Knowledge & Data
Methodology documentation, original research, API guides, market glossary, and educational content — built for everyone from first-time buyers to institutional trading desks.
Ratings Methodology
Every weighting, every factor, every data source — published in full. Carbon ratings mean nothing without understanding how they're produced.
The complete SYNE Carbon ratings framework — 10 rating factors, weighting methodology, scoring rubrics, and AAA–D scale definitions. Updated quarterly.
Read Methodology →Additionality, permanence, and leakage assessment for REDD+, ARR, IFM, blue carbon, and soil carbon projects. Includes satellite data integration protocols.
Read Methodology →Rating framework for DACCS, BECCS, enhanced weathering, and ocean alkalinity enhancement. MRV standards, permanence scoring, and technology readiness levels.
Read Methodology →Corresponding adjustment eligibility, ITMO quality criteria, CORSIA-approved programme assessment, and bilateral agreement compliance scoring methodology.
Read Methodology →Satellite monitoring standards, IoT sensor accreditation, DMRV system scoring, uncertainty quantification protocols, and verification body independence requirements.
Read Methodology →SYNE Impact Value scoring — biodiversity, community, water, and SDG co-benefit assessment criteria. Third-party certification mapping and ESG reporting integration.
Read Methodology →All SYNE Carbon methodology documents are reviewed annually by our independent Scientific Advisory Board and are subject to public consultation before major version updates. Methodology disputes are resolved by our Ratings Appeals Panel.
Research & Reports
Independent, data-driven analysis of market structure, credit quality trends, registry performance, and climate policy developments — published quarterly.
Our flagship annual review covering 1,840+ rated projects across 40+ registries. Key findings: premium quality spread widened to $8.40/t between AAA and BBB credits. Tech-based removal volumes grew 340% year-on-year. Article 6 corresponding adjustments now available for 38% of rated project countries.
Analysis of 620 REDD+ projects showing additionality improvement trends following integrity crisis — and which registries and methodologies have improved most.
Policy analysis of the Article 6 rulebook evolution and its implications for bilateral deal structures, CORSIA eligibility, and credit demand from compliance buyers.
Quantitative study showing AAA-rated credits trading at a $6–12 premium over BBB-rated credits of the same vintage and registry — and why the gap is widening.
Technical comparison of Sentinel-2, Landsat-9, GEDI, and commercial SAR systems for above-ground biomass estimation across tropical and boreal forest projects.
Forward-looking analysis of DACCS, BECCS, and enhanced weathering cost trajectories, credit pricing dynamics, and the registry infrastructure needed to support gigaton-scale volumes.
Analysis of how CBAM obligations are driving corporate offsetting behaviour, which sectors face the highest exposure, and what credit quality standards they are adopting.
Developer Documentation
REST endpoints and WebSocket streams for ratings, market pricing, registry flows, and Article 6 intelligence. SDKs for Python, JavaScript, and R.
Query AAA–D ratings, factor scores, dimension breakdowns, and rating history for any project. Filter by registry, type, geography, vintage, and rating tier. REST + WebSocket.
Real-time ETS allowance prices, VCM spot prices, forward curves, and historical timeseries. EU ETS, UK ETS, CCA, RGGI, China ETS, CORSIA, and VCM benchmarks.
Live issuance, retirement, cancellation, and transfer events across 12 connected registries. Filter by registry, project type, vintage, and date range with webhook delivery.
Bilateral agreement status, ITMO transfer volumes, corresponding adjustment tracking, and Art. 6.4 pipeline data from UNFCCC and national registry feeds in real time.
Official Python client library for the SYNE Carbon API. Async support, automatic retry, type hints, pandas integration, and Jupyter-ready helpers for data science workflows.
Node.js and browser-compatible JavaScript SDK. Promise-based with TypeScript types, WebSocket subscription helpers, and React hooks for real-time data display.
Push notifications for rating changes, registry events, and price alerts. Configurable filters, retry logic, HMAC signature verification, and delivery logs for event-driven architectures.
