Climate Action Reserve
Climate Action Reserve is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) carbon credit registry that establishes protocols, oversees independent third-party verification, and issues serialized Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs) for voluntary and compliance markets across 10+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Climate Action Reserve does
Climate Action Reserve is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) carbon credit registry headquartered in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2001 (per firmographic records; the company's own history timeline cites 2009 as its establishment year for the carbon registry program). It establishes protocol-based standards for quantifying and verifying greenhouse gas emissions reduction and removal projects, oversees independent third-party verification bodies, and issues serialized Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs) and Registry Offset Credits (ROCs) tracked on a transparent public registry designed to prevent double counting. The organization serves project developers, corporations, governments, and verifiers, with protocols spanning Natural Climate Solutions (forest, grassland, biochar, soil enrichment, rice cultivation, urban forestry, nitrogen management), Waste Handling & Methane Destruction (landfill, livestock, mine methane, organic waste), and Industrial Processes & Gases (adipic acid, nitric acid, low-carbon cement, ozone-depleting substances). It is the designated Offset Project Registry for California's Cap-and-Trade Program and Washington's cap-and-invest program, and is ICAO-approved to provide eligible emissions units for CORSIA in international aviation; multiple protocols have been approved under the ICVCM Core Carbon Principles framework.
The underlying technology is a Modular Protocol Structure separating jurisdiction-agnostic core requirements from location-specific modules, allowing efficient expansion into new geographies while preserving regulatory-quality standards. Every CRT carries a unique serial number encoding project country, type, developer ID, vintage, and batch, enabling full pedigree traceability on the public registry. Revenue is generated entirely through fees rather than credit sales: account setup and annual maintenance fees ($200–$500), project submittal fees ($500–$700), a per-credit issuance fee ($0.19 prior to 2026, $0.20 from January 1, 2026 for newly submitted projects), a $0.03/CRT transfer fee, and a $3,500 variance review fee. Credit retirement is free, reinforcing the registry's role as neutral infrastructure rather than a credit seller. Cumulative issuance reached 250 million CRTs with a record 27.6 million credits issued in 2025, and the organization maintains active corporate and government relationships including Microsoft, Disney, Chevron, Stanford, CBRE, Indigo Carbon, and Ascend Performance Materials.
The Reserve does not sell carbon credits directly; instead, it operates the registry infrastructure and directs market participants to purchase CRTs through independent retailers, wholesalers, brokers, and exchanges listed in its Carbon Market Directory. Its go-to-market combines thought leadership (monthly bilingual newsletter, NACW conference, Carbon Connection podcast, public-comment webinars, multi-stakeholder protocol workgroups) with enterprise field sales to project developers and government entities. Strategic positioning emphasizes regulatory-grade integrity, protocol-level transparency, and protocol portability across jurisdictions — capabilities increasingly demanded as voluntary carbon markets professionalize under CORSIA, ICVCM, and state-level compliance programs.
Climate Action Reserve firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Climate Action Reserve
- Legal name
- Climate Action Reserve
- Website
- https://climateactionreserve.org/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Climate Action Reserve is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) carbon credit registry that establishes protocols, oversees independent third-party verification, and issues serialized Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs) for voluntary and compliance markets across 10+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Climate Action Reserve industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Carbon Credit Registry Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Carbon Registries & Issuance Platforms (Project/credit lifecycle, serials, issuance, retirement) (EUABAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Voluntary Carbon Credit Verification & Validation (VCS/Gold Standard/ACR/CAR) (EUABACAA), Compliance Carbon Market Verification & Accreditation (EU ETS/UK ETS/California/Regional) (EUABACAB), Carbon Credit/REC Tracking, Claims & Chain-of-Custody Platforms (EUABAEAH), Carbon Credit Ratings & Due Diligence (Quality Scoring, Integrity Assessments) (EUABADAF), ESG/Sustainability Reporting & Disclosure Platforms (EUABAEAB)
Keywords
Where Climate Action Reserve is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Climate Action Reserve business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Credit Issuance Fees: Fee charged per CRT issued to project developers upon successful verification and registration. Effective January 1, 2026, the issuance fee is $0.20 per credit for newly submitted projects (previously $0.19). The Reserve allows deferral of payment for up to five months.
