Trésor-Eco
The Role of Carbon Credits in Financing Global Climate Goals
Carbon credits, instruments that raise private-sector funding for decarbonisation projects, are subject to regulatory initiatives to ensure their quality and limit the risk of greenwashing. Their use to foster climate cooperation among countries is under discussion: it is on the agenda at the COP30 summit, in the context of efforts to create an international carbon credit trading mechanism. Carbon credits could also help fund carbon removal projects to achieve climate neutrality.
Carbon credits are financial instruments aimed at supporting greenhouse gas emission reduction or carbon removal projects, especially in developing countries. Businesses use them to offset some of the emissions generated by their operations (offsetting) or to demonstrate their environmental commitment (contribution), for example by funding afforestation projects.
Carbon credits, which help to raise private-sector funding for climate initiatives, are instruments that can be used alongside, but are distinct from, emission trading schemes such as the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).
In 2024, around $500m in credits were traded on carbon credit markets globally. These markets are experiencing a crisis due to supply-side quality issues as well as challenges to the credibility of the principle of offsetting emissions owing to several greenwashing scandals. Several public- and private-sector initiatives are nevertheless seeking to better regulate practices to ensure the market’s credibility and real climate benefits. The establishment of an international carbon credit trading scheme is foreseen by the Paris Agreement on climate change, with the aim of providing a firm foundation for the market and fostering climate cooperation between countries.
EU Member States have adopted a climate target for 2040 that will allow high-quality international carbon credits to be used to contribute up to 5% towards the target, thereby helping to achieve European climate goals cost-efficiently by raising EU funding for projects outside the bloc. In addition, the European Commission has proposed to integrate permanent carbon removal projects, located on European soil, into the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).
