Short answer
Biodiversity credits are certificates representing a measured gain or protection of biodiversity in a defined area, sold to fund nature outcomes. Unlike carbon credits, they have no single agreed unit yet, and the market is still very small. In our view, most soil carbon projects on farmland today get more value from biodiversity as a documented co-benefit of a high-integrity carbon credit than as a separate credit, because demand is still small and the extra measurement cost is high.
- Biodiversity credits fund positive outcomes for nature; most standards say they are not meant for offsetting.
- The voluntary market is tiny: traded volume to date is estimated at under $2 million.
- Standards are maturing fast: Verra opened its Nature Framework to all projects in January 2026.
- Stacking is possible under some standards, but adds measurement cost and double-claiming risk.
- For soil carbon, the strongest play right now is integrity first, then biodiversity documented as a co-benefit.
Last updated: October 2026
If you develop or buy soil carbon credits, you have probably heard this question: “The project also helps biodiversity. Shouldn’t we sell that too?”
Cover crops, diverse rotations and less tillage do support soil life, pollinators and habitat, and biodiversity credits promise to pay for exactly that. But a promising instrument is not yet a working market. Here is what biodiversity credits are, where the market stands in 2026, and how to choose between a separate credit and a documented co-benefit.
What are biodiversity credits?
A biodiversity credit is a certificate that represents a measured, evidence-based unit of positive biodiversity outcome that is durable and additional to what would otherwise have happened. That definition, used by the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Biodiversity Credit Alliance, frames them as an investment in nature rather than a license to damage it (CPI, January 2026).
Each standard defines its own unit:
- Area and time: one early Colombian project sold credits for 10 m² conserved or restored for 30 years, at about $35 in early 2024 (WRI).
- Measured outcomes: Verra’s Nature Credits each represent 1% of net biodiversity outcomes, measured in “quality hectares” (Verra).
- Habitat scores: other developers measure improvement against a baseline for each habitat.
Unlike offsets, which compensate for damage elsewhere, biodiversity credits are designed as a net positive contribution. Verra’s Nature Credits, for example, may not be used for offsetting.
The biodiversity credits market in 2026
The market is still in its infancy:
- Small volumes: under $2 million of voluntary biodiversity credits traded to date, from a handful of projects (CPI). A 2023 World Economic Forum analysis put the long-term voluntary demand ceiling at up to $2 billion a year (WRI).
- Maturing standards: the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits published its high-integrity framework at COP16 in October 2024 (Mongabay), and Verra opened its Nature Framework to all projects on January 1, 2026 (Verra).
- Cautious buyers: companies cite the lack of a common unit, unclear claims and greenwashing risk, and many agrifood companies prefer to invest in nature inside their own supply chains (CPI).
No reference price yet. In a 2024 survey of sellers, most sold credits at $25 or less, yet prices per hectare ranged from $2 to $60,000, because each scheme defines its own unit.
All of this concerns voluntary credits. Compliance schemes, such as US wetland mitigation banking (EPA) or England’s statutory biodiversity net gain credits (GOV.UK), offset regulated development impacts and rarely involve cropland soil carbon projects.
Carbon credits vs. biodiversity credits
The biggest difference is the unit: a tonne of CO₂e is the same everywhere, while biodiversity is local by nature.
| Carbon credit | Biodiversity credit | |
|---|---|---|
| Unit | 1 tonne of CO₂e reduced or removed | No single unit: area × time, % uplift, or habitat-specific scores |
| Market maturity | Established voluntary market with integrity labels (ICVCM CCP) | Early stage; principles published in 2024, standards opening in 2026 |
| Fungibility | High: a tonne can be traded across regions | Low: ecosystems are not interchangeable |
| Offsetting | Allowed under many frameworks | Generally not intended for offsetting |
| Main buyer driver | Net-zero and climate targets | Reputation and nature-related disclosure |
Stacking, bundling or co-benefit?
