Carbon Markets (ICVCM) and on the Board of the Advanced and Indirect Mitigation Initiative, as well as on the Expert Advisory Group of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI).

Prior to joining High Tide Foundation, she served as Director of Net Zero & Nature at Netflix, where she led the company’s inaugural greenhouse gas inventory, renewable energy strategy, Science Based Target and global carbon credit portfolio. Previously, she worked at the U.S. Department of State, where she served as lead negotiator to the UNFCCC on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. She has also held senior roles at the World Resources Institute, The David and Lucille Packard Foundation, The Climate Trust, and in private equity.

She currently serves on the Board of Craft3, a non-profit Community Development Finance Institute focused on equitable access to finance, and as the Global Co-Chair of the Global Climate Action Partnership. She resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children.

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Almir Narayamoga Suruí
Chief of the Paiter Suruí People Read More

Almir Narayamoga Suruí

Chief of the Paiter Suruí People

As Chief of the Paiter Suruí People, Almir Narayamoga Suruí is an accomplished Brazilian Indigenous leader. From a young age, Almir was the Head of the Indigenous movement in Rondônia, leading one of the largest negotiations with the Federal Government to guarantee the integrty of the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau Territory. In conjunction with the Ministry of the Environment, Almir helped to develop the Territorial and Environmental Management Plan of Indigenous Lands, an initiative replicated in several demarcated Indigenous lands throughout Brazil. Almir was elected counselor of the CNPI – National Council of Indigenist Policy, a collegiate body that defines the Indigenist policy of Brazil. He has led reforestation projects and advocated for the protection of the Amazon rainforest against illegal logging.

Having studied Applied Biology at the Catholic University of Goiás, Almir has also received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR). He was awarded the title of “Hero of Technology” by Google for leading an initiative in partnership with the technology company to bring internet access to the Paiter Suruí People, developing their skills in IT, the use of GPS and Google Earth. Among other awards, Almir has been awarded the title of “Human Rights Defender” by the International Society of Human Rights, as well as the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation. In 2013, he was elected by the UN as “Hero of the Forest”.

At COP-15 in Copenhagan, Almir helped to launch the Suruí Carbon Project, offering the world a unique alternative to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation through REDD+. He has also led an initiative to produce coffee in an environmentally responsible way in Rondônia.

Almir’s daughter, Txai Suruí, is a young Indigenous leader and spoke at the opening of COP-26.

Como Cacique do Povo Paiter Suruí, Almir Narayamoga Suruí é um talentoso líder indígena brasileiro. Desde jovem, Almir foi o chefe do movimento indígena em Rondônia, liderando uma das maiores negociações com o Governo Federal para garantir a integridade do Território Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau. Em conjunto com o Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Almir colaborou na elaboração do Plano de Gestão Territorial e Ambiental das Terras Indígenas, iniciativa replicada em diversas Terras Indígenas demarcadas em todo o Brasil. Almir foi eleito conselheiro do CNPI – Conselho Nacional de Política Indigenista, órgão colegiado que define a política indigenista do Brasil. Ele liderou projetos de reflorestamento e defendeu a proteção da floresta amazônica contra a extração ilegal de madeira.

Formado em Biologia Aplicada pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás, Almir também recebeu o título de Doutor Honoris Causa pela Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR). Ele foi premiado com o título de “Herói da Tecnologia” pelo Google por liderar uma iniciativa em parceria com a empresa de tecnologia para levar acesso à internet ao Povo Paiter Suruí, desenvolvendo suas habilidades em informática, uso de GPS e Google Earth. Entre outras premiações, Almir recebeu o título de “Defensor dos Direitos Humanos” pela Sociedade Internacional de Direitos Humanos, bem como pela Fundação Bianca Jagger de Direitos Humanos. Em 2013, foi eleito pela ONU como “Herói da Floresta”.

