Standard Chartered announces plans to sell forest carbon credits

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🗞️ Driving the news: Standard Chartered has entered a landmark five-year agreement with Brazil’s State of Acre to exclusively sell jurisdictional forest carbon credits designed to conserve the Amazon rainforest
• Starting in 2026, the initiative is expected to generate up to 5 million credits and attract approximately $150 million in financing, with 72% of net proceeds directed to local and indigenous communities
• The credits will use the TREES methodology under the ART registry — approved by ICVCM for high-integrity standards  

🔭 The context: The voluntary carbon market has been jolted by high-profile setbacks, including the cancellation of a $180 million offset scheme in Pará over concerns about forward contracts and community rights
• In contrast, Acre’s model avoids forward selling and emphasizes environmental credibility, aiming to restore confidence in nature-based offsets  

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: This agreement demonstrates a scalable, jurisdictional approach to tropical forest conservation — protecting intact ecosystems rather than creating new ones
• By embedding transparency, independent verification, and benefit-sharing with communities, it advances both climate mitigation and sustainable development, aligning with international calls for forest finance ahead of COP30  

⏭️ What's next: Credits rollout begins in 2026. Oversight via an independent assessment by Sylvera under the ART-TREES framework is ongoing to validate environmental performance and build market trust
• As COP30 approaches, this approach may set a replicable precedent for jurisdiction-wide forest carbon programmes globally  

💬 One quote: “Without deploying new market mechanisms, standing forests are unlikely to be protected… offering a means to help preserve standing forests… and in turn help the communities that depend on them continue to realise the economic and social returns they provide.”
— Marisa Drew, Chief Sustainability Officer, Standard Chartered

📈 One stat: Up to 72% of net proceeds from the carbon credit sales will directly fund indigenous and local community initiatives

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of Standard Chartered and its peers Barclays, and HSBC

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