State and Trends of Carbon Pricing

As developing nations grapple with the largefinancing needs required to achieve our climate goals, the urgency to mobilize sub stantial capital towards communities, nature, and broader developmental efforts is resoundingly clear. In this context, carbon markets, both under the Paris Agreement and the voluntary carbon market (VCM), can channel much-needed finance towards climate action. In all, 120 nations have considered the role of international carbon markets to support mitigation action and achievement of their nationally determined contribution (NDC) targets, and many corporations are seeking high-quality carbon credits to meet their voluntary climate commitments. Done right, carbon markets can help us get the resources we need now, at scale, and accelerate action by providing much needed source of finance. They can also encourage accelerated action to meet NDCs, providing financing needed to implement them. In its annual State and Trends of Carbon Pricing Report, the World Bank has been tracking domestic carbon pricing policies, such as carbon taxes and emissions trading systems, that are critical to incentivize action to reduce emissions. With the growing potential for carbon markets as a means to increase climate finance under both the Paris Agreement and VCM, there is a renewed interest in understanding carbon market developments. This report aims to supplement the annual State and Trends report and contribute to the global effort to promote market transparency and trust by providing digestible insights into the state of play of international carbon markets.