A new study from MIT Sloan School of Management analyzed over 7,200 carbon credit transactions from 2018 to 2024 and found that buyer identity explains 62% of price variation. Prices ranged from a few cents to over $100 per tonne for the same volume of emissions reductions, with wealthier buyers and certain industries paying more while climate commitments did not lead to higher spending on quality credits. The study also found that forest protection and cookstove projects, which independent assessors rate poorly for actual climate effectiveness, sold at two to four times the price of more reliable technologies like waste management and industrial efficiency. Researchers argue that public price benchmarks and transaction reporting could improve market transparency and channel money toward more effective climate solutions.