- Account Fees: Account setup fees ($500 for project developers, traders/brokers/retailers; $200 for aggregated project owners) plus annual account maintenance fees ($500/$200 respectively). These cover software maintenance, staff time, and operational costs for the nonprofit organization.
- Project and Transaction Fees: Fees for project submittal ($500-700 per project), variance reviews ($3,500), project transfers ($500), and credit transfers ($0.03 per CRT). Retirement of credits is free.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Project Developer Account - Standard |
| Subscription | Annual | Project Owner (Aggregated Projects/Cooperatives) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Credit Transaction - Issuance |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Credit Transaction - Transfer |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Project Variance Review |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Credit Retirement |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Climate Action Reserve product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Climate Action Reserve operates a nonprofit carbon credit registry that establishes protocols for quantifying GHG emission reductions, oversees independent third-party verification bodies, and issues Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs) and Registry Offset Credits (ROCs) tracked on a transparent public registry system. It supports both voluntary carbon markets and compliance programs, including California's Cap-and-Trade, Washington's cap-and-invest program, and the CORSIA international aviation scheme.
Product overview
The Climate Action Reserve operates as a nonprofit carbon credit registry offering a unified platform for voluntary and compliance carbon markets. The core product is the issuance and tracking of Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs) and Registry Offset Credits (ROCs), supported by a transparent public registry system. The product portfolio includes three main protocol categories: Natural Climate Solutions (Biochar, Forest, Grassland, Nitrogen Management, Rice Cultivation, Soil Enrichment, Urban Forestry), Waste Handling and Methane Destruction (Landfill, Livestock, Mine Methane, Organic Waste), and Industrial Processes and Gases (Adipic Acid, Cement, ODS/Halocarbons, Nitric Acid). The Reserve has recently launched a modular protocol structure that separates jurisdiction-agnostic core requirements from location-specific modules. Additional offerings include a Verification Program, Climate Forward program for forward credits, the NACW conference, and a Carbon Connection podcast. The organization supports compliance markets in California, Washington, and CORSIA, while maintaining global voluntary market operations across North America, Mexico, Canada, Guatemala, Panama, and other regions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Climate Forward: A forward-looking program that issues ex ante credits for anticipated emissions reductions and removals, distinct from the retroactive CRT issuance of the main program.
- Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs)
- Registry Offset Credits (ROCs)
Products and services
- Voluntary Carbon Credit Program (CRT Issuance)
Quantifiable outcome
- 250 million total CRTs issued, demonstrating significant market trust and volume
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Climate Action Reserve
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Climate Action Reserve technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Climate Action Reserve partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.
- Indigo CarboncoreIndigo Carbon issues agricultural soil carbon credits through the Reserve, with 1.1 million independently verified credits issued and over 2 million metric tons of verified soil carbon impact.
- MicrosoftcoreMicrosoft signed a 12-year deal with Indigo Ag for 2.85 million metric tons of soil carbon removals, one of the first deals issued with ICVCM Core Carbon Principles label, verified by Climate Action Reserve.
- Ascend Performance MaterialsnotableRecipient of Climate Action Reserve's 250 millionth carbon credit for a nitric acid project in Cantonment, Florida that has reduced 647,111 metric tonnes of emissions to date.
- California Air Resources Board (CARB)coreReserve serves as Offset Project Registry for California's Cap-and-Trade Program; first compliance offset protocols were based on Reserve's forest, urban forest, livestock, and ODS protocols.
- Washington State Department of EcologycoreReserve approved to support Washington's cap-and-invest program as Offset Project Registry, accepting and reviewing offset project submittals.
- ICAO CouncilcoreReserve program approved by ICAO to provide eligible emissions units for CORSIA pilot phase (2016-2020 credits).
- Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM)coreICVCM has approved multiple Reserve protocols (Soil Enrichment, Mexico Forest IFM) under Core Carbon Principles framework, providing high-integrity label for credits.
- Green-e Climate (Center for Resource Solutions)notableReserve is an Endorsed Program by Green-e Climate, a consumer protection program providing certification for retail carbon credits.
