Overview
Voluntary carbon markets (VCMs) play a critical role in achieving net zero goals by enabling the trade of carbon credits. However, UK rural enterprises such as farms, small businesses, and local producer groups, face significant barriers to participation. These include limited access to reliable information, minimal meaningful community input in key decisions, and unequal distribution of economic benefits. This project investigated these challenges by examining the Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) and Peatland Code (PC), identifying areas where they fall short in supporting fair and sustainable carbon trading.
The findings point to the need for clearer ethical guidelines, stronger partnerships with rural communities, and better support for diverse land ownership models. To help address these issues, an animated guide offering 10 practical tips for entering the carbon market and an infographic explaining key principles for navigating these opportunities were produced
The research was funded through NICRE’s Research and Innovation Fund.
