Meanwhile, Steel-Forge is trying to lower its environmental impact. While they’ve upgraded their machinery, their industrial process still emits 1,000 tons of CO2 more than their local government allows (a "cap"). To avoid heavy fines, Steel-Forge goes to a marketplace like Carbonmark or a Voluntary Carbon Market . 3. The Exchange: Buying and Selling Steel-Forge buys the 1,000 credits from Eco-Growers.
The money they receive from the sale provides the capital needed to plant even more trees or protect existing forests from logging. 4. Retirement: Ending the Cycle buy sell carbon credits
Once Steel-Forge uses these credits to meet their target, the credits are "." This means they are taken out of circulation so they can't be sold again, ensuring that the environmental benefit isn't counted twice. Meanwhile, Steel-Forge is trying to lower its environmental
To understand how buying and selling carbon credits works, imagine two very different businesses: , a massive reforestation project in the Amazon, and Steel-Forge , a heavy industrial plant in Europe. 1. The Producer: Creating a Credit imagine two very different businesses:
This system is used by everyone from major corporations like Amazon to public figures like Taylor Swift , who reportedly purchased double the credits needed to offset her "Eras Tour" travel.
They have now "offset" their excess pollution by funding a project that removed the same amount of CO2 elsewhere.
What are carbon markets and how do they work? | UNDP Climate Promise