Indicators of growing interest in carbon markets at COP30

The global  climate discourse is decisively moving towards activating carbon markets as a key pillar of climate finance and mitigation, as confirmed by the statements of the representative of Brazil’s presidency at COP30 (Carbon Pulse, June 2025). This shift will set the agenda in Brazil, and this trend is reinforced by several determinants:

• The global discourse on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement has moved from negotiation to implementation, requiring the completion of strong frameworks for international trade in carbon markets at COP30 (World Bank, 2025).
• Brazil’s growing credibility in supporting reliable market mechanisms for carbon trading as a host of COP30 after its success in reducing the deforestation of vast forests, one of the most important natural carbon basins  (Nature4Climate, August 2025).
• Carbon markets are increasingly seen as the most viable and leveraged mechanism to close the climate finance gap at COP30 and direct investment towards projects in the Global South, especially after the default of climate finance at COP29 in Baku, (Reuters, 2025).

With the climate finance gap widening, COP30 is expected to be a golden opportunity to build reliable carbon market infrastructure and mechanisms, with mechanisms in place to achieve real and incremental emission reductions and equitable benefits for communities and ecosystems.