Na COP-15 em Copenhague, Almir ajudou a lançar o Projeto de Carbono Suruí, oferecendo ao mundo uma alternativa única para reduzir as emissões de desmatamento e degradação por meio do REDD+. Ele também liderou uma iniciativa para produzir café de forma ambientalmente responsável em Rondônia.

A filha de Almir, Txai Suruí, é uma jovem liderança indígena e falou na abertura da COP-26.

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Andy Kierney
Director of ESG Reporting & Assurance, KPMG Read More

Andy Kierney

Director of ESG Reporting & Assurance, KPMG

Andy Kierney is a Director of ESG Reporting & Assurance at KPMG in the UK – KPMG is a global organization of professional services firms providing audit, tax and advisory services.  In his role, Andy works with companies to provide assurance opinions over non-financial information focusing on ESG metrics and disclosures, advise companies on how to prepare for external assurance and provide ESG reporting advice.

Andy previously held the position of Head of Internal Controls at a FTSE-100 technology company and roles of increasing responsibility within the Audit function of KPMG in the UK, USA, Australia and Switzerland.

Andy is a governor at a local school.

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Clarice Wambua
Partner, Energy, Environmental Law & Climate Change, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Read More

Clarice Wambua

Partner, Energy, Environmental Law & Climate Change, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr

Clarice is an Environmental Lawyer practising at Pan-African law firm, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr. She is based at the firm’s Nairobi office and leads the team on Environmental Law as well as the Pro Bono and Human Rights practice. Clarice is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with over 15 years’ experience in legal practice, and she has particular expertise in climate change law. Clarice provides advice to public and private sector entities at the national and sub-national level on their engagement with the carbon markets and is actively involved in supporting the development of a national legal, policy and institutional framework for climate change in Kenya and the wider African region. Clarice also has experience providing gender and human rights-based approaches to climate action.

She holds a Master of Laws LLM (with distinction) in Climate Change Law and Policy from the University of Strathclyde, a Master of Science (Msc) (with distinction) in Africa and International Development from the University of Edinburgh, and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Nairobi. In 2022 she was included in the University of Edinburgh Climate 75 honoree (list of 75 alumni from the University of Edinburgh who are making an impact and contributing to positive change), and the Legal 500 Green Guide EMEA 2022 recognized her climate change and sustainability law work in Kenya. In 2019, she was a recipient of the Top 40 Under 40 Women in Kenya Award, from the Business Daily.

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Gilles Dufrasne
Lead, Global Carbon Markets, Carbon Market Watch Read More

Gilles Dufrasne

Lead, Global Carbon Markets, Carbon Market Watch

Gilles leads Carbon Market Watch’s work on global carbon markets. He has been following carbon market negotiations at the UN climate and aviation agencies as well as private sector use of carbon credits. Gilles is a member of the expert panel of the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM), and the Expert Advisory Group of the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTI).

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Hanna-Mari Ahonen
Senior Consultant, Climate Policy & Carbon Markets, Perspectives Climate Group Read More

Hanna-Mari Ahonen

Senior Consultant, Climate Policy & Carbon Markets, Perspectives Climate Group

Hanna-Mari Ahonen has worked with international carbon markets and climate policy since 2002. She has managed carbon credit project portfolios and funds on behalf of Nordic governments and companies, participated in UN climate negotiations as the European Union’s carbon market expert and promoted the high-integrity design and use of carbon market cooperation.

At Perspectives, she focuses on supporting public and private clients to promote ambitious climate action and sustainable development co-benefits through high-integrity carbon market cooperation, including voluntary carbon markets and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. She also participates in research on carbon removal technologies.

Recently, Hanna-Mari managed the Nordic Dialogue on Voluntary Compensation, which brought Nordic stakeholders together to co-create a Nordic best practice approach to voluntary carbon markets, drawing on and complementing relevant international and national initiatives. Hanna-Mari has also contributed to several studies on good practices for voluntary carbon markets for the Finnish government.

