Kamil Andaloussi (Polytechnique Paris 2025)

Rapid decarbonization of economies is essential to preserve ecosystems. Voluntary carbon credit markets allow companies to offset their emissions by financing CO₂ reduction or sequestration projects certified by organizations such as Verra or Gold Standard. However, in 2023, an international investigation revealed that many certified projects failed to deliver on their promises, triggering a crisis of confidence and a sharp market downturn, from $1.9 billion to $723 million.

To restore credibility, certifying bodies now require rigorous scientific monitoring. Yet this requirement poses a major challenge for developing countries—the primary suppliers of carbon credits—which often lack the necessary tools and expertise. The project therefore aims to support African developers in implementing reliable and transparent methodologies, enabling them to produce credits that comply with the new standards.

The focus is on REDD+ and AFOLU projects, related to forests and land use, which account for nearly half of the market and have been the most criticized. By strengthening their quality and monitoring, the objective is to restore confidence among companies seeking to offset their emissions through projects that are genuinely effective.