Voluntary Carbon Credits as a Strategic Approach to Mitigate Climate Change: A Systematic Literature Review
Year: 2025
Type: review
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Climate change is recognised as one of the most significant environmental threats facing the world today. Voluntary carbon credits have become a key approach for mitigating climate change by lowering emissions and encouraging sustainable development. However, many voluntary carbon credit projects are of poor quality and do not deliver the claimed emissions reductions. This research aimed to assess the contribution of voluntary carbon credits towards additional greenhouse gas emissions reductions and the overall mitigation of climate change. A systematic literature review was conducted on 40 articles sourced from the Scopus and Clarivate Web of Science databases using the PRISMA protocol. The systematic and bibliometric analyses triangulated both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. The study established market dynamics, funding of VCC projects, and quality of VCC as primary themes related to climate mitigation by VCC. Literature also discusses the quality of VCC, market dynamics, accountability, double counting, additionality, permanence, risks of reversals and leakage, neocolonialism, and justice as key themes that challenge the effectiveness of VCC in mitigating climate change. The study recommends the standardisation and proper regulation of voluntary carbon credit systems to enhance transparency, accountability, and actual reduction of greenhouse gases.
Authors: Lilian Gumbo, Ferina Marimuthu
Institutions: University of South Africa, Durban University of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $100
OpenAlex ID: W7127890761