Yesterday, top US administration officials unveiled the first comprehensive US government guidelines for carbon markets. This initiative is significant for us at Hyphen, as it aligns with our vision and focus on atmospheric measurement for enhanced Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV). These new guidelines are an important element for emission reductions and offsets in the US, serving as a critical tool to guide a multi-sector approach in the global fight against climate change. This complements the White House’s National Strategy to Advance an Integrated U.S. Greenhouse Gas Measurement, Monitoring, and Information System, which calls for: improving activity-based and atmospheric-based emissions quantification and estimates; making data on greenhouse gas emissions more accessible and interoperable; and supporting the development of science-based standards to ensure consistent and accurate emissions measurements

The Biden Administration’s Treasury Department plays a pivotal role in raising ambition and delivering progress both domestically and internationally. Domestically, the Inflation Reduction Act stands as the most significant climate legislation in the USA’s history, fueling investments in renewable energy to meet climate goals while expanding economic opportunities across the country. Internationally, efforts include launching Just Energy Transition Partnerships and evolving multilateral development banks to better address global challenges, including climate.

The administration's goal is to promote "high-integrity carbon markets," addressing long-standing issues and controversies surrounding carbon offsets. Despite the growing interest in using offsets to unlock billions of dollars for decarbonization, many projects have been criticized for not delivering on their emission-reduction promises. The new framework aims to enhance the transparency, credibility and effectiveness of carbon credits, creating a "level playing field" and a promising landscape for innovative dMRV solutions like ours.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen introduced the US framework at a major event in Washington, DC, accompanied by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, White House senior climate adviser John Podesta, and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. The event highlighted the necessity for high-integrity carbon credits that represent real, additional, and permanent emission reductions.

This development is particularly exciting for us at Hyphen. The emphasis on high-integrity carbon markets aligns perfectly with our mission to provide real, accurate and reliable atmospheric data through our dMRV technologies. Guidelines such as these are paving a path for a surge in demand for consistent, standardized, robust monitoring and verification solutions, positioning Hyphen at the forefront of this emerging market.

The framework is in line with emerging standards for generating and claiming carbon credits but does not endorse any specific regime. Instead, it stresses the importance of voluntary carbon markets in achieving net-zero emissions, provided they drive significant capital into both nature-based projects and future carbon removal technologies. This presents a unique opportunity for us to demonstrate how our innovative dMRV technologies can enhance the transparency and integrity of these markets.

Supporters of the initiative, such as Pedro Barata from the Environmental Defense Fund, see the US government's endorsement as a critical confidence booster for the carbon market approach. However, critics argue that without robust enforcement, carbon credits could become tools for greenwashing, allowing businesses to make unverified claims about emission reductions. This underscores the vital role that our atmospheric-based dMRV technologies can play in providing the necessary transparency and verification.

John Kerry, former Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, has championed carbon credits as a rapid means to mobilize substantial climate finance, emphasizing the importance of corporate investment. The new framework, developed with input from multiple agencies, focuses on market transparency, fair revenue distribution, and credible use cases for carbon credits. This comprehensive approach aligns perfectly with our mission at Hyphen to deliver accurate and reliable atmospheric data.

For us at Hyphen, the US government's new guidelines represent a pivotal moment. By leveraging our atmospheric-based dMRV, we can help ensure that carbon markets operate with the highest integrity, fostering substantial private sector investment in sustainable projects. This initiative not only enhances the credibility of carbon markets but also highlights the essential role of advanced monitoring technologies in global decarbonization efforts.

You can learn more about our Atmospheric-based dMRV in our research paper, Building Trust in Carbon Markets through Atmospheric-based Greenhouse Gas Monitoring and Verification.