Understanding Additionality in Carbon Markets: Why Passive Carbon Storage Isn't Creditable

Carbon credits are not granted simply for owning land with trees or soil that stores carbon. Under the principle of additionality, a project must prove that the carbon removal or emission reduction would not have happened without the specific intervention and financial incentive of the carbon market. This guide explains the legal framework from the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement, detailing the tests for regulatory surplus and common practice. It highlights why deliberate action, such as restoring degraded grasslands or protecting forests at risk, is the only way to generate verifiable credits.