Hanna-Mari holds a M.Sc. in Environmental Economics, and she has studied in the Universities of York and Helsinki.

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Hannah Hislop
Global Sustainability Senior Manager – Climate Action, Unilever Read More

Hannah Hislop

Global Sustainability Senior Manager – Climate Action, Unilever

Hannah works in Unilever’s environment team, where she leads work on Unilever’s climate action. She joined Unilever in 2012 and has since worked on a number of key sustainability issues including packaging and deforestation in commodity supply chains. In her current role she delivers a key plank of Unilever’s Climate Transition Action Plan: the business’s wider influence on society. This includes high-level advocacy in support of the goals of the Paris Agreement, national and regional climate policy engagement, issue-specific policy engagement and industry partnerships. Previously Hannah worked at Green Alliance, an independent policy think tank based in London. She holds a BA in Human Sciences from Oxford University and a Master’s degree in Leadership for Sustainable Development from Middlesex University and Forum for the Future.

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Kentaro Takahashi
Deputy Director, Climate & Energy, IGES Read More

Kentaro Takahashi

Deputy Director, Climate & Energy, IGES

Kentaro Takahashi is Deputy Director, Climate and Energy, at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) in Japan. Since 2009, he has engaged in several projects including a capacity building program for a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in the Asia Pacific Region, Article 6 implementation and an MRV program under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM). As a member of the Japanese delegation, Kentaro has also supported the Government of Japan at the UNFCCC negotiations on Article 6. Prior to joining IGES, he worked as a consultant on CDMs.

Kentaro is a member of the Climate Action Data Trust Council, which was established by the World Bank, Singapore Government and International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) in Dec 2022. He also joined the International Initiative for Development of Article 6 Methodology Tools as a technical expert.

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Leticia Guimaraes
Senior Global Technical Advisor, UNDP Read More

Leticia Guimaraes

Senior Global Technical Advisor, UNDP

Leticia Guimaraes is a senior global technical advisor at UNDP Climate and Forests Programme, based in Panama. In her current role, she supports developing countries from Latin America, Africa, and Asia Pacific on their carbon markets readiness efforts for the forest sector and with the development of diversified financial strategies for the implementation of their climate targets. Leticia is a climate change specialist with 15 years of experience as a policy analyst and project manager in the land use, land-use change and forestry sector. Earlier on in her career, she structured and managed a portfolio of voluntary forest carbon projects and since then has worked on international organizations, private companies, and NGOs to structure performance-based finance mechanisms to incentivize tropical forest conservation in developing countries. Leticia has a MPP in Environmental Policy and Ecological Economics from the University of Maryland in the US and a MSc in Environmental Technology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil.

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Lisa DeMarco
Senior Partner & CEO, Resilient LLP Read More

Lisa DeMarco

Senior Partner & CEO, Resilient LLP

Lisa DeMarco is a Senior Partner and the CEO at Resilient LLP. She is called to the bar in Canada and
England and is recognized as a global expert in climate and energy law. Lisa has over 25 years of
experience in all aspects of climate change and clean energy law. She assists financial institutions, energy
companies, innovators, governments, non-governmental organizations and Indigenous business
organizations on domestic and overseas renewable power and energy transition projects, as well as sustainable and climate finance transactions. Her assistance also covers carbon dioxide removals, carbon capture use and storage, climate-related financial disclosure, corporate climate strategy, environmental and social governance (ESG), green bonds, net-zero target setting and pathways, the Paris Agreement, carbon trading (domestic, international, voluntary, and compliance), climate-related compliance and litigation, and sustainable business strategy. She represents several governments and leading energy companies in a wide variety of international dispute resolution proceedings, and natural gas, power, pipeline and energy storage matters before the Ontario Energy Board and the Canadian Energy Regulator.

