A new collaboration between two major leaders in environmental markets and commodities information has been announced to advance broader market integration, beginning with the development of a next-generation registry. This marks a major step toward a more scalable, interoperable, and digitally integrated infrastructure.

The collaboration between Verra, the world’s leading standards body for climate action and sustainable development, and S&P Global Commodity Insights, the world’s leading commodities and benchmark information provider, combines deep climate expertise with market infrastructure capabilities. Together, the two organisations will strengthen the integrity, accessibility, and performance of the carbon markets, including through a sophisticated new registry designed to increase transparency and deliver greater value to market participants.

“This is a technological and strategic transformation for Verra. We’re building the infrastructure required for a robust and resilient carbon market: one that is agile, smarter, and better connected, starting with the registry. Registries are the backbone of the carbon market, tracking the issuance, transfer, and retirement of all credits.

"Given this, the infrastructure underlying registries must always parallel higher integrity demands, greater scale, and more complex digital requirements. Our partnership with S&P Global Commodity Insights ensures we’re doing just that, grounded in a solid foundation with the right partner," says Mandy Rambharos, chief executive officer, Verra.

The sophisticated new registry will be powered by S&P Global Commodity Insight’s customisable registry-build infrastructure software, Environmental Registry. This technology incorporates quality standards, centralises verification documentation, provides unique identification and traceability for carbon credits, and enables users to efficiently track and manage carbon, water, and biodiversity credits throughout their life cycles.

“This is a defining moment for the future of carbon markets and the advancement of energy transition and climate goals. Integration of Verra into the Environmental Registry and Meta Registry will further underpin these platforms as the foundation for a unified, transparent community that can foster greater trust and growth in carbon markets. Our alliance sets the stage for tangible benefits of improved transparency, credibility, and credit tracking efficiency for customers seeking to advance carbon credit markets and better incentivize a future of lower greenhouse gas emissions," says Leanne Todd, head of energy transition, sustainability and services, S&P Global Commodity Insights.

The new registry will roll out in two stages, with a foundational phase launching within the next six months and the second phase launching in 2026. This will deliver tangible improvements for every part of the market, including the following:

• Integration, and a two-way data exchange, with the Verra Project Hub, enabling project proponents to prepare project documents and move through the full lifecycle (i.e., registration, monitoring, issuance) with less duplication and greater efficiency
• Expanded digitisation and system connectivity, reducing administrative burden for developers and accelerating verification and credit issuance timelines
• Transaction-ready application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow for automated transfers and retirements, replacing manual processes and enabling frictionless, high-volume trading across brokers, exchanges, and marketplaces, including for existing connectivity to CBL and Xpansiv Connect, ensuring no disruption for market participants who utilize these platforms
• Improved transparency and customizable reporting tools, giving buyers and other market participants better insight into project-level data and credit history
• Foundational infrastructure for future innovations, including expanded Article 6 and CORSIA functionality and integration with various programs, governments, market participants, exchanges, insurers, and financial platforms

Verra will provide dedicated support and training to all of its registry users in advance of the transition. Details on timelines, new access procedures, and system improvements will be shared in September.