Governments and bourses are warming to working with voluntary carbon markets to help meet their decarbonisation agendas, but are also grappling with integrity controls in a sector known to harbour black sheep.

Industry players are calling for greater flexibility, while it remains to be seen if stronger rules for certified carbon projects will edge out the low-quality offerings.

World’s largest standards body for the voluntary carbon market has faced intense scrutiny over the integrity of its certification process.

Asia Carbon Institute, a carbon credit certifier launching in both Singapore and Hong Kong this week, aims to have up to 100 projects in its registry in a year's time. The focus is on urban and tech-based solutions.