Introduction
The VCM and high-integrity carbon credits can unlock urgently needed private capital that would not otherwise be available to reduce and remove billions of tons of GHG emissions, particularly in emerging markets. IPs & LCs are stewards of critical ecosystems worldwide, and many are potential hosts for or have active projects generating carbon credits. However, IPs & LCs remain among the most underserved segments of the population and receive the least assistance and benefits from climate finance.
A high-integrity VCM should ensure that IPs & LCs have the agency to continue managing vital ecosystem services at the local level. It is of primary importance that carbon-credit generation projects or programs deliver sustainable development benefits for the communities where they are hosted, ranging from financial profit and project ownership to job generation and well-being.
An active and inclusive engagement forum can unify voices across the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM), to support and empower communities in the right way, growing IPs & LCs participation as shareholders, delivering benefits such as enhancing IPs & LCs participation within the VCM, income opportunities, and biodiversity protection.
The Forum is a common working space where together, public and private specialized agencies and organisations, market actors and representatives of IPs & LCs and the wider VCM can support IPs & LCs to be empowered and grow their participation in and enhance the benefits they receive from the VCM.
A VCM-wide engagement forum has great potential to strengthen and coordinate IPs & LCs engagement with the market, supporting and empowering communities in the right way and growing IPs & LCs participation as shareholders, delivering benefits such as income opportunities, and biodiversity protection.
Partnership Opportunities
To ensure a successful co-hosting and collaborative approach to the development of the Forum, a range of opportunities are available to partner with the Forum and ICVCM. The ICVCM will be the lead co-host organisation, responsible for coordinating the efforts of partners to ensure the long-term stability of the Forum. As the Forum defines its strategy and implementation plan, the partnership opportunities that it requires may evolve over the coming 12-24 months.
These suggested requirements are flexible and subject to discussions with partners. However, those who wish to become co-hosts will be required to commit to support over a minimum of a 1-year period. Co-hosts will be asked to sign an agreement with ICVCM to formalise these arrangements on behalf of the Forum.

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