The release of the new Safeguard Mechanism Amendment Rules triggered an uptick in forward trading activity last week, with large compliance buyers beginning to frame up their entry into the local market. Week-on-week activity grew as participants work through the final technical detail of the new Safeguard Mechanism reforms and how the provisions will be implemented. Last week saw several trades for relatively uncommon methodologies, such as Alternative Waste Treatment, Piggeries, and Avoided Deforestation-excluded Generics, reflecting the increasingly stratified nature of the market and diverse supply-side landscape. Internationally, the Voluntary Carbon market (VCM) saw little activity and remains weighed down by perceptions of low integrity, further reinforced by EU legislative changes and new controls on the use of offsets to protect consumers from “pervasive greenwashing practices”.
This report analyses current activity in the Australian and international voluntary carbon markets, including spot and forward price dynamics, and prices by underlying project methodologies. Analysis considers Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) and voluntary offsets across key international registries including Verra, Gold Standard, the American Carbon Registry, and the Climate Action Reserve.
