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On-demand: Carbon Markets 2026 – what’s moving markets now? What’s changed? What’s next? Market intelligence ahead of CMAS
Our Carbon Markets 2026: What’s Moving Markets Now? What’s Changed? What’s Next? webinar, hosted by the Green Economy Hub at Vuka Group, delivered a timely and insightful discussion on the forces currently shaping global carbon markets and what stakeholders should expect in the years ahead.
Bringing together experts from carbon market development, climate finance, policy and international regulation, the session explored evolving buyer behaviour, Article 6 implementation, growing regulatory complexity, long-term offtake trends and the outlook for carbon credit demand across voluntary and compliance markets.
The discussion highlighted how market maturity is driving greater sophistication among buyers, developers and governments, while also creating new challenges around regulation, project quality and investment readiness.
You can now watch the full conversation on demand below.
Executive Summary
The webinar explored how global carbon markets are entering a new phase characterised by more sophisticated buyers, increasing regulatory oversight and growing demand for high-quality carbon projects. Speakers highlighted that corporate buyers are moving beyond annual offset purchases towards long-term procurement strategies that seek certainty, scalability and strong governance structures.
The discussion also examined the growing complexity of the market landscape, as Article 6 implementation, national carbon policies, CORSIA requirements and domestic market frameworks continue to evolve in parallel. While this creates new opportunities for project developers, it also increases the need for transparency, capacity building and regulatory alignment.
Across both compliance and voluntary markets, demand is increasingly concentrated around projects that demonstrate strong integrity, clear social and environmental outcomes, robust risk management and long-term commercial viability. Ultimately, the conversation reinforced that investor confidence, high-quality supply and policy certainty will be key determinants of carbon market growth over the next decade.
“Buyers are no longer thinking in annual cycles. They’re looking at 2030 to 2045 delivery windows.”– Mo
MODERATOR:
Erisa Senerdem, Global Lead, Carbon, Argus Media
SPEAKERS:
Charlotte Streck, Co-Founder, Climate Focus
Shawn Woo, Head of APAC – Commercial, 3Degrees
Mo Safdar, Origination Lead – Carbon & Nature-Based Solutions, Climate Impact Partners (CIP)
Perumal Arumugam, Manager, Markets, Non-Markets, and Stakeholder Interaction, Mitigation Division, UNFCCC
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Buyer Sophistication Is Increasing
Corporate buyers are becoming more strategic in their procurement decisions, placing greater emphasis on long-term security, governance structures, transparency and project quality rather than short-term offset purchases.
Africa Continues to Play a Critical Supply Role
Africa’s share of global carbon credit issuance has grown significantly, with nature-based projects and household energy interventions remaining key sources of supply for international markets.
Article 6 Is Creating Both Opportunity and Complexity
New rules and frameworks are opening pathways for international cooperation but also requiring countries and project developers to navigate increasingly complex authorisation, reporting and compliance processes.
Long-Term Offtake Agreements Are Gaining Momentum
The most sophisticated buyers are securing credit supply over 10–20 year horizons, reflecting expectations of future scarcity and rising demand for high-quality carbon credits.
Investor Confidence Depends on Strong Fundamentals
Projects that attract investment typically demonstrate clear eligibility, secure land rights, credible governance structures, diversified revenue streams and reliable delivery mechanisms.
About the author
Carbon Markets Africa Summit Carbon Markets Africa Summit (CMAS) is the leading platform dedicated to catalysing high-integrity carbon markets across Africa. By connecting supply and demand, the summit brings together project developers, policymakers, investors, and standards bodies to build a credible, investable carbon pipeline grounded in African readiness.
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