Forest Trends shared major findings from their 2025 State of the Voluntary Carbon Market report, with an emphasis on implications for smallholder carbon project development. The session highlighted significant market shifts, including the sharp decline in REDD+ project value, increasing demand for removals and agroforestry, and growing scrutiny of credit quality.
Charlotte Barber, Associate Director of Ecosystem Marketplace at Forest Trends, and Alex Procton, Senior Manager for Data Solutions and Insights, presented how these changes are reshaping carbon markets and outlined implications for smallholder-focused carbon projects. The discussion emphasized the importance of credit integrity, shifting buyer preferences, and the evolving role of agroforestry and carbon removals in market dynamics.