Lisa is the current Chair of the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), a director of the boards of Blue Dot Carbon Corp., the Advanced Energy Centre at MaRS, and Planetary Technologies, and a member of the Climate Economy Strategic Council. Lisa is ranked by Chambers Global as one of the world’s leading climate change lawyers and regularly attends on the United Nations climate
negotiations.

Lisa has a Bachelor of Science (Hon.) in Human and Environmental Biology (Western University), a Master of Science in Environmental Toxicology (University of Toronto), a Bachelor of Laws (Osgoode Hall), and a Master of Studies in International Environmental Law, summa cum laude (Vermont Law School).

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Luanne Sieh
Senior Managing Director, Head of Group Sustainability, CIMB Group Read More

Luanne Sieh

Senior Managing Director, Head of Group Sustainability, CIMB Group

Luanne is the Head of Group Sustainability at CIMB, one of ASEAN’s leading banking groups, where she is responsible for transforming CIMB into a shaper of sustainable finance and responsible banking practices in Asia. She is also the Working Group Chair of the CEO Action Network Malaysia.

Luanne has extensive experience in sustainability, strategy and transformation, as well as change management. She has been involved in a number of fields, including financial services and consulting. She was a founding member of a start-up company.

Luanne holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s Degree in Manufacturing Engineering, as well as a Master of Arts from the University of Cambridge, and she has recently completed a Master of Liberal Arts in Sustainability at the University of Harvard Extension School.

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Nicolette Bartlett
Chief Impact Officer, CDP Read More

Nicolette Bartlett

Chief Impact Officer, CDP

Nicolette Bartlett is the Chief Impact Officer at CDP – CDP is an international not-for-profit organization providing the global environmental disclosure-based tracking system.  In her role, Nicolette is responsible for leading on strategy development for the organization as part of CDP’s Executive Leadership Team and manages the Impact Department, responsible for Environmental Impact, Disclosure content and Thought Leadership, Policy, Development, and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning.

Nicolette previously held the positions of Global Director of Climate Change at CDP and Carbon Pricing Director and has been the lead author of many CDP publications.

Before joining CDP Nicolette was a Senior Program Manager at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, leading on international climate policy projects; including the international engagement of The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group, developing a Green Growth Platform in Pacific Alliance countries, supporting the development of business groups on climate change and research analyzing the role that non-state actors play in driving down emissions.

Nicolette sits on various boards and advisory bodies, including the Science-Based Targets Initiative and We Mean Business boards, the Voluntary Carbon Markets Initiative (VCMI) Expert Advisory Group, and is a Senior Associate at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

 

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Paul Bockmeyer
Project Officer – Sustainability & Green Claims, BEUC Read More

Paul Bockmeyer

Project Officer – Sustainability & Green Claims, BEUC

Paul is Policy Officer at BEUC, the European Consumer Organization, in Brussels, where he is responsible for the work on the substantiation of green claims and the fight against greenwashing. He notably follows relevant EU legislative files, in particular the recently published proposal for a Directive on green claims, and contributes to BEUC’s enforcement actions in this field.

Prior to joining BEUC, Paul worked at the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and interned at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, working on bilateral relations with Southern Europe. He holds a Master of Arts in European Affairs from Sciences Po Lille and a Master’s in International and European Governance from the University of Münster.

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Peter Browning
CEO, Browning Environmental Communications Read More

Peter Browning

CEO, Browning Environmental Communications

Peter Browning is a recognized pioneer of environmental communications, responsible for some of the world’s most impactful strategic campaigns on climate change and nature over the past two decades. This includes the first communications strategy for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and initiatives such as the European Hydrogen Highways Initiative, Nature4Climate for The Nature Conservancy, and the Peoples’ Climate Vote for the UN Development Program (UNDP).

In 2017, Peter launched Browning Environmental Communications, a mission-driven communication consultancy working with governments, IGOs, NGOs, foundations, scientific organizations, and corporations to accelerate action on climate change and environmental restoration.

