Growing Momentum for High-Integrity Carbon Markets Takes Center Stage During London Climate Action Week
- Jul 7
- 2 min read
The Verified Carbon Market Collaborative Launches New Brand, Inaugural Fellowship and Series of Stakeholder Convenings
LONDON, June 23, 2026 – The Verified Carbon Market Collaborative this week announced a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening the carbon market, including the launch of its inaugural VCM+ Fellows Program and the introduction of a new name that reflects its role as a catalyst of collective action.
Among the week's key announcements is the introduction of the first cohort of the VCM+ Fellows Program, a new initiative designed to spotlight and support leaders advancing the next generation of high-integrity carbon markets. The inaugural cohort includes 18 Fellows representing a broad cross-section of the carbon market ecosystem, including scientists, practitioners, community leaders, legal and policy experts, educators, and communicators. Over the course of a one-year fellowship, participants will engage in virtual global convenings, peer learning opportunities, collaborative initiatives, and thought leadership activities designed to strengthen connections across the carbon market landscape. Fellows will also play an active role in shaping and advancing the Collaborative’s work across its five organizing pillars—High-Integrity Science, Robust Oversight, Trusted Communications, Targeted Finance, and Scaled Demand—helping to identify priorities, inform strategy, and catalyze action.
“The future of the verified carbon market depends on diverse, global leadership and insight from across the ecosystem,” said Madeleine Carnemark, Director of the Verified Carbon Market Collaborative. “The VCM+ Fellows Program was created to amplify that full range of expertise, ensuring that the people driving progress on the ground and across institutions have the platform, support, and peer network needed to help shape the market at a pivotal moment.”
The organization also announced its evolution from the VCM+ Coalition to the Verified Carbon Market Collaborative, a name that more clearly reflects its role as a platform for coordination and alignment across the global carbon market community.
"Momentum across the carbon market is growing, but progress depends on our ability to move forward together," said Alexia Kelly, Managing Director of the VCM+ Collaborative. "This week demonstrates the value of bringing diverse voices and expertise into the same room to tackle shared challenges, identify practical solutions, and build the alignment and resources needed to scale high-integrity carbon markets worldwide."
Throughout London Climate Action Week, the Collaborative is convening stakeholders from across the carbon market community through a series of events and discussions focused on advancing market integrity, strengthening investment pathways, and accelerating climate, nature, and community impact.
Together, these developments reflect growing momentum behind the Collaborative's mission to strengthen coordination, reduce fragmentation, and mobilize greater ambition across the voluntary and compliance carbon markets and philanthropic funding community.
About The Verified Carbon Market (VCM+) Collaborative: The VCM+ Collaborative (formerly the VCM+ Coalition) is a global initiative to build the next-generation verified carbon market, unifying and accelerating action across the carbon market ecosystem. It aims to deliver 5 billion cumulative tons of CO₂e reduced or removed between 2026 and 2035 and mobilize an additional $100 billion in climate finance, across voluntary and compliance systems while restoring trust, improving outcomes for communities and nature, and building a high-integrity, equitable, and scalable market. Learn more at vcmcollaborative.org.
Media Contact
Browning Environmental Communications
+1 (202) 615-3645
Comments