CARBON, FINTECH, BLOCKCHAIN
The Intersection of Carbon Pricing, Fintech, and Blockchain Technology
Carbon pricing internalizes the GHG externality. Fintech — blockchain, smart contracts, digital MRV — improves transparency and enables tokenization of carbon credits. But carbon market governance remains political and vulnerable to greenwashing without robust data verification.
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Two carbon pricing mechanisms: carbon tax (fixed price per ton) and cap-and-trade (ETS, floating market price).
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EU ETS EUAs trade ~€80–100/ton; voluntary offset markets ~$2–5/ton — a 100× differential reflecting additionality uncertainty.
- [03]
Blockchain + smart contracts + satellite-verified MRV enable automated carbon token issuance (e.g., Coorest's $CCO2).
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Floodlight (Chapter 8 case study, the authors' company) uses satellite precision measurement to enable carbon tokenization and financial instruments.
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Carbon markets are politically controlled and monopolized by few major players — blockchain alone is insufficient without addressing governance.
"Carbon markets are currently in a difficult stage. They are highly political, with governments dictating direction, unlike markets driven by natural supply and demand."
Nick Zwaneveld
CEO · Coorest
"Carbon markets are currently in a difficult stage. They are highly political, with governments dictating direction, unlike markets driven by natural supply and demand."