What is the size of the voluntary carbon market? In an effort to limit climate change, major companies such as Microsoft, Google and Starbucks are setting ambitious goals to achieve carbon neutrality, and the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) is helping them achieve this.

VCM gives companies, non-profit organizations, governments and individuals the ability to buy and sell carbon offset credits. A carbon offset is a tool that represents a reduction in carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas emissions by one metric ton.

To put this into perspective, to capture one tonne of CO2 emissions, you would need to plant around 50 trees in one year ¹.

Companies that are unable to meet their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets can purchase carbon offset credits by investing in environmental projects that can prevent, reduce or eliminate carbon emissions.

For example, an airline that wants to be carbon neutral can calculate how much carbon emissions it can't get rid of. They can then buy an equivalent amount of carbon offset credits by investing in a regenerative agriculture project in Brazil using VCM. The airline can thus claim carbon neutrality.

From 2022, the actual voluntary carbon market is estimated to be around $2 billion. (Jennifer L. Carboncredits.com )