Empowering Communities and Protecting Nature: The Impact of Voluntary Carbon Markets

Investing in projects that deliver carbon credits has the potential to contribute to financial returns while empowering local communities, protecting nature, and improving lives on the ground.

The Voluntary Carbon Market

This storybook explores the landscape of the voluntary carbon market (VCM), where decarbonisation intersects with investment opportunities and real on-the-ground impact. We’ll show how carbon credit projects can not only yield financial returns, but also catalyse wider benefits – such as enhancing biodiversity, empowering communities, and advancing social equity and safety.

Drawing on examples from New Forests’ projects in emerging markets in Thailand, Laos and Africa, this paper illustrates how the VCM creates meaningful impact at the front line while supporting global sustainability objectives.

Many VCM projects go beyond carbon, restoring and protecting habitats and ecosystems. In Malaysia, reforestation projects have helped restore degraded land and improve biodiversity. In Indonesia, partnerships with local communities, have seen the development of sustainable forestry investments that balance environmental conservation and economic growth.