Voluntary carbon offset prices fall
Uncertainty over integrity of offsets has weighed on prices since the start of the year, brokers tells Carbon Economist
Prices and volumes in the voluntary carbon market (VCM) have fallen sharply since the start of 2023, although retirements of credits are holding steady. Prices on the two most liquid futures markets on the CME exchange are down by around 60pc and 70pc on the year. The December 2023 global emission offset product is trading at around $3/t, down from $7/t a year earlier and $3.50/t at the beginning of this year. The NGO product for nature-based offsets is trading at c.$4.10/t, compared with more than $15/t this time last year and c.$6.50/t at the beginning of 2023. The decline in futures prices is emblematic of an overall trend in the physical market, says Erduan Reid, head of voluntary carbo
Also in this section
12 March 2026
Role of world’s largest carbon cap-and-trade market under scrutiny as war in Iran threatens to drive EU energy costs to unsustainable levels
10 March 2026
Europe urgently needs to bring more projects to FID, as CCS investors warn they might divert capital to faster-growing regions
9 January 2026
A shift in perspective is needed on the carbon challenge, the success of which will determine the speed and extent of emissions cuts and how industries adapt to the new environment
2 January 2026
This year may be a defining one for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the US, despite the institutional uncertainty