CRAN-registered R package for carbon market researchers and quantitative analysts. Tidy data outputs, ggplot2 integration, and vignettes for common research workflows.
Insights Blog
Analysis, explainers, and commentary from the SYNE Carbon team — covering market developments, methodology updates, and the broader climate finance landscape.
The gap between premium and commodity credits has widened by 40% in 12 months. Here's what's driving it, which buyer segments are responding, and what it means for project developers pricing their next vintage.
Permanence means something very different for a 1,000-year geological storage site versus a 30-year forest protection agreement. Our methodology lead explains the scoring differences and why they matter for buyers.
38 bilateral agreements are tracked on the SYNE Carbon platform. But how many have operational corresponding adjustments? We break down the status of every active agreement as of January 2026.
Three years of comparing NASA GEDI lidar data with Sentinel-2 multispectral analysis across 180 tropical forest projects. The results have direct implications for how we score MRV quality in nature-based ratings.
Aviation offsetting enters its mandatory phase in 2024. We analyse the eligible credit universe, projected airline demand, and whether current VCM supply can meet CORSIA obligations through 2035.
Glossary
From additionality to zero-net, our glossary covers every term across compliance markets, VCM, registries, climate policy, and carbon finance.
The principle that a carbon project's emission reductions or removals would not have occurred without the incentive provided by carbon finance. The most critical and most commonly contested dimension of carbon credit integrity.
A unit representing the right to emit one tonne of CO₂ equivalent under a compliance Emissions Trading Scheme such as the EU ETS (European Union Allowance) or UK ETS (UK Allowance).
The section of the Paris Agreement establishing frameworks for international carbon market cooperation, including bilateral ITMO transfers (Art. 6.2), a UN-supervised mechanism (Art. 6.4), and non-market approaches (Art. 6.8).
A tradeable instrument representing one tonne of CO₂ equivalent emissions reduced, avoided, or removed. Credits are issued by registries upon third-party verification of claimed climate outcomes.
An accounting adjustment required under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. When a country transfers ITMOs to another country, it must add the transferred amount to its own NDC accounting to avoid double-counting.
Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation. ICAO's global market-based measure requiring airlines to offset CO₂ growth above 2019 levels using approved carbon credits.
The displacement of emissions from a protected area to an unprotected area as a result of carbon market intervention. Market leakage (commodity price effects) and activity displacement are the two main types.
Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification. The set of processes used to measure, document, and independently validate the carbon outcomes of a project. MRV quality is a key dimension in SYNE Carbon ratings.
The expected duration over which carbon reductions or removals will remain in place. Projects with high reversal risk — such as forests in politically unstable regions — receive lower permanence scores.
Webinars & Events
Monthly webinars, methodology deep-dives, and panel events with carbon market practitioners, scientists, and policymakers — all recordings freely available.
Live panel with government negotiators and carbon market traders on the operational status of Article 6 bilateral agreements and what ITMO pricing will look like in 2026.
Register Free →Dr. Amara Kowalski walks through the forthcoming v4.3 methodology changes including updated leakage belt assessment and revised buffer pool requirements for REDD+ projects.
Register Free →Ginu George presents key findings from the annual State of the VCM report — quality premium trends, tech removal growth, and the Article 6 inflection point.
Watch Recording →Technical walkthrough — fetching ratings, pricing, and registry flows via the API using Python. From authentication to building a live dashboard in under 30 minutes.
Watch Recording →In-depth webinar on CORSIA Phase 2 mechanics — which credits qualify, how airline obligations are calculated, and whether VCM supply can meet demand through 2035.
Watch Recording →Linto Cherukattu walks through the Earth Intelligence stack — from raw Sentinel-2 data to validated above-ground biomass estimates and how it feeds directly into MRV quality scores.
Watch Recording →Access the full SYNE Carbon platform — live ratings, real-time market data, and API access — or speak to our team about your specific use case.