Gender (In)Equality in the Voluntary Carbon Market

Abstract The voluntary carbon market (VCM) has gained popularity as a mechanism to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate targets. While the importance of embedding Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5) gender equality considerations into climate change action is increasingly recognized, there is a gap in understanding how the VCM may impact SDG5 because previous research has explored the integration of gender equality and the VCM in specific cases or focused on individual standards. Our study analyzed 675 VCM offset projects on a Gender Inclusion Scale and found that recent vintage, Gold-Standard-certified, household devices, removal, and African/South American projects have higher levels of gender inclusion. To improve the baseline level of gender inclusion, mandatory disclosure of SDG5 impacts and collaboration with women-focused NGOs or local governments is recommended. This research highlights the importance of considering gender equality in VCM projects to provide additional benefits toward sustainability goals.