Carbon markets are notoriously opaque. Buyers have little interaction with or knowledge of the real places where these abstract tonnes of carbon have been sequestered, leaving them in the dark about the authenticity and permanence of their credits. Often projects span hundreds of thousands of hectares, and if one corner of that is degraded, buyers have no way of knowing whether “their” carbon has been affected. Native confronts this by using our map to foster a connection between buyers and the actual locations where carbon is sequestered.

The challenge in verifying the exact origins and current status of carbon credits leaves many REDD+ projects exposed to double counting. Double-counting occurs when credits are issued by different entities for the same natural asset, often due to the disconnect between compliance carbon markets, international carbon markets established and regulated by governments, and voluntary carbon markets taking place in the private sector.

It is not uncommon for a carbon credit to be issued by a private project developer via voluntary carbon markets, only for a government entity to then issue credits for the same natural assets as part of their NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions), or via compliance markets such as the EU’s ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme). This leads to a high degree of uncertainty and confusion which undermines faith in all carbon markets and discourages participation by potential buyers.

Native has developed its own proprietary mapping system to address these challenges. Our map divides projects into 3m² Squares so holders can see exactly which Square of land they have paid to protect or regenerate and easily monitor its status.

Our interactive map showcases these Squares, allowing buyers to see the impact on the ground and connect with the communities they are supporting. Stories and images coming out of the project and posted to the project page, foster a tangible connection, enhancing buyer engagement and allowing for transparent reporting to clients, employees, or investors.

This approach also reduces the risk of double counting. Unless buyers choose to remain anonymous, each Square's ownership is visible on the platform, promoting accountability and creating reputational benefits for our buyers. In the event of degradation, transparency ensures that users can see and report issues, maintaining the integrity of the system as a whole via the P2P regulation of Squares.

Holders also have a personal impact page which aggregates all of their ABC scores across their Squares around the world to give them quantifiable scores for Additionality, Biodiversity and Community so they can demonstrate their impact to key stakeholders in presentations, ESG reports etc.

Aerial drone flyovers, AI and incoming data from communities on-the-ground will provide even greater accuracy. In time ABC scores, and therefore prices, will become dynamic, responding in real-time to incoming data.

‍