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How VCM projects can support access to food and clean water

How VCM projects can support access to food and clean water

  • Akina Wong
    Research Associate, Beyond Carbon
  • Torrey Sanseverino
    Senior Research Manager, Beyond Carbon
  • Natural Capital
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 2 (‘Zero Hunger’) and 6 (‘Clean Water and Sanitation’) address social aspects of sustainable development. Despite their importance, there is a lack of global progress towards these SDGs as we near the mid-way point of the 2030 agenda. But the voluntary carbon market (VCM) can help. In addition to their stated carbon benefits, carbon projects can also facilitate the finance needed to achieve SDGs 2 & 6. However, it is difficult to measure how carbon projects promote these SDGs. Only 8% of SDG 2 & 6 indicators are both scalable to the VCM and are strong measures of their goals. Buyers and developers can take actions to increase the effectiveness of the VCM’s contributions towards SDG 2 & 6, including, for instance, translating the policy indicators to indicators that are directly usable by carbon projects.

Here are some key takeaways

  • Carbon projects can deliver significant beyond-carbon impacts related to Zero Hunger (SDG 2) and Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6).

  • Since 2015, the number of issued credits that claim SDG 6 remains consistently higher than credits that claim SDG 2. 

  • SDG 2 & 6 impacts are difficult to measure in the VCM due to the lack of country-level SDG data availability. Only 8% of SDG 2 & 6 indicators are scalable to the project level.

  • SDG 2 &/or 6 claims have positive impacts on price in the Energy and Household Devices sectors.

Contents

  • SDG 2 & 6 VCM market trends 

  • SDG 2 & 6 claims and carbon credit price 

  • Few SDG 2 & 6 indicators are applicable to the VCM 

  • Conclusion 

  • Appendix

  • References 

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