What Carbon Data Open Protocol does

Carbon Data Open Protocol (CDOP) is a cross-industry, multi-stakeholder coalition that develops open-source data standards to address fragmentation in voluntary and compliance carbon markets. Founded in 2025 and headquartered in Houston, CDOP is co-chaired by the Global Carbon Market Utility (GCMU), Sylvera, RMI, and S&P Global Commodity Insights, and is supported by approximately 75 member organizations spanning registries, ratings agencies, project developers, financial institutions, and public sector bodies. Its flagship deliverable, CDOP Version 1.0, is an open-source data schema released in September 2025 at Climate Week NYC that standardizes five foundational pre-issuance data categories (location, project details and approach, disclosures, and issuances) and has since been expanded to 11 harmonized categories, with seven additional categories in development targeting full pre-issuance coverage by the end of 2026. The schema was derived by analyzing and harmonizing more than 15 distinct data schemas submitted by market participants, identifying over 1,600 unique fields under the location category alone, and is explicitly aligned with complementary initiatives including the G20-led Common Carbon Credit Data Model (CCCDM), the Climate Action Data Trust (CAD Trust), the ICVCM's Continuous Improvement Work Program, the World Bank's Carbon Markets Infrastructure Working Group, and UNFCCC Article 6 frameworks. CDOP operates as a public good rather than a commercial product: the schema, documentation, and CDOP Principles are freely available on GitHub, and the initiative has no pricing tiers, licensing fees, or revenue model. Distribution occurs through self-serve GitHub access, working group participation (Technical Working Group and Principles & Policies Working Group), webinars, press coverage, and amplification via co-chair organizations' marketing channels. At least six organizations — including ratings agencies (Sylvera), registries (Eco Registry), project developers (Equitable Earth), and trading platforms (BlueLayer) — are actively using the schema for production data exchange as of mid-2026.

Name

Carbon Data Open Protocol

Legal name

Carbon Data Open Protocol

Website

https://cdop.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Carbon Data Open Protocol (CDOP) is a multi-stakeholder coalition developing open-source data schemas to standardize carbon credit project and credit data across registries, ratings agencies, project developers, and buyers, governed by four co-chairs and ~75 member organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Open-source public good: CDOP is designed as a free, open-source public good. The complete structure, supporting documentation, and CDOP Principles are freely available online via GitHub to ensure broad accessibility and continued evolution. There is no commercial revenue model - the initiative is funded by its supporting organizations and aims to improve carbon market integrity through standardization infrastructure rather than proprietary products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CDOP develops and maintains an open-source data schema and protocol that standardizes how carbon crediting project and credit data are described across markets, geographies, and activity types. Version 1.0 covers five foundational pre-issuance data categories (location, project details, approach, disclosures, and issuances) and is freely available via GitHub as a public good, complemented by the CDOP Principles and a developing governance framework.

