Carbon market glossary
Glossary term
Additionality
The principle that carbon removal or emissions reductions would not have occurred without the incentive of carbon finance. Essential for ensuring carbon credits represent real climate benefits.
Why additionality matters for carbon credit buyers
Additionality is the first question serious buyers ask: would this climate benefit have happened anyway? A wind farm that was already profitable, or a forest that was never under threat, generates credits with no real-world impact. Registries test additionality through financial and regulatory analysis, and independent raters weigh it heavily. A credit that fails on additionality fails entirely, regardless of price.
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