A soil carbon project can account for biodiversity in three ways: stacking (separate carbon and biodiversity credits from the same area), bundling (one combined unit) or co-benefit (the carbon credit is the only unit sold, and biodiversity is documented in reporting).
| Option | What the buyer can claim | Extra cost for the developer | Main risk | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Co-benefit (documented) | The carbon outcome, with documented nature benefits as context | Low: simple indicators, photos, field visits | Overstating biodiversity in marketing | Most soil carbon projects today |
| Bundled credit | One combined climate-and-nature unit | Medium: biodiversity measurement on top of carbon MRV | Unclear claims if the biodiversity part is not measured | A buyer wants one premium product tied to its sourcing region |
| Stacked credits | Separate climate and nature claims, sold to one or several buyers | High: full biodiversity methodology and verification | Double claiming; selling the same outcome twice | A specific buyer is ready to pay for nature outcomes and the standard allows it |
Some standards allow stacking under strict rules. Plan Vivo, for instance, requires each credit to be sold and retired separately, and a carbon buyer cannot claim the biodiversity outcome without buying the biodiversity certificate (Plan Vivo). Note that marketing a carbon credit with nature imagery may already act as an implicit bundle (Ecosystem Marketplace): if you sell on co-benefits, document them.
A simple way to decide
- Is the carbon credit high-integrity? If not, fix that first. No biodiversity story can rescue a weak tonne.
- Will a buyer pay separately for nature outcomes? If not, document biodiversity as a co-benefit.
- Does a recognized standard cover your project type and region? If not, a stacked credit will be hard to verify and sell.
- Will the premium cover the extra measurement cost? If not, a documented co-benefit is the better deal.
How to document biodiversity on a soil carbon project
You do not need a full biodiversity methodology. Four field indicators, recorded from the baseline year, turn a vague claim into evidence a buyer can use:
- Ground cover: days per year the soil is covered by a crop or cover crop.
- Crop and cover diversity: number of species in the rotation and in cover crop mixes.
- Habitat features: share of the farm in hedgerows, field margins, buffer strips or wildflower areas.
- Soil life: a simple, repeatable check, such as earthworm counts at fixed sampling points.
Add geotagged photos at fixed points each season. Because soil carbon projects already sample fields, these observations can be collected during the same visits at little extra cost. They are internal indicators, not a certified biodiversity claim. See our guide to soil carbon measurement methods.
What buyers and food companies should look for
- Integrity first: a CCP-approved methodology version such as VM0042 v2.2, with directly measured soil carbon and a transparent uncertainty approach.
- Documented nature benefits: baseline and follow-up indicators, not just photos, and clear rules against double claiming if credits are stacked.
- Proximity to your supply chain: biodiversity buyers prefer projects near their sourcing regions, where the impact is visible (CPI).
- Readiness for new accounting rules: the GHG Protocol’s Land Sector and Removals Standard takes effect on January 1, 2027 (GHG Protocol). See our guide to Scope 3 insetting in agri-food value chains.
Frequently asked questions
What is a biodiversity credit?
A certificate representing a measured, durable and additional gain for biodiversity in a defined area, bought to fund conservation or restoration. Unlike carbon credits, there is no single unit: each standard defines its own.
How are biodiversity credits measured?
It depends on the standard: area conserved over time, uplift against a habitat baseline, or outcome units such as Verra’s quality hectares. Field surveys, remote sensing and independent verification are usually combined.
Can a carbon project also sell biodiversity credits?
Sometimes. Some standards allow stacking if each credit is verified, sold and retired separately with no double claiming. Few soil carbon projects do it yet, because demand is small and measurement costs are high.
How much does a biodiversity credit cost?
There is no reference price. In a 2024 seller survey, most credits sold for $25 or less, but prices per hectare ranged from $2 to $60,000 because each scheme defines its own unit.
How big is the biodiversity credits market?
Very small: under $2 million in voluntary credits traded to date. One analysis puts the long-term voluntary demand ceiling at up to $2 billion a year.
Do biodiversity co-benefits make carbon credits more valuable?
Yes, when the carbon credit is already high-integrity and the co-benefits are documented. For soil carbon projects, documented biodiversity is usually a stronger selling point today than a separate credit.
Conclusion: integrity first, nature as the differentiator
For most soil carbon projects in 2026, the smartest move is not a second credit. It is a carbon credit buyers can trust, backed by simple field data on what the farm does for nature.
See what makes a soil carbon credit worth more. If you are a food or beverage company, see how measured soil carbon supports your Scope 3 and nature goals; if you develop projects, build a soil carbon project buyers can trust.