Peter developed his skills in communications at CNC-Communications & Network Consulting (now part of Publicis), and served as the first Communications Director of Sir Richard Branson’s non-profit, The B Team. A graduate in Modern Languages from the University of Oxford, he also worked for several years as a foreign correspondent in Paris.

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Polly Hemming
Director, Climate & Energy Program, Australia Institute Read More

Polly Hemming

Director, Climate & Energy Program, Australia Institute

Polly Hemming is Director of the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy program.

She has extensive experience working in policy, marketing and engagement roles in both not-for-profit and public sectors.

Her current work focuses on carbon and environmental markets, climate integrity and greenwashing. She previously led the development of a government eco-label promoting ‘carbon neutrality’ by the private sector and maintains a strong interest in non-state climate ambition and the policies and regulation that interact with this.

Polly’s previous roles have included academic publishing, remote Indigenous education, refugee advocacy and science communication, bringing a range of perspectives and experiences to her work.

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Swapan Mehra
CEO, Iora Ecological Solutions Read More

Swapan Mehra

CEO, Iora Ecological Solutions

Swapan Mehra is the Founder and CEO of Iora Ecological Solutions, one of India’s leading environmental advisory firms that enables climate action through integrated nature-based solutions. IORA specialises in developing Ecosystem-based Solutions for Climate Change, Agriculture, Forestry and Biodiversity and Land Use Sector (AFOLU).

Swapan is an environmental finance and climate policy expert with over sixteen years of experience in developing climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School and a Master’s in Business Administration from IIFM Bhopal.

Swapan has contributed for development of some of India’s pivotal policy documents in India, including Long Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT LEDS), National REDD+ Strategy, NDC Goal 5 Roadmap, and the “devolution formula” for India’s 14th and 15th Finance Commissions. He is a World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader (2020), a Donella Meadows Fellow at the Balaton Group, a LEAD India Fellow, and a FICCI Young Business Leader. He also led carbon finance and climate investment teams at Evolution Markets and AES India during the early CDM days

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Xavier E. Matsutaro
Head of the Office of Climate Change, Palau Read More

Xavier E. Matsutaro

Head of the Office of Climate Change, Palau

Xavier E. Matsutaro is the head of the Office of Climate Change (OCC) and National Climate
Change Coordinator for Palau. He is also the Focal Point to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In this role, Xavier is responsible for coordinating
the implementation of Palau’s climate change policy, supporting public awareness on climate
change, accessing climate finance, developing and sharing national reports on climate change,
and representing Palau in regional and international meetings. He has also been the head of the
negotiation technical team in the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties meetings since 2015.

Since 2014, Xavier has been a member of the Palau Joint Crediting Mechanism, a compliance
carbon markets mechanism between the Japan and Palau Government where he is the current
Palau-side Chairperson. In addition, he is the Lead Coordinator for the Pacific Island
Development States on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. He is committed to advocating for
environmental integrity, share of proceeds to support adaptation, and achieving net emission
reduction through overall mitigation on global emissions.

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Aisha Rodriguez
Manager – Markets and Standards Read More

Aisha Rodriguez

Manager – Markets and Standards

Aisha Rodriguez is Manager – Markets and Standards at VCMI where she is developing the Claims Code of Practice and associated assurance framework, enabling companies to use voluntary carbon markets with high integrity. Reporting to the Technical Director, Aisha leads research to ensure VCMI’s work is aligned with scientific and corporate best practice.

Prior to joining VCMI, Aisha worked in sustainability in the food and beverage sector, focusing on delivering climate strategies and achieving carbon reduction targets across different markets. Aisha has also worked in environmental consulting for both the private and public sector, across environmental and social sustainability. Earlier in her career, she helped to manage the Airport Carbon Accreditation Program, a UN-endorsed global standard for carbon management at airports.

Aisha has a degree in Environmental Economics from the University of York and an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College. Originally from Malaysian Borneo, Aisha has lived and worked in the UK for 13 years.

