The Open Coalition on Compliance Carbon Markets (OCCCM) has expanded its membership and has adopted a new work plan aimed at improving cooperation among jurisdictions with emissions trading systems and other carbon pricing mechanisms in place.
At its second High-Level Meeting, held in Wuhan, China on September 14 alongside the China Carbon Market Conference, coalition members and observers endorsed the platform’s institutional structure and Secretariat and adopted its strategic work plan.
Canada, France, Norway, Singapore, Türkiye and the United Kingdom joined as new members, while several observers formally entered the initiative ahead of the meeting.
The approved work plan covers 2026-27 in detail and sets a longer strategic horizon through 2030. It describes the group as a voluntary platform, with its work intended to support mutual learning rather than impose legally binding requirements on members.
The coalition was established in November 2025 during COP30 in Belém, Brazil with the Declaration on the Open Coalition on Compliance Carbon Markets. Brazil is currently acting as chair, with China and the European Union (EU) as co-chairs.
Focus Turns To Market Design And Interoperability
The newly adopted plan identifies five main areas of work: establishing the coalition’s Secretariat and operations; exchanging experience on carbon market design; cooperation on monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) and carbon accounting; rules for high-integrity offsets in compliance systems; and partnerships and external engagement.
Among its planned activities, the coalition will compare market design features across members, including emissions coverage, allowance allocation, auctions, price containment measures, penalties and oversight.
It also plans to examine similarities and differences in members’ MRV and carbon-accounting systems and identify potential areas for greater interoperability.
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The work plan outlines a three-stage approach. The first phase focuses on establishing governance and building a shared understanding of national systems. The second would develop tools, guidance and pilot cooperation, while the third aims to strengthen longer-term cooperation and alignment.
The coalition said it plans to maintain links with multilateral cooperation in view of the upcoming major United Nations (UN) climate summit in Antalya, Türkiye and beyond.
Among the topics discussed at meeting in Wuhan were the next steps for COP31, including a high-level roundtable.
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