ICROA to wind down in 2026: What this means for the voluntary carbon market

The International Carbon Reduction and Offsetting Alliance (ICROA) has announced that it will wind down its operations by late 2026. Founded in 2008, ICROA was one of the earliest initiatives to define best practices in the voluntary carbon market.

ICROA’s decision marks a transition in how integrity in the voluntary carbon market is governed, as newer global frameworks – including the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) and the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI) – take on a leading role. ICVCM focuses on criteria for high-integrity carbon credits, while VCMI provides guidance for credible climate claims.

For companies using carbon credits, this shift affects how quality, transparency, and credible climate claims are assessed going forward.

Through its Code of Best Practice, ICROA helped define clear standards for quality, transparency, and responsible conduct in the use of carbon credits. At a time when market standards were still fragmented, the organisation set early rules for responsible carbon credit use and created a shared reference point for companies, standards, and project developers.

A shift in market governance

ICROA’s decision to wind down reflects how governance in the voluntary carbon market has evolved. In recent years, new integrity bodies with broader mandates have taken on a more central role.

Initiatives such as the ICVCM and the VCMI are developing comprehensive, globally recognised frameworks for carbon credits and climate claims. These frameworks aim to strengthen confidence amid increased scrutiny, price volatility, and growing corporate climate commitments.

Why is ICROA winding down?

ICROA has stated that newer integrity frameworks now cover its original mandate and are better equipped to govern the voluntary carbon market at global scale.

In its announcement, ICROA described this step as passing the baton. The organisation recognised that many of the principles it helped establish are now embedded in these newer frameworks, which are designed to guide the market beyond 2026.

What this means for companies

For companies using carbon credits as part of their climate strategy, ICROA’s phase-out underlines a broader transition. Guidance that once came from voluntary initiatives is giving way to more harmonised, internationally recognised standards.

This shift increases the importance of:

• Alignment with recognised integrity rules
• Transparent carbon credit selection and retirement
• Substantiated climate claims

As integrity requirements evolve, companies need clarity on how carbon credits fit into credible climate action. This includes understanding how ICVCM and VCMI guidance interacts with regulations, reporting standards, and climate targets. Navigating this landscape requires experience, reliable data, and a clear understanding of how evolving standards affect corporate climate strategies.

ClimatePartner will continue to align its work with high-integrity frameworks and market best practices. Drawing on 20 years of experience with best-practice guidance, our focus remains unchanged: enabling climate action that is credible, efficient, and transparent.

ClimatePartner was accredited under ICROA’s Code of Best Practice for four years, and we acknowledge ICROA’s contribution to shaping early market standards and thank the organisation for its work in advancing integrity in the voluntary carbon market.