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Ana Carolina Avzaradel Szklo
Technical Director – Markets and Standards Read More

Ana Carolina Avzaradel Szklo

Technical Director – Markets and Standards

Ana Carolina Avzaradel Szklo is the Technical Director – Markets and Standards at VCMI, leading the organization’s technical work and managing the Expert Advisory Group. She is responsible for developing and implementing the VCMI Claims Code of Practice, to ensure corporate engagement with voluntary carbon markets and associated claims are credible and robust. Ana Carolina manages the Markets and Standards Team who support this work to secure appropriate research and governance surrounding the Code’s development.

With 18 years’ experience working across almost 20 countries on sustainability themes, Ana Carolina has worked in diverse contexts ranging from climate negotiations within the UNFCCC and IPCC to project development and advocacy. She previously served as the Sustainability Manager of Humanize Institute, a Brazilian philanthropic organization focused on sustainable development and fostering income generation, with responsibility for sustainability and impact business portfolios. Prior to this, she worked as the Technical Development Director of the Conselho Empresarial Brasileiro para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável (CEBDS) and as liaison to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), a global network of more than 200 environmentally-minded corporate CEOs. Ana Carolina has served in the Brazilian government as a climate change negotiator.

Ana Carolina maintains a wide network of collaborators including leaders from the business, government, NGO and academic sectors. With a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, she has a Master’s degree in Environmental and Energy Planning, and serves as a member of both the UNDP and UNFCCC Roster of Experts as an energy expert and lead reviewer of national greenhouse gas inventories.

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Bianca Gichangi
Regional Lead – Africa Read More

Bianca Gichangi

Regional Lead – Africa

Bianca’s role in the Policy and Partnerships Team at VCMI focuses on leading delivery of VCMI strategy across Africa and strengthening VCMI engagement, partnerships, and impact. This includes overseeing delivery and scaling up of future VCMI Access Strategies programs in African countries.

Prior to VCMI, Bianca was the Coordinator of the Eastern Africa Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance. She led capacity building activities on carbon markets for government and non-state actors, developed strategic partnerships and facilitated sharing of carbon pricing practices and lessons through regional collaborations. Her experience extends to climate change negotiations where she provided technical support to Alliance Focal Points and has served as a Lead coordinator, Article 6, for the Kenya Delegation.

She has a BEng in Environmental Engineering from the University of New South Wales and an MSc in Climate Change and Policy from the University of Sussex. She serves as member of the UNFCCC Article 6.4 mechanism Roster of Experts as a Climate Policy Expert.

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Brad Schallert
Special Advisor Read More

Brad Schallert

Special Advisor

Brad has more than 15 years’ experience in the field of climate change. In addition to serving as a Special Advisor to VCMI, Brad works as the Director of Net Zero Climate Services at Winrock International. Brad’s particular areas of expertise within the climate field are aviation and climate, carbon credit markets, climate policy design and voluntary corporate climate strategies. Prior to Winrock, Brad spent 10 years at WWF where he led WWF’s work on aviation, carbon markets, and helped launch cross-departmental projects including We Are Still In in 2017.

Brad is the co-creator of the Carbon Credit Quality Initiative and authored or co-authored several publications while at WWF, including the WWF/BCG Corporate Climate Mitigation Blueprint. He has served as an advisor to the Task Force for Scaling the Voluntary Carbon Market and currently serves on Science-Based Target Initiative’s Technical Advisory Group and as a member observer to the AIM Platform. Brad holds an MPA in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, as well as a BA in International and Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his family.

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George Hodgetts
Policy Associate Read More

George Hodgetts

Policy Associate

George’s role in the Policy and Partnerships Team at VCMI focuses on government engagement, bringing policy officials together from around the world via forums such as the Country Contact Group to provide insight on VCMI’s work areas and promote learning relevant to VCMI’s objectives and outputs. George will also help deliver the second phase of VCMI’s Access Strategies program, continuing to build capacity so that countries can engage with carbon market opportunities that align with their national climate policy and finance priorities.