Product overview

Carbon Data Open Protocol (CDOP) is a cross-industry, multi-stakeholder collaboration that creates standardized ways to describe and share carbon credit information. The core offering is an open-source data schema (Version 1.0) available via GitHub, which standardizes five foundational pre-issuance data categories: Location, Project Details and Approach, Disclosures, and Issuances. CDOP is supported by guiding Principles and is developing a Governance Framework to ensure long-term protocol maintenance. The initiative does not sell traditional software products; instead, it provides freely accessible data standards that market participants can adopt and integrate into their own systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CDOP Data Schema (Version 1.0) Open-source, cross-industry data schema that standardizes how carbon crediting project and credit data is described across markets, geographies, and activity types. Version 1.0 covers five foundational pre-issuance data categories (location, project details, approach, disclosures, and issuances) and is freely available via GitHub for adoption by registries, ratings agencies, project developers, buyers, and governments.
• CDOP Principles Eleven guiding principles that govern data standards, guide disclosure practices, and shape the implementation and governance of the Carbon Data Open Protocol.
• CDOP Governance Framework A governance model being developed by the Principles and Policies Working Group to ensure long-term continuity, maintenance, and evolution of the protocol, including the identification of a CDOP Director role.
• CDOP Open Data Protocol Industry-led, multi-stakeholder data protocol that enables transparent, comparable, and high-quality data on carbon credits by facilitating interoperability between registries and data systems, aligned with the G20-led CCCDM and other complementary frameworks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Eliminates time spent reformatting or cleaning carbon project data across dozens of disconnected formats
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Climate Action Data Trust (CAD Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025CDOP aligns with and builds upon CAD Trust's objectives of increasing transparency and accessibility in carbon markets. CDOP will embed CAD Trust's forthcoming v2.0 schema into its first round of updates, providing a robust open-source baseline for global post-issuance data. CAD Trust operates public digital infrastructure linking, aggregating, and harmonizing data from diverse carbon credit registries, covering approximately 90% of total credit issued globally.
• G20 Climate Data Steering Committee (CDSC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025CDOP recognizes and welcomes the G20-led Common Carbon Credit Data Model (CCCDM) as a common foundation on which market participants can build and innovate. CDSC serves as the G20's lead knowledge partner and developed the CCCDM covering the entire carbon credit lifecycle through 11 data tables. CDOP and CDSC will regularly engage to ensure ongoing alignment as the schema evolves.
• GCMU (Global Carbon Market Utility)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2025GCMU is one of four co-chair organizations of CDOP, providing leadership and direction to the initiative. As a public utility focused on transforming the carbon market into a fully developed financial market, GCMU serves as a central book of record offering financial market infrastructure and registry services. Co-chaired CDOP launch in March 2025 and Version 1.0 release at Climate Week NYC in September 2025.
• SylveracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2025Sylvera is one of four co-chair organizations of CDOP. As a leading provider of carbon ratings, tools and data, Sylvera brings expertise in carbon credit assessment and data provision. Co-founded in 2020 and headquartered in London with offices in Belgrade, New York, and Singapore. Actively involved in Technical Working Group activities and early adoption of CDOP schema.
• RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2025RMI is one of four co-chair organizations of CDOP. As an independent nonprofit founded in 1982, RMI transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions. RMI has contributed its Carbon Credit Data Framework (CCDF) as one of 16 distinct schemas being unified under CDOP's coordination. Provides expertise in climate intelligence and carbon markets.
• S&P Global Commodity InsightscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2025S&P Global Commodity Insights is one of four co-chair organizations of CDOP. As the leading independent provider of information, analysis and benchmark prices in energy, commodities and energy transition markets, S&P Global brings expertise in environmental registries infrastructure, spot market price benchmarks, and collaborative protocols initiatives.
• VerramajorTechnology or IntegrationOne of 37 organizations to sign and commit to supporting the adoption and development of CDOP Version 1.0. Verra is a major carbon crediting program and registry. The company's Senior Director of Technology Solutions has expressed support for CDOP's collaborative approach to addressing transparency and interoperability in carbon markets.
• South PolemajorTechnology or IntegrationOne of 37 organizations to sign and commit to supporting the adoption and development of CDOP Version 1.0. South Pole is a leading project developer and climate solutions provider actively involved in carbon market data standardization efforts.
• IsometricmajorTechnology or IntegrationOne of 37 organizations to sign and commit to supporting the adoption and development of CDOP Version 1.0. Isometric's Chief Commercial Officer has stated that transparency is essential for rebuilding trust in carbon markets and that a common language will help with that.
• KitamajorTechnology or IntegrationOne of 37 organizations to sign and commit to supporting the adoption and development of CDOP Version 1.0. Kita is a carbon market participant providing insurance and risk assessment services for carbon credits.
• Puro.earthmajorTechnology or IntegrationPuro.earth contributes to CDOP efforts on standardizing data processing to allow for maximum efficiency and usability of data in carbon markets. The COO has expressed support for CDOP's transparency and credibility goals.
• World Bank Carbon Markets Infrastructure Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDOP was referenced in The World Bank Group's 'A Roadmap for Safe, Efficient, and Interoperable Carbon Markets Infrastructure' published by its Carbon Markets Infrastructure Working Group. The initiative has been recognized as an example of a much-needed multi-stakeholder initiative to address interoperability in carbon markets.
• ICVCM (Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDOP draws on the ICVCM's Continuous Improvement Work Program and aligns with ICVCM integrity standards. The initiative facilitates benchmarking and oversight through consistent data structures while promoting adoption of integrity standards by embedding requirements into market infrastructure.
• UNFCCC (Article 6)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDOP is committed to maximizing alignment with emerging frameworks under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. All initiatives recognize the importance of data compatibility with emerging international climate frameworks including UNFCCC's Article 6 reporting requirements.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/Carbon-Data-Open-Protocol/Carbon-Data-Open-Protocol
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carbon-data-open-protocol-cdop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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