Paula Sarmiento (5th Year PhD) - Nicholas School of Environment
Demand for Quality in Carbon Markets
Date: 10/31/2025 (Fri)
Time: 2:00pm- 3:00pm
Location: Seminar will be held on-site: Grainger Hall 2102
Organizer: Alejandro and Xingchen
Meeting Schedule: (Not currently open for scheduling. Please contact the seminar organizer listed above.)
All meetings will be held in the same location as the seminar unless otherwise noted.
2:00pm - Seminar Presentation (2:00pm to 3:00pm)
Additional Comments: Abstract: Carbon markets have emerged as a key mechanism in global efforts to promote cost-effective climate mitigation strategies, providing firms with low-cost options to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets. Concerns over the reliability of carbon offsets due to issues like over-crediting and information asymmetries, however, have raised questions regarding firms’ willingness to invest in high-quality offsets. This study explores how different offset characteristics affect firms’ demand for such projects. Using a discrete choice experiment with firms primary based in the U.S., this study quantifies firms’ willingness to pay for attributes such as carbon capture effectiveness, social co-benefits, environmental co-benefits, and the type of project partners. Additionally, we examine whether external monitoring—often seen as a proxy for credibility and transparency—can enhance firms’ willingness to pay for high-quality projects in terms of mitigation outcomes. This research seeks to contribute to the design of governance mechanisms that foster collaboration among public and private actors, ensuring carbon offsets become a robust tool for global emissions reduction.