George joins the team after five years working for the UK Civil Service, most recently in the Global Carbon Markets Team in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. George managed some of the UK’s foreign aid investment in programs delivered by the World Bank that are piloting the use of carbon market mechanisms to mobilize additional climate finance and deliver sustainable development benefits in developing countries. In the run up to COP26 George also led an initiative developing recommendations that were promoted at Glasgow regarding capacity building for inclusive and ambitious global carbon market participation in support of the Paris Agreement.

George has a BSc in Geography from the University of Bristol, which included a year of study in Granada, Spain.

 

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Lydia Sheldrake
Director of Policy and Partnerships Read More

Lydia Sheldrake

Director of Policy and Partnerships

Lydia is Director of Policy and Partnerships at VCMI. She leads the team working on external communications, and engagement and collaboration with companies, governments, civil society and other initiatives involved with carbon markets.

Previously, at Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) Lydia advised on the design and delivery of programmes and tools designed to raise the bar on corporate climate action, including VCMI’s Provisional Claims Code of Practice.

Prior to CIFF, Lydia spent five years in Government representing the UK in international negotiations on climate and trade. In the run up to COP26, Lydia was Head of Voluntary Carbon Markets and led the UK Presidency support to establish VCMI as an independent multi-stakeholder initiative.

In private and non-profit sectors, Lydia has advised multinational corporations on environmental reporting and sustainable supply chains.

She has a BSc (Hons) in Biology from Imperial College London and an MSc in Environmental Change and Management from the University of Oxford.

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Mark Kenber
Executive Director Read More

Mark Kenber

Executive Director

Executive Director of VCMI, Mark Kenber has worked for nearly three decades on market-based approaches to environmental protection.

Former CEO of The Climate Group, where he launched the Voluntary Carbon Standard, Mark is regarded as one of the leading voices on carbon markets in climate policy. His previous roles include positions at Fundación Natura in Ecuador, WWF’s International Climate Change Program, Mongoose Energy Ltd, and Climate Advisers. He has also served as Climate Change Advisor to the Ecuadorian Government.

Mark is a board member of ICVCM and Verra and Chair of Brighton and Hove Energy Services Cooperative.

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Nick Boak
Director of Operations Read More

Nick Boak

Director of Operations

As VCMI’s Director of Operations, Nick leads all aspects of VCMI’s operational strategy including procurement, funding, resourcing, management systems and IT infrastructure.

Nick’s career to date spans General Manager and COO roles across the finance industry, technology services and the charitable sector. Most recently at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Nick delivered a complete transformation of the talent acquisition strategy and associated processes. He brings significant experience in change, people and program management, having led large senior-level teams while managing budgets and achieving cost savings worth tens of millions in several organizations.

Nick is innately solutions-focused, challenges the status quo and seeks constant business improvement through innovation. He is committed to establishing supportive, high-performance cultures built upon strong employee engagement, clarity of purpose and honest and open communication.

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Raffaella Infanti
Engagement Manager Read More

Raffaella Infanti

Engagement Manager

Raffaella’s role in the Policy and Partnerships Team at VCMI focuses on the engagement of non-state actors across business and civil society, Indigenous Peoples and Local Community groups. Raffaella leads VCMI’s outreach strategy, coordinating and convening groups for effective stakeholder engagement.

With the upcoming launch of the VCMI Claims Code of Practice, Raffaella will bring together companies from around the world committed to pilot and implement the Code, helping to ensure credible use and associated claims of high-integrity voluntary carbon markets.

