Elements related to carbon credit credibility

The objective of this paper is to explain elements that are related to credit credibility and high quality carbon credits to buyers (private companies) who are considering the use of offset credits. These elements could serve as a general guidance and should be considered when purchasing offset credits from voluntary carbon markets (VCMs). In addition, in the paper we highlight the risks related to those elements that would undermine the quality of carbon credits. We also describe how independent crediting mechanisms can reduce those risks, which credit buyers should take into consideration when selecting high quality offset credits.