Argus launches prices for voluntary carbon markets

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Feb 16, 2023, 09:10 ET

LONDON, Feb. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global commodity price reporting agency Argus today launched prices for three key voluntary carbon markets (VCM) and five well-known projects, bringing transparency to trade in this emerging sector and supporting its development.

The fragmented nature of VCM means that liquidity is split across multiple types of project, and there is a lack of standardisation and fungibility. After extensive engagement with participants from across the VCM sector, including project developers, corporate buyers, brokers and traders, Argus has launched prices broken down by region and vintage for specific markets, covering:

REDD+ (reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation);
Renewable energy
Clean cookstoves
Project-specific – Envira (Brazil); Kariba (Zimbabwe), Katingan (Indonesia), Rimba Raya (Indonesia) and Southern Cardamom (Cambodia)

Argus has chosen to focus initial coverage on these specific types of credit because they account for the majority of traded volumes in the market today and provide market participants with the granularity needed to have confidence in a representative assessed price, avoiding the problems associated with covering too broad a range of uses or too many project types.

The VCM assessments are underpinned by Argus' proven expertise and long experience in assessing illiquid markets by applying rigorous editorial standards to create reliable and trusted price assessments that represent true market value. The methodology is transparent and public.

Argus Media chairman and chief executive Adrian Binks said: "The voluntary carbon markets have the potential to play an important role closing the gap between what governments can deliver through mandated carbon markets and Paris Agreement climate ambitions. There is a real need for independent, precise and accurate prices. We have seen in other sectors that reliable benchmarks can really improve transparency and help markets evolve to allocate resources in the most efficient ways possible."

The Integrity Council, an independent governance body for VCM, estimates that the sector could be worth $50bn by 2030.

Argus contact information

London: Seana Lanigan
+44 20 7780 4200
Email Seana

Houston: Matt Oatway
+1 713 968 0000
Email Matt

Singapore: Tomoko Hashimoto
+65 6496 9960
Email Tomoko

About Argus Media

Argus is an independent media organisation with nearly 1,300 staff. It is headquartered in London and has 29 offices in the world's principal commodity trading and production centres. Argus produces price assessments and analysis of international energy and other commodity markets and offers bespoke consulting services and industry-leading conferences.

Companies in 140 countries around the world use Argus data to index physical trade and as benchmarks in financial derivative markets as well as for analysis and planning purposes.

Argus was founded in 1970 and is a privately held UK-registered company. It is owned by employee shareholders, global growth equity firm General Atlantic and Hg, the specialist software and technology services investor.

Trademark notices

ARGUS, the ARGUS logo, ARGUS MEDIA, ARGUS DIRECT, ARGUS OPEN MARKETS, AOM, FMB, DEWITT, JIM JORDAN & ASSOCIATES, JJ&A, FUNDALYTICS, METAL-PAGES, METALPRICES.COM, INTEGER, Argus publication titles and Argus index names are trademarks of Argus Media Limited.

SOURCE Argus Media