- Viresco SolutionsnotablePartnered with Viresco Solutions to develop the Canada Grassland Protocol; protocol development was funded in part by Canadian Forage and Grassland Association.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Climate Action Reserve competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Sylvera: Sylvera provides independent carbon credit ratings and quality assessments using satellite data and AI. While not a registry, it serves overlapping customers (corporate buyers) by providing due diligence on carbon credits including CRTs and competing standards.
- Pachama: Pachama is a technology-driven carbon credit marketplace using satellite verification and AI. It sources credits from project developers and competes for corporate buyer demand, though it focuses more on distribution than registry services.
- BeZero: BeZero is a carbon credit ratings agency providing independent assessments of credit quality across registries including the Reserve. It serves corporate buyers and intermediaries in the same market as the Reserve's clients.
Regional players
- South Pole Group: South Pole is a major project developer and carbon credit intermediary in the global voluntary market, particularly active in Europe and Latin America. It serves as both a competitor and customer of registry services like the Reserve.
Broad incumbents
- CAR (Climate Action Reserve) — California Compliance Offset Program: The California Air Resources Board administers the compliance offset program for which the Reserve serves as Offset Project Registry. While CARB is the regulatory authority rather than a registry, it is a key counterpart and overlapping participant in the California compliance market.
- CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): CDP runs the global disclosure system for environmental impacts and works with major corporations on climate reporting. While not a registry, it is a key ecosystem player for corporate climate claims that ultimately depend on Registry-issued credits.
Direct peers
- Gold Standard: Gold Standard is a leading carbon credit registry focused on high-integrity emission reduction projects, particularly in developing countries. It directly competes with the Reserve for project developers and corporate buyers in the voluntary market.
- American Carbon Registry (ACR): ACR is a U.S.-based carbon credit registry that registers and issues voluntary and compliance carbon credits. It is explicitly referenced in the candidate industry codes as a comparable voluntary standard alongside the Reserve.
- Verra (VCS Registry): Verra operates the world's largest voluntary carbon credit registry (VCS Program), issuing VCU credits across similar project types (forestry, agriculture, energy, industrial). It is the most direct competitor to Climate Action Reserve in the voluntary carbon market.
Others
- ICVCM (Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market): ICVCM sets the Core Carbon Principles framework that has approved three Reserve protocols. While not a competitor, it is a key governance body whose standards directly affect the positioning and pricing of CRTs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Climate Action Reserve social profiles
Digital presenceClimate Action Reserve financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Climate Action Reserve leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Climate Action Reserve funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Climate Action Reserve M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Climate Action Reserve
What does Climate Action Reserve do?
The Climate Action Reserve operates a nonprofit carbon credit registry that establishes protocols for quantifying GHG emission reductions, oversees independent third-party verification bodies, and issues Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs) and Registry Offset Credits (ROCs) tracked on a transparent public registry system. It supports both voluntary carbon markets and compliance programs, including California's Cap-and-Trade, Washington's cap-and-invest program, and the CORSIA international aviation scheme.
Is Climate Action Reserve a public or private company?
Climate Action Reserve is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Climate Action Reserve founded?
Climate Action Reserve was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Climate Action Reserve based?
Climate Action Reserve is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Climate Action Reserve make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Credit Issuance Fees are the primary driver. The others are account Fees and project and Transaction Fees.
Who are Climate Action Reserve's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Sylvera, Pachama and BeZero. South Pole Group is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are CAR (Climate Action Reserve) — California Compliance Offset Program and CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project). Direct peers are Gold Standard, American Carbon Registry (ACR) and Verra (VCS Registry). ICVCM (Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market) is listed as an others.
Does Climate Action Reserve have an API?
No public API is recorded for Climate Action Reserve.
What industry is Climate Action Reserve in?
Climate Action Reserve's product category is Carbon Credit Registry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAAAA, Carbon Registries & Issuance Platforms (Project/credit lifecycle, serials, issuance, retirement), with a secondary code of EUABACAA, Voluntary Carbon Credit Verification & Validation (VCS/Gold Standard/ACR/CAR). Its NAICS code is 813312.