Around the world, developing economies are taking action to meet their climate goals. Yet the financing gap remains vast. Trillions of dollars are needed each year to achieve the Paris Agreement targets. Public funding alone cannot close this gap. 

High-integrity carbon markets can be part of the solution. When built on transparency, accountability, and respect for rights, people and nature, they can attract private investments and channel them where they’re needed most– helping countries accelerate climate action.

What does integrity mean in the context of carbon markets?

First, a quick definition of what we mean when we use the term “high integrity.” Without clear rules and clarity on what counts as a credible result, carbon markets can lead to double counting of emission reductions, misuse of terms like “carbon-neutral,” or activities that harm people and violate rights. That’s why high integrity matters; it is what prevents greenwashing, weak claims and projects that shift risks onto communities instead of supporting them.

Integrity determines whether a carbon credit truly represents a real, measurable, additional, permanent and uniquely accounted tonne of CO₂ reduced or removed from the atmosphere. But carbon integrity is only half of the story. Social and environmental integrity is just as vital, because it ensures that carbon market activities respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, advance gender equality, apply robust social and environmental safeguards and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Only when these two dimensions work together can carbon markets build trust, turning climate action into an engine for inclusive sustainable development.

The main question is how then we can ensure social integrity. This requires collaboration across the entire value chain:

• Standard-setting bodies, including carbon crediting programmes and the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) must set clear rules and robust safeguards consistent with international human rights law.
• Host county governments must create clear policies and safeguards systems for Article 6, which provides a framework for countries to cooperate on climate action, to achieve their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and voluntary carbon markets to ensure that all projects align with national priorities and international obligations.
• Project developers must apply rigorous procedures to identify, manage and monitor potential risks—including those affecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights.  
• Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women and other rights holders must actively participate in the design, implementation and governance of carbon markets, ensuring their rights, knowledge and priorities are fully respected.
• Validation and verification bodies must conduct not only technical assessments but also social audits, verifying compliance with safeguards and human rights obligations.
• Carbon credit rating agencies should reinforce integrity by integrating safeguards and SDGs into their rating systems, offering a more complete evaluation of credit quality and project performance.  
• Buyers and investors should drive change by demanding high-integrity credits and paying a fair price for that.

Together, these actors form an “integrity ecosystem” that keeps carbon markets credible and people-centred, minimizing risk, preventing harm and delivering finance that strengthens both climate ambition and sustainable development.