In our first Carbon Credit Series, we learned that there are two types of carbon markets: regulatory and voluntary. We covered the basics of the voluntary carbon market and shared a list of protocols that carbon offset project registries use for verification of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reductions. We also covered the Organic Waste Composting Project protocol developed by the Climate Action Reserve (CAR) for voluntary carbon offset credits.
This paper looks at the California cap-and-trade regulatory market established under Assembly Bill 32, passed during the Schwarzenegger administration in 2006. We list the approved California Compliance Offset Protocols and note which entities are required to comply with the regulatory market. This paper looks for potential opportunities and pathways to help better understand the requirements and, or the potential for offset projects to interact with the market. Further, we’ll review the process to approve a new compliance offset protocol and investigate the financial incentive for selling credits.
Similarly, we’ll provide an overview of the voluntary markets and discuss protocols for this market.
We encourage you to share this paper using your email or the icons at the bottom of the page. This paper is published as an article in Waste Advantage Magazine, March 1, 2025
About the Authors:
Erik Martig is a Project Director with 15 years of environmental experience. He is a Certified Compost Operations Manager (CCOM) responsible for managing the design of composting facilities and project management. He has technical expertise in organics processing technologies and equipment and regulatory aspects of compost siting and development. Erik is SCS’s National Expert in Organics Management. Contact Erik at SCS Engineers or via LinkedIn.
Victoria Evans is SCS’s Climate Change Practice Leader and One of our National Experts on Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change. She has over four decades of experience in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), energy, air quality, and environment. She has over 25 years of experience in climate and GHG management, having directed or performed over 300 GHG studies for US and global corporations and government organizations. Contact Victoria at SCS Engineers or via LinkedIn.
Additional Cap and Trade Resources:
