Entering the Carbon Market

This is an overview of Module 1, which explains why carbon markets exist and how carbon pricing supports emissions reduction. You will learn the basics of climate finance and the key differences between compliance markets and the Voluntary Carbon Market

This lesson outlines the human causes and impacts of global warming and explains why cutting emissions is urgent. It sets the context for carbon markets as one of the tools used to address climate change.

This lesson explains how putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions creates financial incentives to reduce them. You’ll learn what carbon markets are, how they work, and the difference between compliance markets and the Voluntary Carbon Market.

This lesson explains the two main types of carbon markets: the compliance market and the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM). You will see the differences in purpose, participation, regulation, and trade.

This lesson gives a summary of what you learnt in module 1 and what you will learn in module 2.

This lesson introduces the key players on the Voluntary Carbon Market. You will learn about standards bodies, auditors, integrity initiatives, ratings providers, and consultants; and understand how each actor contributes to the functioning of the market.

This lesson explains the role of standards and integrity initiatives in ensuring high-quality carbon credits. You’ll learn how standards certify projects, and how initiatives like ICVCM, VCMI, ICROA, and CCQI maintain transparency, credibility, and trust in the Voluntary Carbon Market.

This lesson shows how key actors interact in the VCM. We provide a clear picture of the market’s practical workings.

This lesson gives a summary of what you learnt in module 2 and what you will learn in module 3. This module covers the main types of carbon projects, sector classifications, and how projects meet quality and eligibility standards under the Core Carbon Principles.

This lesson explains the two main types of carbon projects: avoidance projects that reduce future emissions, and removal projects that capture and store existing carbon. You’ll see examples from renewable energy, reforestation, and emerging technologies like Direct Air Capture.

This lesson distinguishes carbon projects by approach: nature-based solutions that use ecosystems to store or avoid emissions, and technology-based solutions that rely on engineered systems to reduce or capture carbon.

This lesson explains how carbon projects are grouped by sector or activity using sectoral scopes, and how standardized methodologies ensure consistent measurement and verification.

This lesson explains how carbon projects meet quality standards through the Core Carbon Principles, covering Governance, Emissions Impact, and Sustainable Development. You’ll learn how these principles ensure that all projects generate credible, measurable, and high-quality carbon credits.

This lesson gives a summary of what you learnt in module 3 and what you will learn in module 4. In this module, you’ll learn the full cycle of a carbon project—from feasibility and design to monitoring, verification, and credit issuance.

This lesson outlines the four key phases of a carbon project: feasibility, project design (PDD), implementation and monitoring, and credit issuance.

This lesson explains how to assess whether a carbon project is viable, covering baseline scenarios, carbon potential, risks, legal and financial considerations, standards alignment, and stakeholder engagement. You’ll learn how a feasibility study informs the decision to proceed with a project.

You can download a feasibility study of a carbon project in Uganda.

This extra long lesson covers the project design phase, including selecting the appropriate standard and methodology, preparing the Project Design Document (PDD), and undergoing independent validation. You’ll learn how to detail baseline scenarios, project activities, additionality, monitoring plans, and sustainable development benefits to ensure your project meets carbon market requirements.

You can download a PIN of a carbon project in Vanuatu and a PDD of a carbon project in Kenya.

In this lesson, you will see how carbon projects move from plan to action. It covers the implementation of project activities, continuous monitoring of results, reporting, and independent verification by an independent body.

In this lesson, you will learn how carbon credits are sold and retired on the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM).

This lesson is a summary of what you learnt in module 4 and what you will learn in module 5. Module 5 is about developing a business case for your carbon project.

You will learn how to estimate project costs and potential revenues, and how to compare them to assess whether your project is financially viable. You will then explore alternative ways to enter the carbon market if your project is not financially viable.

In this lesson, you will learn how to estimate the costs of a carbon project as part of a cost/benefit analysis. You will learn how to calculate both fixed costs and variable costs. Using a fictional carbon project and a downloadable spreadsheet, you will be able to apply these calculations to your own project.

You can download a spreadsheet that you can adapt for your own project.

In this lesson, you will learn how to estimate the potential revenues of a carbon project, primarily from selling carbon credits on the Voluntary Carbon Market. You will see how the volume of credits, the type of project, and quality labels influence the sales price.

You can download a spreadsheet that you can adapt for your own project.

In this lesson, you will combine costs and revenues to conduct a full cost/benefit analysis, helping you determine whether your project is financially viable.

You can download a spreadsheet that you can adapt for your own project.

In this lesson, you will learn about alternative pathways you can follow to earn from climate finance if your cost-benefit analysis does not show a viable revenue model. We will look at external funding and insetting as the main options.

In this final module, you will review the key concepts and practical steps needed to enter the carbon market and get a reminder of the big picture: the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and remove carbon from the atmosphere, and the way carbon markets can help achieve this.

Remember to download the syllabus for future reference. If you did not download it in the opening lesson, you can do so now.

Congratulations! You finished the course!

This last lesson gives input for the steps you can take to set up your own carbon project after the course.

You can download a completion certificate that you can share on LinkedIn and other platforms.

Feel free to contact the instructors if you have any questions about entering the carbon market. Download the company profile for more information about Akili Green.