Shaping high-integrity carbon markets: The ICVCM at London Climate Action Week 2026 

London Climate Action Week comes at a pivotal moment for carbon markets.  

Across the week, the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) will engage governments, market participants and both Indigenous Peoples and local communities on how to strengthen the integrity of carbon credits in practice.  

London Climate Action Week is an important moment in that process. It is not an endpoint, but rather part of an ongoing process to strengthen how carbon markets function in practice. 

Why this moment matters 

Carbon markets have the potential to unlock significant finance for climate action. High-integrity markets can channel investment into emissions reductions and removals that would not happen otherwise, while also supporting sustainable development and protecting nature. 

But that potential depends on confidence.

Buyers, governments and others engaged in the markets need to trust that a carbon credit represents a real and measurable impact, delivers benefits on the ground and respect the rights and interests of both Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

This is why integrity is critical. And why London Climate Action Week is an important moment in 2026.  

At a time when multiple initiatives, standards and frameworks are evolving in parallel, there is a clear need for consistent, independent threshold. The Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) provide that global threshold, helping bring clarity and alignment across a complex landscape.  

What the ICVCM is focusing on   

The Integrity Council is approaching London Climate Action Week with a clear focus on meaningful engagement that supports implementation and builds confidence in high-integrity carbon markets. 

This means engaging a wide variety of stakeholders, including carbon-crediting programs, project developers, market participants, policymakers and both Indigenous Peoples and local communities. 

Such engagement is focused on understanding perspectives, priorities and practical experience. It helps ensure that the development of high integrity carbon markets is informed by those directly involved in their implementation.  

Alongside this, the Integrity Council will contribute to broader discussions, sharing technical expertise and supporting dialogue on the key issues shaping the future of carbon markets.

The Integrity Council will also play an active role several high-profile discussions. Topics include the future of corporate climate standards, how policy can unlock demand for high-integrity carbon credits, and strengthening market resilience. Senior leaders will also contribute to sessions focused on advancing gender-responsive carbon markets and supporting more inclusive approaches in practice. 

Taken together, this activity reflects a clear approach: listening, engaging and working with stakeholders to strengthen how high‑integrity carbon markets operate in practice.  

Strengthening inclusion through the Forum 

Both Indigenous Peoples and local communities are central to high‑integrity carbon markets. Their perspectives are essential to ensuring that carbon markets are credible, inclusive and deliver benefits on the ground. 

The Integrity Council reflects this through its governance, engagement and assessment requirements, including safeguards, free, prior and informed consent, and transparent benefit sharing. 

A key part of this work is the support for the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Engagement Forum, established following global consultations led by the Integrity Council. The Forum is a self-led platform that supports dialogue, builds understanding and helps ensure that the rights and interests of both Indigenous Peoples and local communities are central in how carbon markets develop. 

At London Climate Action Week, the Forum will focus on activities and wider discussions on how to strengthen inclusion in practice – including through its Community of Practice and a global dialogue on good practices in benefit sharing.

Looking Ahead

London Climate Action Week is one step in a wider process of strengthening carbon markets. 

High‑integrity carbon markets will continue to evolve. They will need to reflect the latest science, respond to stakeholder experience, and align with developing policies and frameworks across the global economy. 

The Integrity Council will continue to play a central role in that process. By setting a clear global threshold for quality, providing independent oversight, and working closely with stakeholders, it supports a more consistent, credible and effective market. 

This is how confidence is built. And it is how carbon markets can deliver meaningful climate impact in practice. 

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Building and strengthening high‑integrity carbon markets 

High‑integrity carbon markets are built on clear standards, robust processes and continuous improvement. 

The Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) define what a high‑integrity carbon credit looks like. They require that credits deliver real and measurable emissions reductions or removals, while supporting sustainable development and protecting nature. These principles are supported by independent assessment and ongoing oversight, helping ensure that standards are applied consistently over time. 

At the same time, carbon markets are evolving. As science develops, new approaches emerge, and more stakeholders engage in the market, expectations continue to rise. This makes ongoing improvement essential. Engagement across the market – bringing together project developers, carbon‑crediting programs, governments, businesses and both indigenous peoples and local communities, helps identify what is working well in practice and where further refinement is needed. 

In this context, clarity and consistency are increasingly important. As new initiatives and frameworks develop in parallel, common approaches help reduce fragmentation and strengthen confidence across the market. 

The Integrity Council supports this process by providing an independent, global threshold for quality, combined with transparent governance, technical expertise and engagement with stakeholders across the market. Together, these elements help build a carbon market that is more credible, more consistent and better able to deliver meaningful climate impact.