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The Carbon Credit RFP Template: 27 Questions to Ask Before You Buy in 2026
Most corporate carbon credit purchases happen via casual email exchanges or broker spreadsheets, and that is exactly why so many of them end in regret. This post is a complete carbon credit RFP template: 27 questions across project integrity, vintage, additionality, permanence, co-benefits, pricing, and contract terms. Use it before you sign the next purchase order.
C² Team
7 days ago3 min read
Voluntary Carbon Market H2 2026 Outlook: Prices, Supply, and What Buyers Should Do Now
The voluntary carbon market has spent eighteen months bifurcating between premium high-integrity supply and discounted legacy supply. Heading into H2 2026, three forces (Article 6.4 issuances, EU CBAM definitive-regime pricing, and India CCTS launch) are about to reshape pricing again. Here is the outlook and what corporate buyers should do this quarter.
C² Team
7 days ago3 min read
How to Build a Net Zero Baseline in 90 Days: A Practical Plan for Indian Companies
Most Net Zero commitments fail at the same place: an unreliable baseline. This 90-day plan walks Indian sustainability and finance teams through scoping, data collection, calculation, and assurance-ready documentation, so the baseline you publish in your Net Zero statement holds up when SBTi, auditors, and your largest customers come asking.
C² Team
7 days ago3 min read
Article 6.4 Explained: How the Paris Agreement’s New Carbon Mechanism Works for Indian Companies
Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement creates a centrally-supervised global carbon market, the successor to the Clean Development Mechanism, and it is moving from rule-making to first issuances in 2026. This explainer breaks down how Article 6.4 works, what corresponding adjustments mean for Indian project developers and buyers, and how to position your company ahead of COP30 in Belem.
C² Team
7 days ago3 min read
May 2026 Climate Brief: India CCTS, EU CBAM, and the Road to COP30
Csquare’s May 2026 monthly brief: India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme moves into compliance prep with targets notified for nine sectors, the EU CBAM definitive regime begins biting at €75 a tonne, and corporate climate teams start their COP30 readiness work. Here is what changed this month and what Indian sustainability and finance leaders should do about it.
C² Team
May 114 min read
How Carbon Credit Prices Are Set: A Buyer’s Guide to 2026 Market Mechanisms
Why does one carbon credit cost $3 and another $300? This buyer’s guide breaks down the eight forces that drive carbon credit pricing in 2026 — from project type and vintage to standard, co-benefits, CBAM linkage, and India CCTS spillovers — so finance and sustainability teams can budget, benchmark, and avoid overpaying for low-integrity supply.
C² Team
May 113 min read
BRSR Reporting for First-Time Filers: A Practical 90-Day Roadmap
Filing your first BRSR can feel like staring at a 1,000-cell spreadsheet with no instructions. This 90-day roadmap walks first-time Indian filers through scoping, data collection, governance, and assurance — with weekly milestones, common traps, and the exact teams you need in the room each week.
C² Team
May 114 min read
Carbon Removals vs Avoidance Credits: What Buyers Need to Know
Understand the critical difference between carbon removal credits and avoidance credits. Learn which type is right for your business, how quality differs, and what buyers should prioritise.
C² Team
Apr 143 min read
What Is India's Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS)? A Plain-Language Guide
A plain-language guide to India's Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). Learn how CCTS works, which sectors are affected, and how businesses can prepare for compliance and voluntary participation.
C² Team
Apr 144 min read
Carbon Credits vs ESG vs Net Zero: What Companies Get Wrong
Understand the difference between carbon credits, ESG, and net zero. Learn common misconceptions businesses have and how to build an integrated climate strategy that connects all three.
C² Team
Apr 133 min read
A Business Guide to Participating in the Carbon Credit Market
Step-by-step guide for businesses entering the carbon credit market. Learn when to buy credits, how to choose between voluntary and compliance options, and how to avoid common mistakes.
C² Team
Apr 133 min read
How to Evaluate High-Integrity Carbon Credits Before You Buy
Learn how to assess carbon credit quality before you buy. This guide covers the five pillars of integrity — additionality, permanence, verification, no double counting, and co-benefits.
C² Team
Apr 133 min read
India's Carbon Credit Market Explained: What Every Business Needs to Know in 2026
Understand how India's carbon credit market works under the CCTS framework. Learn about compliance vs voluntary markets, credit trading, and what Indian businesses must prepare for in 2026.
C² Team
Apr 133 min read
The Hidden Emissions in Chemical Manufacturing That Most Companies Aren't Reporting
Most chemical manufacturers report Scope 1 and 2 emissions accurately but completely miss the Scope 3 footprint hiding in their value chain. This guide unpacks the categories most commonly under-reported by Indian chemical companies — feedstocks, transportation, end-of-life, and capital goods — and what to do about them before BRSR and CBAM auditors come knocking.
C² Team
Apr 34 min read
Miyawaki Afforestation for Corporate CSR: ROI, Carbon Credits, and Implementation Guide
The Miyawaki method delivers dense, native-species forests up to ten times faster than conventional afforestation — making it one of the most cost-effective CSR options available to Indian corporates today. This guide walks through ROI math, carbon credit eligibility, land selection, and a practical implementation roadmap for sustainability and CSR teams.
C² Team
Mar 193 min read
India Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) 2026: What Every Industrial Company Must Know
India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme is moving from policy to compliance in 2026, with emission intensity targets notified for nine industrial sectors and the first Carbon Credit Certificates expected by Q4. Industrial companies need to act now — register, baseline, and decide whether they will be net buyers or net sellers in the first compliance year.
C² Team
Mar 192 min read
BRSR vs CSRD: Key Differences Indian Companies Must Understand in 2026
Indian companies operating in or selling to the EU now face two parallel sustainability disclosure regimes — BRSR at home and CSRD abroad. The two frameworks overlap on materiality and double-counting, but diverge sharply on assurance, value-chain coverage, and digital tagging. This guide breaks down the key differences and a practical mapping approach for FY 2026–27.
C² Team
Mar 192 min read
How to Buy Carbon Credits in India: A Corporate Buyer’s Complete Guide for 2026
For Indian corporates looking to offset emissions, meet voluntary commitments, or comply with emerging regulations under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), buying carbon credits has become a strategic priority. But the process is often opaque, with varying standards, registries, pricing models, and quality levels. This guide walks you through how to buy verified carbon credits in India — from understanding project types to selecting the right credits for your corporate
C² Team
Mar 193 min read
BRSR Reporting Requirements India 2026: The Complete Corporate Compliance Guide
SEBI's Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework has become the defining ESG compliance requirement for Indian listed companies. As of FY 2025-26, the top 1,000 listed entities must file BRSR disclosures, with the top 250 companies subject to mandatory third-party assurance under BRSR Core. For compliance officers, sustainability heads, and CFOs across India, understanding BRSR requirements is no longer optional — it directly affects market credibi
C² Team
Mar 193 min read
Energy Audit India: Bureau of Energy Efficiency Requirements Explained
Energy audits are a mandatory requirement for designated consumers under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, administered by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). For large Indian industrial and commercial facilities, energy audits are not optional — they are a regulatory obligation with direct links to the PAT (Perform Achieve and Trade) scheme and, increasingly, to India's Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) 2026. Who Must Conduct a Mandatory Energy Audit? Under the Energy
C² Team
Mar 192 min read
Bye Buy Carbon
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