The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and BeZero Carbon have launched a global partnership aimed at strengthening developing countries’ ability to participate in high-integrity carbon markets.
Through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding, the two organizations will work together to improve access to data, tools, and technical resources that underpin credible carbon crediting and informed policymaking.
Carbon markets remain one of the key mechanisms for mobilizing private climate finance at scale – an essential pillar for meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
But many developing countries still face major obstacles, from limited technical capacity to fragmented standards and poor data availability. COP30 underscored just how steep the finance challenge is: an estimated $3.2 trillion annually is needed by 2035 to meet global climate and development targets, including $1.3 trillion in external finance.
Using Independent Ratings and Data to Improve Market Transparency
One emerging tool for improving the quality and trustworthiness of carbon markets is the work of independent carbon rating agencies, which evaluate the integrity of credits and provide buyers, governments, and investors with transparent assessments.
High-integrity credits must represent real, additional, verifiable and permanent emissions reductions, avoid double counting, and uphold strong social and environmental safeguards.
BeZero Carbon, one of the sector’s leading rating agencies, applies geospatial analysis, data science, and technical expertise to assess project-level risk and performance across both voluntary and compliance markets.
Relevant: BeZero To Deliver Risk Assessments For Article 6.2 Carbon Credits For Switzerland
Its ratings and analytics are already being used by governments including Switzerland and Singapore as part of Article 6 due diligence.
Under the new two-year partnership, BeZero will grant UNDP teams full access to its entire platform, including project-level ratings, risk indicators, and sector-wide analyses. UNDP expects this to strengthen its policy advice to governments and enhance national strategies for engaging in carbon markets.
The collaboration also includes co-developing targeted knowledge materials on high-integrity markets, including Article 6 guidance and capacity-building resources tailored to country needs. These will support governments in shaping carbon market frameworks that align with development priorities and deliver real benefits for local communities.
Read more: UNDP And Sylvera Partner To Strengthen Africa’s Role In Global Carbon Markets
