Expression of interest launches for jurisdictions and carbon market participants to pilot a Common Carbon Credit Data Model to advance data standardization and support the scaling of global carbon markets.

The Data Model aims to support interoperability and cross-border trading of high-integrity carbon credits across markets, systems and jurisdictions

November 5, 2025 (São Paulo) — The Climate Data Steering Committee (CDSC) Secretariat today announced at the COP30 Business and Finance Forum in São Paulo that, following a successful public consultation, the Common Carbon Credit Data Model (Data Model) developed for the South African G20 Presidency is now entering the piloting phase. This next stage seeks to pilot the Data Model to support its testing, refinement and voluntary adoption across the carbon credit ecosystem, which is essential to building confidence in and scaling global carbon markets. 

The South African G20 Presidency has identified carbon markets as a key tool to unlock climate finance for projects that reduce or remove emissions, particularly in emerging and developing economies, while helping businesses and governments decarbonize efficiently and affordably. A lack of standardized, comparable data remains a significant hurdle to carbon markets scaling at the pace necessary to maximize their impact and opportunity. Currently, different approaches and classifications are used to collect and store critical data fields related to the carbon credit life cycle, limiting high-integrity carbon credit markets by increasing due diligence costs for buyers and investors, reducing the comparability and transparency of carbon credits, and imposing undue frictions on data exchange and trade within markets and across borders. This fragmentation also impacts the reporting of data at the end of the carbon credit’s life cycle, impacting transparency on corporate carbon credit use.  

The Data Model is the first policymaker-driven, global common foundation for data standardization across the carbon credit life cycle, from pre-issuance to retirement, creating a consistent approach across carbon market segments and credit types. The Data Model leverages best practices from financial markets, introducing globally recognized unique identifiers to connect systems, prevent double counting, and improve due diligence processes, elements critical to increasing fungibility and building investor confidence in carbon markets.

Governments, national and private registries, exchanges, project developers and buyers are encouraged to help pilot and refine the Data Model ahead of wider adoption. The pilot phase will run for 12-18 months, with interested organizations encouraged to register their interest in piloting through the expression of interest process being launched today. 

The launch of this expression of interest to pilot the Common Carbon Credit Data Model marks an important step for global carbon markets,” said Mary Schapiro, Chair of the CDSC. “By establishing best practices for data standardization across the full life cycle of credits, the Data Model will help remove barriers to scaling these carbon credit markets. It will also create a foundation for greater trust, transparency and efficiency to unlock new opportunities for investment and collaboration.”

The development of the Common Carbon Credit Data Model marks a significant milestone for global carbon markets,” said Unathi Kamlana, Commissioner of the Financial Services Conduct Authority of South Africa. “It demonstrates collective progress under South Africa’s G20 Presidency towards harnessing the financing potential of carbon markets as a catalyst for sustainable development. This initiative reflects a shared conviction that transparent, interoperable data is essential to unlocking the full potential of carbon markets – not only as a tool for decarbonization, but as a channel for climate finance that supports inclusive, sustainable development across the Global South. High-quality, comparable data is the foundation of integrity in carbon markets and will be essential to scaling investment in credible emissions reductions. The CCCDM provides a practical pathway toward that goal, fostering confidence among market participants and advancing the global transition in a way that includes and benefits emerging economies.”

“High-quality and trustworthy data is key for carbon market integrity,” said James Grabert, Director of the Mitigation Division at the UNFCCC secretariat. “The Common Carbon Credit Data Model is helping markets move in that direction. By creating a common language for how carbon credit information is recorded and shared, it lays the groundwork for market data to be transparent and aligned with international goals.”

Governments and market participants looking to participate in the EOI and pilot the Data Model can find more information here.

About the Climate Data Steering Committee (CDSC)

The Climate Data Steering Committee (CDSC) was established in 2022 by French President Emmanuel Macron and United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions Michael R. Bloomberg. Chaired by Mary Schapiro, the CDSC brings together global policymakers, regulators, and international organizations, informed by data providers and civil society, to improve access to standardized climate data. 

The CDSC works to ensure that key company-level data disclosed by the private sector is accessible  for use by a broad set of stakeholders, including through the development of a trusted, global public data utility.

Visit climatedatasc.org or nzdpu.com for more information.

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