INTERNATIONAL COALITION LAUNCHES COLLECTIVE GOVERNMENT-BACKED FRAMEWORK FOR CORPORATE USE OF HIGH-INTEGRITY CARBON CREDITS

• Governments of France, Kenya, Singapore, the UK, and Panama collectively announce principles for business on the use of high-integrity carbon credits to unlock capital for development, support economic activity, and enable progress towards global climate goals.
• Plan of Action will accelerate the development of policies and incentives to aggregate carbon credit demand and drive private sector investment.
• Leading businesses and international organisations support the principles, creating a broader basis for collective action.

Backed by multiple governments, the Shared Principles for Growing High-Integrity Use of Carbon Credits by Companies and Other Buyers (“Shared Principles”) were issued at the COP30 Business and Finance Forum, alongside a Plan of Action. Together these set out the Coalition’s forward-looking agenda to promote the development of carbon markets through supportive policies and incentives.

The Coalition was launched at London Climate Action Week 2025 and is co-chaired by the Governments of Kenya, Singapore and the United Kingdom, alongside founding members, France and Panama. Additional governments endorsing and welcoming the Shared Principles, and joining the Coalition, will be announced during COP30. 

With this announcement, the Coalition aims to drive climate-positive growth and accelerate the pace of emissions reductions worldwide by strengthening the incentives businesses need to invest in high-integrity carbon credits across carbon markets, including voluntary and Article 6 markets. 

Developed with inputs from governments from around the world and informed by business leaders and market experts, the Shared Principles will provide companies with the clarity and confidence they need to purchase carbon credits as part of credible decarbonisation plans.

The Coalition’s work on the Shared Principles was driven by feedback from businesses that governments should provide consistent guidance across markets and the right policies to incentivise them to engage in high-integrity carbon credits to help them manage climate risk and enhance their decarbonisation efforts. 

Today's announcement has been welcomed by the Coalition's partners, including World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM), World Bank, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), which have worked closely with the Coalition to inform and shape the outputs. A Business Advisory Group convened by WBCSD, made up of senior representatives from across sectors, will provide ongoing corporate input into the Coalition activities. 

The Shared Principles have also been supported by a range of climate, sustainable development and finance organisations including the Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservancy, African Union Development Agency, UK’s Green Finance Institute, Malaysian Carbon Markets Association, Singapore Sustainable Finance Association, National Indian Carbon Coalition, and CAF - the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.

An Internationally Aligned Framework for Corporate Use of Carbon Credits

The Shared Principles establish six pillars for corporate use of carbon credits:

• Using carbon credits in addition to decarbonisation;
• Ensuring rigorous quality standards;
• Upholding fair value and social benefits;
• Maintaining transparent reporting;
• Making accurate, substantiated claims; and
• Actively supporting market development.

These pillars achieve international alignment on critical questions about the role of carbon credits and will inform national policies and incentives to unlock private sector investment in climate solutions through carbon markets.

In endorsing the Shared Principles, each government commits to explore, develop and continue pursuing supportive policies or regulations aligned with the framework. This could include stronger government recognition for companies that follow the Shared Principles.

A Plan of Action to Strengthen Carbon Markets

To ensure these Principles are translated into higher levels of investment, the Coalition also published its Plan of Action, which will guide the Coalition’s work through to COP33 and map a clear path to impact. 

Built on the premise that clear, consistent, and stable government signals and incentives drive corporate demand, this Plan of Action details the ambitious steps the Coalition will take while respecting the national circumstances of its members. It includes:

• Policy implementation: Expand Coalition membership, support governments in adopting Shared Principles-aligned policies and incentives, and foster ongoing dialogue among governments, businesses, and international standard-setters to reduce fragmentation.
   
• Capital mobilisation with equitable pricing & access: Engage buyers’ and investors’ networks to aggregate and scale demand, and collaborate with academic partners and initiatives to demonstrate the positive impact of responsible carbon credit demand.
• Market development: Develop internationally consistent guidance in collaboration with existing initiatives, and support interoperable, transparent infrastructure through engagement with global efforts.

Building International Momentum Ahead of COP30 Negotiations

The Coalition addresses an urgent need. The world will miss its climate targets unless much more finance flows to projects and businesses that can cut emissions quickly and affordably, while promoting growth and development. Carbon markets are an important tool to price carbon, enable more ambitious climate action, and drive private sector investment into the global low-carbon transformation.

The Coalition’s work complements the COP30 Presidency’s objective to mobilise carbon markets and other initiatives designed to unlock the potential of compliance and Article 6 markets. 

Together these initiatives will help realise the transformational potential of carbon markets - unlocking greater flows of climate finance, deeper decarbonisation for the private sector, and new economic opportunities.

Quotes

Ambassador Ali Mohamed, Kenya Special Climate Envoy and Co-Chair of The Coalition to Grow Carbon Markets, said: “Climate finance must reach the communities and projects where it can achieve the greatest impact. The launch of the Shared Principles at the outset of COP30 sends a powerful signal that real progress can be made in Belém and beyond. By strengthening demand for high-quality credits and connecting capital with projects in emerging economies, we are helping to drive sustainable growth and ensure developing countries’ priorities are at the heart of global climate solutions.”

Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, Singapore said: “We see enormous potential for high-integrity carbon markets to accelerate decarbonisation and unlock investments across Asia and the rest of the world. By acting together, we are providing clarity and direction for business and investors everywhere - laying the groundwork for coordinated climate action that will deliver results long after COP30.” 

Katie White, UK Minister for Climate, said: “Carbon credits are an opportunity for businesses to unlock revenue streams while cutting emissions, and the UK is spearheading global efforts to scale up these markets. Establishing these Shared Principles will help boost demand for high-integrity carbon markets, at home and around the world. Through this coalition with Kenya and Singapore, the UK is strengthening our commitment to tackling the climate crisis.”

Dirk Forrister, President and CEO of IETA, said: “IETA believes that well designed carbon markets will help us deliver net zero more quickly and at lower cost to society. For this reason, we support the Shared Principles of The Coalition to Grow Carbon Markets and welcome the support from governments to unlock the flow of finance from the private sector, in particular to support low and low-to-middle income counties in achieving their Paris goals. IETA will work with The Coalition to help embed the Shared Principles into national guidance and create the right incentives for business to invest in carbon markets. We are proud to be a partner of The Coalition and will leverage our broad membership base to ensure all recommendations are grounded in reality, pragmatism and climate ambition.”