FAQs

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

To avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change, global warming must be kept to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

Voluntary carbon markets provide an opportunity to direct private finance towards climate mitigation and nature-based solutions. But integrity is crucial. VCMI engages stakeholders around a shared mission to ensure voluntary carbon markets fulfil their potential to support the goals of the Paris Agreement.

VCMI connects and amplifies initiatives that share its vision for high integrity voluntary carbon markets. In addition, it focusses on a few key areas where there is a clear need for additional work.

Immediate priorities are to:

• Develop high integrity guidance for buyers of carbon credits, including on climate claims by businesses.
• Support access to high integrity voluntary carbon markets and monitor broader supply-side integrity efforts.

The Initiative is co-funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and the UK Government Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

At the Climate and Development Ministerial in March 2021, the UK Government announced it was committing £500,000 of funding to VCMI through to December 2021. Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/global-summit-to-help-those-most-vulnerable-fight-climate-change.

VCMI’s Consultation Report aims to encourage dialogue and an exchange of ideas to inform the next phase of VCMI’s work.

You can view and download the full report here.

We are inviting feedback on the content of this report. Please share your views here by 10th September 2021.

Everyone can contribute to the consultation – more details of how to get involved are available here.

We are particularly keen to get the views of organisations with a stake in VCMs – governments, businesses, NGOs, Indigenous Peoples, civil society actors, and climate change experts – and are actively engaged with these groups.

VCMI takes ethical considerations and conflict of interest issues seriously. We fully understand that the legitimacy of our work requires transparency and that our members must adhere to ethical standards. Consequently, VCMI has procedures and policies in place to which members of committees must comply. You can view the policy here.