The Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has published a five-year strategy for 2026–2030 that sets two significant milestones for the verified carbon market: the launch of an updated Corporate Net-Zero Standard (CNZS) by the end of 2026, and dedicated guidance on carbon credit use under that standard by the end of 2027.
The carbon credit guidance will address what SBTi terms 'high-integrity' credits and market mechanisms. The strategy makes clear that SBTi will not develop its own integrity framework for carbon credits, but will instead recognise existing schemes it deems consistent with its approach. The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) is cited as one such reference point for determining which credits meet the required standard.
Work on the revised CNZS has already incorporated consultations on the role of carbon credits. The emerging approach positions them as a complement to direct emissions reduction, not a substitute. This framing aligns with what was signalled in a draft of the standard released last year, which introduced an explicit hierarchy placing internal emissions cuts first.
The strategy confirms that the final CNZS will include details of how carbon credits fit within that hierarchy. The more granular guidance on which credits and schemes qualify will follow in a separate document due by end of 2027.
For corporates working toward science-based targets, the timeline provides some clarity—but also a further period of uncertainty. The rules of the road for carbon credit use under the CNZS will not be fully defined until both documents are in place.