Green Climate International

Carbon Offsets Are a Brand New Financial Market

Carbon offsets have proven to be a robust and financially lucrative market across Europe, Australia and Canada. The EU, for instance, is aiming to reduce emissions by over 55% by 2030, with zero emissions by 2050 and that can only be achieved with the help of massive carbon offset purchases.

The EU price on carbon allowances is more than €80/ton. And yet high quality carbon offsets can be purchased for less than $10/ton. For corporations that need to decrease the impact of their emissions, buying verified carbon offsets is a no-brainer. And that means huge income potential in the EU for people who quickly understand the market and how to use their land to produce carbon offsets.

How has the Carbon Offsetting Market developed over time

In recent years, the voluntary carbon market (VCM) has seen growth in both the amount of Co2 offset and the value of the market:

• 2017: The VCM saw 43.2 million metric tons of Co2 offset at a value of $122 million.
• 2018: The VCM saw 98 million metric tons of Co2 offset at a value of $268 million.
• 2019: The VCM saw 104 million metric tons of Co2 offset at a value of $282 million.

The global carbon offset market is estimated at a value anywhere between $40-120 billion. As of 2020, more than 1,100 companies globally have committed to achieving net-zero Co2 emissions by 2050.