VOLUNTARY CARBON MARKET
The voluntary carbon market has become an important tool in reducing our carbon footprint or offsetting greenhouse gas or GHG emissions that cannot be avoided or reduced. Our voluntary offsetting program is a beneficial incentive to strengthen your climate actions.
All about the voluntary carbon market
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What is the voluntary carbon market?
The voluntary carbon credit market (VCM) is a mechanism that allows businesses and individuals to purchase carbon credits to offset their GHG emissions. The voluntary market is not managed by governments, but rather supervised by third-party programs (e.g., Verra, Gold Standard, American Carbon Registry, etc.).
The voluntary carbon market aims to encourage and finance actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while allowing companies and individuals to finance these reductions by offsetting their incompressible emissions. This market, therefore, makes it possible to recognize, control, exchange, and finance GHG reductions achieved voluntarily.
The different carbon markets
Regulated or compliance carbon markets
These compliance markets are managed by governments and provinces according to a ‘Cap and Trade system that regulates carbon emissions.
Larger emitters are required to join, while other, smaller emitters can voluntarily join this regulated market.
Voluntary carbon markets
These are managed by third-party programs in an incentive system based on voluntary and non-obligatory participation. GHG emitters receive revenue for GHG emission reductions or sequestrations achieved and verified by regulated protocols. This is the carrot. In Quebec, this market encourages the projects of small final GHG emitters (fewer than 25,000 tonnes of CO2e emitted per year). This represents the vast majority of Quebec organizations.
In Ontario, there is not (yet) a regulated carbon market. All Ontarian organizations are therefore eligible for the voluntary market.
How does the voluntary carbon market work?
- How it works: This carbon market works by allowing businesses and individuals to purchase voluntary credits that come from greenhouse gas emissions reduction and sequestration projects carried out by other entities. These projects may include initiatives such as energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
- Verifying the carbon credits: Carbon credits must be verified by independent and accredited third parties to guarantee their quality and effectiveness. These third parties are known as Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs). (Validation and Verification Bodies)
- Carbon neutrality: by purchasing quantified, serialized and verified GHG reductions, purchasers become the owners of the reductions purchased and can offset their residual and incompressible emissions from their activities.
- Synergy: The voluntary carbon market rewards and finances GHG reduction project developers and offers a solution for eco-responsible companies to achieve carbon neutrality or net zero, making climate action participatory and synergic.
The three main categories of carbon projects on the voluntary market
This chart presents the three main typologies of carbon credits worldwide: ‘Nature-Based Solutions‘ (NBS), ‘Captation by Engineering Projects,’ and ‘Source Reduction‘, such as Will Solutions’ Sustainable Community cluster project. Each of these approaches plays a vital role in the fight against climate change, using different methods to reduce carbon emissions.
The voluntary carbon market and its role in decarbonization
The voluntary carbon market encourages innovation and offers a flexible way for businesses and individuals to finance emissions reduction and/or removal projects, which can significantly contribute to the decarbonization of society.
7 reasons why the voluntary carbon market is so important
1. Giving value to the GHG reductions achieved: By setting a price and establishing a market for GHG reductions. Every climate action counts
2. Democratizing access to carbon projects: For carbon reduction project developers, by providing access to climate finance. For buyers of carbon credits, by allowing them to support community-based projects, the installation of clean energy sources, or the reduction of residual materials
3. Bringing together to accelerate: By bringing together companies that are reducing and offsetting their emissions in the same marketplace to promote their efforts and create synergies. Furthermore, voluntary carbon markets, unlike compliance markets, are open to all players in society, which makes a diversified, large-scale mobilization possible
4. Climate realism: A complementary, ambitious tool for taking concrete, rapid, large-scale action against global warming;
5. Transitional tool: the development of projects linked to the green transition, such as the decarbonization of infrastructure and buildings, makes the voluntary carbon market a powerful transitional tool;
6. Complementary tool: the voluntary carbon market is not a substitute for GHG reductions, but a complement. It offers a complementary solution for offsetting the incompressible emissions of an activity by financing carbon reduction projects outside the organization;
7. Going beyond regulatory requirements: the efforts of voluntary greenhouse gas reducers are measured, quantified and valued.
HOW CAN THE VOLUNTARY CARBON MARKET SUPPORT YOUR GOALS?
Qualify, quantify, verify and sell my corporate GHG reductions thanks to the market access we offer..
Buy high-quality, verified carbon credits to achieve carbon neutrality or net zero
Do you have customers who might be interested in accessing the voluntary market and buying or selling carbon credits?
3 considerable advantages of the voluntary carbon offset market
Our programs, such as the acquisition of voluntary carbon credits, offer many advantages from an economic, environmental, and social perspective.
Offset your GHG emissions
Carbon credits serve to finance sustainable development projects and support a prosperous low-carbon economy. Any climate action and carbon footprint reduction efforts have a social impact and a substantial potential for your business. Furthermore, carbon credits offer many other benefits:
- Enhanced employer brand and brand image
- Competitive advantages
- Informed spending
- New markets and financing
We can guide you in your carbon offset projects.
Anticipate upcoming carbon regulations
Carbon regulations have steadily tightened in recent years. Certainly, project developers are implementing carbon reduction initiatives within their organizations, orchestrating their decarbonization approach. This proactive strategy allows them to protect themselves against potential changes to the regulations established by governments or provinces.
At Will Solutions, we guarantee high-quality carbon credits related to a wide range of different programs:
- energy efficiency
- energy transition
- reduction and optimization of the management of residual materials
- transport optimization (ongoing project)
Stimulate innovation by encouraging research
In short, you contribute to the development of innovative solutions by encouraging the implementation of GHG reduction projects. In addition, you stimulate social levers such as the economic growth of developing countries (where carbon market projects are often carried out). Furthermore, society as a whole, from both a local and international perspective, benefits from significant gains:
- Clean technologies and sustainable management of residual materials
- Job creation and economic growth
- Real impact on the health, living environment, and well-being of local communities
Contribute now to the transition to a sustainable economy and the balance between the environmental, social, and economic spheres!
Will Solutions: Our actions in the voluntary carbon market du carbone
1. Carrying out a Carbon Footprint Assessment
Take stock of the situation by identifying the main sources of emissions, guide your business decisions accordingly and identify opportunities for emission reduction projects.
2. Carbon Financing
Join our Sustainable Communities by concretely reducing your greenhouse gas emissions to earn money and finance your current and future projects!
3. Transaction of voluntary carbon credits
Carbon credits are created by financing climate action projects to reduce GHG emissions, among other things:
- Renewable energy projects
- CO2 sequestration
- Reduction and optimization of residual materials/waste management
- Fossil fuel substitution
- Energy efficiency
- Reforestation
Set by the market and determined by supply and demand, the price of carbon credits varies. From one project to another, the price also varies widely according to criteria such as project type or locality. Voluntary credits can be traded on carbon exchanges or trading platforms.
Whether for individuals or companies, Solutions Will offers 100% Canadian carbon credits, derived from GHG reductions that have already been achieved and are therefore guaranteed, while providing numerous social and environmental co-benefits for local communities.
4. Verification of GHG reductions
✅ One voluntary carbon credit is equivalent to an annual reduction of one tonne of CO2. At Solutions Will, each GHG emission reduction project has been verified to ensure that the credits have resulted in a reduction in carbon emissions.