Verra and S&P Global Commodity Insights to Advance Carbon Market Integration with Next-Generation Registry

Rhea-AI Summary

S&P Global Commodity Insights (NYSE:SPGI) and Verra have announced a strategic collaboration to develop a next-generation carbon market registry. The partnership combines Verra's position as the world's leading climate action standards body with S&P Global's market infrastructure capabilities.

The new registry will be powered by S&P Global's Environmental Registry software and will launch in two phases - an initial phase within six months and a second phase in 2026. Key features include two-way data exchange with Verra Project Hub, expanded digitization, transaction-ready APIs for automated transfers, and improved transparency tools.

This infrastructure upgrade aims to enhance market integration, transparency, and efficiency in carbon credit trading while supporting Article 6 and CORSIA functionality.

Positive

• Strategic partnership between two industry leaders in environmental markets
• Implementation of advanced technology for improved market efficiency and transparency
• Automated processes to replace manual operations, enabling high-volume trading
• Enhanced infrastructure supporting future innovations and market expansion

Negative

• Extended implementation timeline with full functionality not available until 2026
• Potential transition challenges for existing registry users requiring additional training

Insights

ESG & Financial Infrastructure Analyst

S&P Global's new partnership with Verra creates strategic positioning in the growing carbon market infrastructure space.

This strategic partnership between S&P Global Commodity Insights and Verra represents a significant expansion of S&P's position in the environmental commodities infrastructure space. As the carbon market continues to mature, the registry infrastructure that underpins it becomes increasingly valuable.

The collaboration brings together Verra, which oversees approximately 70% of all voluntary carbon credits globally, with S&P Global's technical capabilities. This positions S&P Global as a critical infrastructure provider in a growing market segment with strong long-term tailwinds from climate policy and corporate net-zero commitments.

From a business perspective, this represents S&P Global's continued diversification beyond traditional financial data services into climate and sustainability infrastructure. The Environmental Registry software, which will power this new system, adds a recurring revenue stream with relatively high switching costs once implemented.

The phased implementation approach (first phase within 6 months, second in 2026) indicates a thoughtful rollout that should minimize disruption risk. The emphasis on API connectivity and integration suggests S&P Global is building an ecosystem that could generate network effects and create additional revenue opportunities through value-added services.

For S&P Global investors, this partnership enhances the company's environmental credentials while establishing it as a key technology provider in carbon markets—an area expected to see substantial growth as climate policies tighten globally. The agreement strengthens S&P Global's competitive positioning in the rapidly evolving sustainability data and infrastructure space.

World's Largest GHG Standards Body Collaborates with the World's Leading Commodities Information and Registry Infrastructure Provider

SINGAPORE and NEW YORK and LONDON and WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 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, marking 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 organizations 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," said Mandy Rambharos, Chief Executive Officer, 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."

The sophisticated new registry will be powered by S&P Global Commodity Insight's customizable, registry-build infrastructure software Environmental Registry. This technology incorporates quality standards, centralizes 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," stated Leanne Todd, Head of Energy Transition, Sustainability & Services, S&P Global Commodity Insights. "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."

The new registry, powered by S&P Global Commodity Insights, 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 digitization 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.

Media Contacts:  
Verra: Erdem Koch +971-589-656275  ekoch@verra.org  
S&P Global Commodity Insights: Kathleen Tanzy + 1 917-331-4607, kathleen.tanzy@spglobal.com

About Verra: Verra is a global leader helping to tackle the world's most intractable environmental and social challenges. As a mission-driven nonprofit organization, Verra is committed to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve livelihoods, and protect natural resources by working with the private and public sectors. We support climate action and sustainable development with standards programs and tools that credibly, transparently, and robustly assess environmental and social impacts and enable funding for sustaining and scaling up projects that verifiably deliver these benefits.

About S&P Global Commodity Insights: At S&P Global Commodity Insights, our complete view of global energy and commodity markets enables our customers to make decisions with conviction and create long-term, sustainable value.  

We're a trusted connector that brings together thought leaders, market participants, governments, and regulators and we create solutions that lead to progress. Vital to navigating commodity markets, our coverage includes oil and gas, power, chemicals, metals, agriculture, shipping and energy transition. Platts^® products and services, including leading benchmark price assessments in the physical commodity markets, are offered through S&P Global Commodity Insights. S&P Global Commodity Insights maintains clear structural and operational separation between its price assessment activities and the other activities carried out by S&P Global Commodity Insights and the other business divisions of S&P Global.  

S&P Global Commodity Insights is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world's foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help many of the world's leading organizations navigate the economic landscape so they can plan for tomorrow, today. For more information visit https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/verra-and-sp-global-commodity-insights-to-advance-carbon-market-integration-with-next-generation-registry-302534989.html

SOURCE S&P Global Commodity Insights; Verra

FAQ

What is the partnership between S&P Global (NYSE:SPGI) and Verra about?

The partnership focuses on developing a next-generation carbon market registry, combining Verra's climate standards expertise with S&P Global's market infrastructure capabilities to enhance carbon market integration and transparency.

When will the new S&P Global and Verra carbon registry launch?

The registry will launch in two phases: an initial foundational phase within six months (by early 2026) and a second phase later in 2026.

What are the key features of the new carbon registry system?

Key features include two-way data exchange with Verra Project Hub, expanded digitization, transaction-ready APIs for automated transfers, improved transparency tools, and support for Article 6 and CORSIA functionality.

How will this partnership affect carbon market participants?

Participants will benefit from improved efficiency, automated processes, better project-level data access, and enhanced credit tracking. However, users will need to undergo training for the new system.

Will the new registry system support existing trading platforms?

Yes, the system will maintain existing connectivity to CBL and Xpansiv Connect, ensuring no disruption for current market participants using these platforms.