Raffaella joins the team after three years at Gold Standard, where she advocated for Gold Standard’s carbon market and sustainable development solutions among companies, to maximize the impact of their climate efforts while minimizing risks. She developed strategic partnerships and managed private sector relationships with organisations seeking to foster high ambition in response to the climate challenge.
Raffaella brings extensive experience in business growth strategies, with a focus on sustainability practices, market entry and new product development in the private sector. Originally from Italy, she is based in Geneva, Switzerland, where she has worked and lived for the past ten years.

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Sigourney Luz
Communications Manager Read More

Sigourney Luz

Communications Manager

As part of the Policy and Partnerships team, Sigourney leads VCMI’s communications strategy and portfolio, helping to communicate VCMI’s mission and work with key audiences.

She joins VCMI from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) where she was Communications Manager for Climate Mitigation (Working Group III). While at IPCC she led communications for the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land and the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report (Climate Mitigation). Prior to this she worked in science communications in the UK and Germany, focussing on High Performance Computing and Quantum Optics.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney and is currently completing her MA Strategic Communications at King’s College London.

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Sohyeon Park
Associate – Markets and Standards Read More

Sohyeon Park

Associate – Markets and Standards

Sohyeon Park is VCMI’s Associate – Markets and Standards. As part the Technical Team, Sohyeon’s work is focused on finalizing and developing the VCMI Claims Code of Practice and communicating with VCMI’s Expert Advisory Group.

She previously worked as a Project Manager for carbon offset projects supplying carbon credits to the Korean Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). She is internationally affiliated with the Project Developers Forum. Sohyeon has also worked as an environmental writer and project lead for climate change activities.

Sohyeon holds an MSc in Environment, Politics and Society from UCL, as well as a BSc in Political Science and International Relations from Chung-ang University.

 

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Next Steps

  • 1
    March – June 2021

    Inception phase (desk research, stakeholder mapping, interviews and analysis, report drafting)

  • 2
    July 2021

    Launch of the Consultation Report

  • 3
    July – October 2021

    Consultation and refinement phase

  • 4
    October 2021

    COP26 Report

  • 5
    November 2021

    Communications around COP26

  • 6
    November 2021 – May 2022

    Development and Consultation Phase

  • 7
    June 2022

    Launch of the Claims Guidance and Beta Testing

  • 8
    June 2022 – June 2023

    Beta Testing and Refinement of Claims Guidance

Code of Conduct

VCMI Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policy

This policy statement sets forth the expectations and standards of conduct for Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI) staff, Steering Committee, Expert Advisory Group and any other VCMI working group members, and contractors with decision-making authority related to the work of VCMI. The integrity of the guidance and recommendations developed by and through VCMI depends on adherence to these ethical standards and related procedures to ensure transparency and avoid any actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

Accordingly, VCMI staff, committee and working group members, and contractors will:

  • Conduct themselves in an honest and ethical manner, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflict of interest.
  • Ensure, to the best of their ability, that their work and actions comply with applicable government laws, rules, and regulations.
  • Proactively promote ethical behavior among subordinates and peers and encourage a culture where everyone is expected to act responsibly, with due care, without misrepresenting or omitting material facts or allowing independent judgment to be compromised.
  • Promptly report violations of this Code to the Director of the Secretariat. Confidentiality of individuals reporting violations of these standards will be maintained whenever possible. Retaliation against individuals reporting a violation or a potential violation of this policy will not be tolerated.

Conflicts of Interest Definition and Reporting

VCMI staff, committee and working group members, and contractors shall be considered to have a conflict of interest if such an individual (or organization which they represent) has existing or potential financial or other interests which might impair, or reasonably appear to impair, the individual’s independent, unbiased judgment in discharge of his or her responsibilities to VCMI.

All individuals shall disclose to the VCMI Secretariat any possible conflict of interest at the earliest practicable time and recuse themselves from relevant decision-making if the Secretariat determines there is an actual conflict of interest or the integrity of the process would be best served by recusal. The Secretariat will maintain a registry of identified and reported conflicts to help prevent conflicts and ensure transparency in VCMI’s work.

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