A November 2024 Nature Communications study, recently highlighted by Carbon Market Watch, concludes that only a small percentage of carbon credits issued in the projects assessed represent genuine, verifiable emission reductions. FarmN only delivers High Integrity, High Value Carbon Credit Solutions.
If switching to a low carbon economy was easy, we would already be living in one.
Carbon credits as a source of revenue are a tool that the private sector can use to help cover the extra cost of using cleaner technologies. In essence they allow the free market to put a value on the emissions they cut. This extra income makes it easier for businesses to choose low-carbon options that would otherwise be too expensive to build or run.
A November 2024 Nature Communications study, recently highlighted by Carbon Market Watch, concludes that only a small percentage of carbon credits issued in the projects assessed represent genuine, verifiable emission reductions. Whilst it is fair to question the accuracy of the conclusions (and the peer reviewers of the article did too) - the important message is clear – current auditing processes in many crediting mechanisms leave room for overstatement, and market trust is eroded as a result.
My personal experience reflects this erosion in trust. Whether talking to old work colleagues from outside the carbon-services industry or having a chat with family members around the bbq - some are sceptical of the real and positive change that carbon credits are driving. The reality is that carbon credits are enabling businesses in hard to abate sectors to invest in low carbon solutions.
Our experience in Digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (DMRV) systems, paired with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) expertise and deep familiarity with international standards (ISCC, ISO, IMO LCA, Gold Standard™, and the Australian Guarantee of Origin Scheme), address the very weaknesses identified in the study:
• Additionality tested with an uncompromisable approach – We do not engage with projects that have already reached FID.
• Quantification that’s conservative and defensible – we design methodologies to withstand third-party scrutiny and public disclosure, we preference conservativity and favour a measurement based approach.
• Double counting safeguards – embedded in project governance from day one.
• Regulatory alignment – ensuring credits meet compliance and voluntary scheme requirements.
In a market where confidence is as valuable as the credits themselves, FarmN enables developers, investors, and regulators to demonstrate climate outcomes that are measurable, verifiable, and defensible.
The debate is no longer whether integrity issues exist – the evidence is overwhelming. The question is which actors will rise to set a new benchmark for transparency and rigour. At FarmN, we believe the answer starts with better data, better methods, and an unrelenting commitment to truth in carbon accounting.
If credibility of your carbon projects is important to you, let’s talk. Your stakeholders – and the climate – deserve nothing less.
For inquiries, reach out to FarmN.