Webinar on Carbon Offset Markets: Frameworks, Functionality, and Future Directions

Background:

India’s pledge to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions by 2070, announced at COP26 in Glasgow, marks a defining moment in the country’s climate journey. As part of this commitment, India has submitted ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and is now accelerating efforts to create enabling frameworks that support deep decarbonization across sectors. The Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, through its flagship Sustainability Conclave in 2021, underscored this national ambition by spotlighting the theme: Target Net Zero – India’s Road Ahead.

In this context, carbon markets are emerging as a critical policy and financing instrument. By enabling the trade of verified emission reductions, carbon markets provide a flexible and cost-effective pathway for industries to meet climate goals, channel finance into green technologies, and invest in nature-based solutions. They are also essential for countries to meet their NDCs through voluntary cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

As India lays the groundwork for the Indian Carbon Market (ICM), alignment with international standards, robust governance mechanisms, and private sector participation will be key to building a credible, high-integrity market. Businesses have a pivotal role to play—not just as buyers or sellers of carbon credits, but as strategic actors in climate action. IORA Ecological Solutions, a leading developer of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) projects with proven expertise in climate finance, policy advisory, scientific research, and on-ground implementation, in collaboration with the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is pleased to present a focused and interactive 2-hour webinar. This session is designed to equip business leaders, sustainability professionals, and investors with a clear and actionable understanding of the carbon credit ecosystem—covering project development, market mechanisms, regulatory updates, and strategies for meaningful corporate engagement in both voluntary and compliance carbon markets

Objective:

This webinar aims to equip participants with a foundational understanding of carbon credit markets, explore current trends and regulations, highlight the strategic role of businesses in the market, and share actionable insights on engaging with high-quality carbon offset projects.

Thematic Areas for the webinar:

1. Carbon Markets: Understanding the Basics
a. What are carbon credits?
b. How are they generated, verified, and traded?
c. Difference between voluntary and compliance markets

2. Policy Landscape and Emerging Market Trends
a. India’s Net Zero roadmap and the upcoming Indian Carbon Market (ICM)
b. Global frameworks such as Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and CORSIA

3. Business Engagement in Carbon Markets
a. Why and how businesses participate in carbon credit markets
b. Buying, selling, and retiring credits: practical considerations
c. Role of offsets in achieving net-zero and sustainability goals

4. Best Practices in Project Engagement and Due Diligence
a. Overview of high-integrity carbon offset project types (forestry, renewables, agriculture, etc.)
b. What to look for: additionality, permanence, co-benefits, and certification standards
c. Navigating risks: greenwashing, credibility, and reputational safeguards

Target Audience

This webinar is tailored for a diverse group of professionals who are engaged in or looking to understand carbon markets and climate finance. This includes corporate sustainability and ESG leaders, carbon market practitioners, CSR and environmental strategy professionals, and climate finance stakeholders such as investors and analysts. It will also benefit government and policy professionals working on environmental governance, as well as representatives of industry bodies, chambers, and associations aiming to support their members in climate-aligned growth. Finally, it serves as an excellent learning opportunity for students and researchers specializing in climate policy, sustainable development, or environmental economics.

Expected Outcome

By the end of the session, participants will walk away with a solid grounding in the principles and practices of carbon markets, including the ability to distinguish between various market types and project categories. They will gain insights into India’s evolving carbon policy framework, understand the strategic and financial implications of purchasing or trading carbon credits, and learn how to evaluate and engage with carbon offset projects in a responsible and informed manner. Most importantly, they will be better equipped to position their organizations for leadership in a low-carbon economy while contributing to real and measurable climate impact.

Speaker Profile

Mr. Swapan Mehra
Founder-CEO of Iora Ecological Solutions Pvt Ltd

Swapan Mehra is the Founder-CEO of Iora Ecological Solutions Pvt Ltd, a leading environmental advisory firm in India dedicated to advancing climate action through nature- based solutions. With expertise in environmental finance and climate policy, he has pioneered innovative nature finance initiatives and community resilience programs, empowering grassroots conservation. Swapan holds an MBA from IIFM Bhopal and a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School. A World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (2020), Donella Meadows Fellow, and LEAD India Fellow, he has authored over 40 publications on climate finance, biodiversity, REDD+, and ecosystem service valuation. A well-established thought leader, Swapan serves on several national and international forums, including the Green Credit Program Technical Committee for the Government of India, the Technology Selection Committee for the Jal Jeevan Mission, and the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credit. He is also a member of the Expert Advisory Group for the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI), the WEF Stakeholder Council, the Natural Capital Steering Group, and the NCS Investments

Taskforce under 1t.org.He has also led carbon finance and climate investment teams at Evolution Markets and AES India during the early Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) years.

Contact Details :

Ms. Shruti Rathod
Email : shruti.rathod@bombaychamber.com
Tel : 61200268