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Despite lingering skepticism among some groups about the validity of a voluntary carbon offset market, 2007 saw a record number of companies zero out their carbon emissions (or go "carbon neutral"), offer carbon neutral products, and create new specialized services in the offset market, especially in the United States and Europe.
ICF International expects the trend will continue to strengthen over the next five years, as companies realize the financial and social benefits of corporate responsibility and stewardship. One factor that could slow the bullish trend is the lack of good quality offset projects. The soaring demand for them has resulted in highly fragmented product supply and pricing, with complex, unregulated, and non-transparent markets creating additional risks and uncertainties. Another possible hindrance is expanding regulatory actions that dampen voluntary demand.
These and other findings are reported in ICF's newly released 2008 Voluntary Carbon Offsets Market Outlook, an in-depth analysis of the opportunities, players, trends, and barriers that characterize the voluntary carbon offset market up to 2012.
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