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Carboneers is working across the Global South to scale up carbon removal. Right now, we’re tapping into the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) to fund our projects. Before we can fully leverage the potential of the carbon market, we need the market to be properly regulated. And that’s not only for us. A high-volume carbon dioxide removal (CDR) market isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential if we’re serious about hitting the Paris Agreement targets. Proper regulation will help unify the patchwork of standards and methodologies, giving this fast-growing sector the strong foundation it needs.

That said, the VCM does have one huge advantage: speed. It allows the CDR market to scale without waiting for governments to draft policies (which, let’s be honest, isn’t exactly a fast process). When the policies are drafted, the market will then hopefully be ready to meet the new demand. Fortunately, while the VCM isn’t regulated by governments, it’s not a free-for-all either. There are key players—like the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) and the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA)—who work to keep standards high and prevent greenwashing. We make sure to only work with ICROA-endorsed registries and align as closely as possible with ICVCM’s Core Carbon Principles. And we’re optimistic that initiatives like CORSIA will drive more demand for top-tier carbon credits.

As developers, the best thing we can do is stay ahead of the curve. We design our projects to meet the most stringent quality requirements now, so that when regulation or new voluntary initiatives come into play, we are already at the required level. For example, in April, together with our Indian partner, Together for Restoration, we are issuing around 100,000 VERRA credits, which are already scoped for CORSIA certification – only waiting on the host country approval.

The voluntary market is getting the CDR sector up and running, but to really deliver on climate goals, we need strong regulations that reward quality and integrity. Until then, we are trying our utmost best to anticipate and innovate as much as we can. 

The Role of Carbon Credit Standards in Enhancing Biochar Marketability

As a developer, we need to stay ahead—moving faster than the market expects and following the best available scientific practices. Thankfully, at Carboneers, we’re in a strong position to do just that, which means we can work with a range of registries without difficulty. At the moment, we have projects registered with both Verra and CSI, and our first Isometric-certified project is set to start producing biochar by the end of Q1.

We see this diversity as a sign that our projects meet high-quality standards across different frameworks. For buyers, the registries we work with act as different stamps of trust, giving them the flexibility to choose the certification that best suits their needs.

Staying Ahead of Emerging Regulations and Policy Shifts

1. Read, read, and then read some more. In the world of carbon dioxide removal (CDR), academia and policy development are deeply intertwined—rightly so. Staying ahead of policy means first understanding the latest scientific advancements. Fortunately, our team brings expertise across key fields like biology, chemistry, soil science, and agricultural development, giving us a solid foundation to track and interpret new research.
2. Engage in discussions and debates. We attend conferences and webinars and collaborate with other developers facing similar challenges. The regulatory landscape is fragmented and technical, so cooperation is key.
3. Adapt quickly to new developments. Understanding where science, policy, and the market are heading allows us to pick the right course of direction.
4. Work with strong partners on the ground. Our collaborations with Together for Restoration in India and Beyond Karbon in Ghana ensure we can implement and adapt to changes effectively.

Engaging in Policy Advocacy and Industry Groups

The current policy landscape is fascinating. Working in an emerging market that is expanding rapidly—and set to have a massive impact in the years to come—is both exciting and, at times, chaotic. There are brilliant initiatives and dedicated actors pushing things forward, but there are also practices that fall short of the highest standards and players who aren’t exactly helping the market mature in the right direction. Regulation, then, isn’t just inevitable—it’s necessary to bring order and credibility to the space.

However, when you say regulation, you say politics, and then things get a bit more complicated. From an environmental perspective, a tonne of CO2 is a tonne of CO2. Whether this tonne is removed in India, Ghana, or the Netherlands, it does not matter – it is damaging the earth in the exact same way. For Carboneers, that was one of the major reasons to start operations in the Global South (apart from additionality and bigger impact on soil health) as we could remove more CO2 for a cheaper price, enabling us to remove larger volumes and make more impact.

Therefore, it is important that EU policymakers take this into account when drafting the new directives and regulations that will shape the future of the carbon market. It would be counterproductive if carbon removal were to become a casualty of protectionist industry politics. Climate change doesn’t respect borders—so why should carbon removal?

This is not only essential from an environmental perspective but also from an economic perspective. Having an open market for tonnes of CO2 removed draws in volume, decreases price and drives competition and innovation (Mr. President – do you listen?) Ultimately, it allows EU companies to benefit from competitive global prices, preventing them from facing higher costs on their path to net zero. This helps maintain a level playing field with international competitors while keeping carbon removal affordable.

Therefore, we are thankful for an initiative driven by Sebastian Mannhart, bringing together all the CDR project developers with projects in the Global South to bundle our resources and see if we can put more effort into emphasizing that as much CO2 should be removed as quickly as possible, disregarding borders. 

Adapting Business Strategies to Regional Policies

Unfortunately, we have not discovered incentives yet that stimulate the production of biochar. We do play an active role in discussions with governments and are actively reaching out to them to share our operations and the potential they have in removing carbon, boosting farmers’ incomes, and enhancing soil health. We sincerely hope that in the future, governments will recognize these benefits and play an active role in incentivizing these practices.

For now, though, the absence of incentives does have one silver lining: it makes it much easier to demonstrate the additionality of our projects. Every tonne of carbon we remove is happening purely because of market demand and voluntary action—not because of subsidies or government backing. But of course, we'd love to see that change in the future.

Carboneers remains at the forefront of the carbon removal industry by combining scientific rigor, proactive policy engagement, and a commitment to high-integrity standards—ensuring we not only adapt to the evolving market but actively shape its future.