PATHWAYS
One market. Many approaches.
Compare what a project changes, how the outcome is measured and where its risks sit.
A carbon credit generally represents one tonne of CO₂-equivalent reduction or removal. A project category alone does not establish quality or suitability for a claim. Read primary source →
| Pathway | Climate mechanism | Questions to take into diligence |
|---|---|---|
| Forest conservation | Reduction / avoidance against a baseline | Is the baseline credible? Is displacement accounted for? How are community rights and reversal risks addressed? |
| Forest restoration & mangroves | Biological removal and storage; some projects combine mechanisms | What is the monitoring period? What happens after fire, disturbance or land-use change? Who holds land and benefit rights? |
| Methane capture & efficient cooking | Emissions reductions | Are fuel use, equipment adoption and baseline assumptions supported by current evidence? |
| Biochar | Biomass-based removal and storage | Where does feedstock come from? What is the lifecycle balance, storage durability and chain of custody? |
| Direct air capture with storage | Engineered atmospheric removal | What energy powers the process? Is net removal verified? How is storage monitored and governed? |
| Mineralisation | CO₂ bound in mineral forms | What proves reaction and storage? How are lifecycle emissions, measurement uncertainty and environmental effects treated? |
Educational overview. Mechanisms depend on each methodology and project design. This is not a list of approved or available credits.
START WITH EVIDENCE
A category is
the beginning.
Request the methodology version, project documentation, verification reports, registry identifier and relevant safeguards. Check issuance and retirement status independently before relying on any supplier description.
For biological storage, assess reversal arrangements. For engineered removal, inspect the full lifecycle balance and storage evidence. For reduction credits, interrogate the counterfactual baseline.
Read primary source →Build a review checklist →