Maneuvering the Mosaic: State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2013

The key findings of the report include that although voluntary actors contracted 101 million tonnes of carbon offsets in 2012, 4% more than in 2011, market value decreased 11% to $523 million as offset prices fell slightly for several popular project types. Corporate social responsibility was given as a primary motivation for 90% of offset volumes being contracted by the private sector, with further evidence of activity to make supply-lines more resilient. Also noted was a surge in demand for carbon offsets from forestry projects certified to the Verified Carbon Standard and Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards. Suppliers predict market value could reach $1.6 - $2.3 billion in 2020, if market actors can effectively communicate the relevance of offsetting and carbon market infrastructure to relevant shareholders.