In this Spotlight interview, ClearBlue’s Chief Market Intelligence Officer, Jennifer McIsaac shares how the team helps clients navigate the complexities of global carbon markets. By providing actionable insights through the AI-powered Vantage platform, they enable clients to anticipate market trends, understand price drivers, and optimize strategies for both compliance and voluntary markets. Learn how their expertise turns data into decisive action in an ever-changing industry.
ClearBlue Markets (CBM): What service does the Market Intelligence team provide?
Jennifer McIsaac (JM): The mission of the Market Intelligence team is to help clients understand carbon markets—both 
compliance and voluntary - as they stand today and how they are expected to evolve. All research is delivered through ClearBlue’s AI-powered Vantage platform, which consolidates critical market data and trends into actionable intelligence. We can help clients at all levels of carbon market engagement: those looking for high level benchmarking, more detailed datasets and ad hoc analyst support.
We analyze and explain the factors driving price movements in allowances, offsets, and other credits. These factors include regulatory, technical, fundamental, and behavioral developments affecting supply and demand. Long-term supply-and-demand insights and price outlooks enable clients to anticipate market direction and optimize their strategies.
In addition to ongoing reports and pricing data available through Vantage, we deliver timely analysis of market-impacting news and events. Clients also gain exclusive access to frequent Market-by-Market webinars, where analysts provide in-depth insights into specific markets.
(CBM) How does this differ from ClearBlue's Advisory service?
(JM) With a Market Intelligence subscription, all clients receive access to the data and insights from their subscription package simultaneously via the Vantage platform. In contrast, Advisory services deliver custom solutions tailored to individual client needs, often using proprietary data. While Market Intelligence subscription packages can be customized, Advisory provides highly personalized tools, such as position management strategies designed to maximize value and mitigate risks. These bespoke solutions are often enhanced by leveraging the Vantage platform.
(CBM) Who comes to you for these services?
(JM) The Market Intelligence team serves a diverse range of clients across market sectors, including covered emitters, project developers, and investors, whether they face compliance obligations or not.
For instance, we have subscription services that are well-suited to clients who are new to carbon markets or primarily seeking to monitor trends and trade at key points during the year. At the same time, we can also support the most sophisticated and active players who use our research and data, often integrating it directly into their systems through API access to develop robust, data-driven strategies.
(CBM) What is most challenging for clients when navigating the carbon markets?
(JM) The primary challenge for clients is understanding the varied and constantly evolving drivers of the carbon markets, particularly the regulatory frameworks. Each market operates under its own set of rules and dynamics—there is no single global price for carbon, and navigating these differences can be complex.
(CBM) How do clients use ClearBlue's Market Intelligence to improve their carbon strategies?
(JM) Clients rely on Market Intelligence for insights into current carbon market prices and future trends. This intelligence allows them to plan their compliance and investment strategies with greater confidence, ensuring alignment with both market conditions and long-term goals.
(CBM) What is most interesting about this work?
(JM) The Market Intelligence team thrives on connecting the dots, synthesizing diverse information sources to derive meaningful insights and create forecasts. Our Vantage platform enables us to process and analyze thousands of data points simultaneously, helping us identify emerging patterns and trends across global carbon markets.
Carbon markets remain dynamic, influenced by geopolitical and economic factors that drive price volatility. It’s rewarding to leverage advanced tools and expertise to make sense of this complexity for our clients, empowering them to act decisively in an ever-changing landscape.
(CBM) What carbon markets do you cover globally?
(JM) ClearBlue Markets offers comprehensive services across a wide array of carbon markets globally, including:
The Americas:
United States:
- Western Climate Initiative (WCI)
- Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
- Compliance Offsets
- Washington's Cap-and-Invest Program and Clean Fuel Standard (CFS)
- Upcoming New York Cap-and-Invest
- California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS)
- Oregon's Clean Fuels Program
Canada:
- Federal Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS)
- Federal Clean Fuel Standard (CFS)
- Provincial programs such as Ontario's Emission Performance Standard (EPS), Quebec's Cap & Trade (WCI), Alberta's Technology Innovation and Emission Reduction (TIER), British Columbia's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), New Brunswick's OBPS, and renewable fuels regulations in Alberta and Ontario
Mexico and South America:
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Assistance with voluntary carbon markets and compliance with carbon tax schemes in countries like Colombia and Chile
Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania:
Europe:
- EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)
- EU Emissions Trading System 2 (EU ETS 2)
- UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS)
- Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
- Certificats d'Économie d'Énergie (CEE)
- Upstream Emission Reduction Certificates (UER)
- Guarantees of Origin (GO)
- Biofuel Certificates
Asia and Oceania:
- China Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)
- South Korea ETS
- Australia and New Zealand ETS
Africa:
- Support for companies subject to South Africa's carbon tax
Voluntary Carbon Market:
Finally, ClearBlue Markets provides services for clients engaging in the voluntary carbon market, offering support from planning and strategy development to full offset procurement strategies.
- Global Voluntary Carbon market
- Article 6/PACM
- CORSIA
Contact us for more information about our Market Intelligence subscriptions and services.