Carbon credits are sold worldwide, so where you live rarely limits what you can buy. What changes from country to country is everything around the purchase: whether a compliance market covers local industry, which registries hold domestic credits, how tax applies, and what you may say about offsets in advertising. Each country guide below starts with a fact card that summarises these points, with a source for every entry.
New to carbon markets? Read voluntary vs compliance markets first, then compare providers in where to buy carbon credits.
What changes from country to country
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| Country | Main compliance scheme | Claims guidance |
|---|---|---|
| United States | State schemes, e.g. California Cap-and-Invest | FTC Green Guides |
| Canada | Federal OBPS and provincial systems | Competition Act |
| Brazil | SBCE, created in 2024 and being phased in | CONAR advertising code |
| United Kingdom | UK ETS | CMA Green Claims Code, ASA |
| Germany | EU ETS and national fuel ETS (nEHS) | Unfair Competition Act (UWG) |
| France | EU ETS | Environment Code, art. L229-68 |
| Switzerland | Swiss ETS, linked with the EU ETS | Unfair Competition Act (UCA) |
| UAE | Climate change law (Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024) | Consumer Protection Law |
| South Africa | Carbon tax | Consumer Protection Act |
| India | Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) | CCPA greenwashing guidelines |
| Singapore | Carbon tax | ASAS Code of Advertising Practice |
| Japan | GX-ETS, mandatory from FY2026 | Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations |
| South Korea | K-ETS | Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising |
| Australia | Safeguard Mechanism | ACCC guide to environmental claims |
| New Zealand | NZ ETS | Commerce Commission guidelines, ASA |
As of Oct 2026
The schemes in the table are described on official pages for CaliforniaSource 1, CanadaSource 2, BrazilSource 20, the UKSource 3, the EUSource 11, GermanySource 12, SwitzerlandSource 13, the UAESource 14, South AfricaSource 15, IndiaSource 4, SingaporeSource 16, JapanSource 17, South KoreaSource 18, AustraliaSource 5 and New ZealandSource 19. Each applies to covered companies or facilities, or sets reporting duties for them, not to people buying credits for themselves.
The claims rules come from the FTC’s guidance on carbon offsetsSource 6, the Canadian Competition Bureau’s guidelinesSource 7, CONAR’s codeSource 30, the UK’s Green Claims CodeSource 8, Germany’s amended UWGSource 21, France’s Environment CodeSource 22, Swiss enforcement guidanceSource 23, UAE consumer lawSource 24, South Africa’s Consumer Protection ActSource 25, India’s greenwashing guidelinesSource 9, Singapore’s advertising codeSource 26, Japan’s Consumer Affairs AgencySource 27, the Korea Fair Trade CommissionSource 28, the ACCC’s guideSource 10 and New Zealand’s Commerce CommissionSource 29.
Local rules apply to what you say
You can buy credits from a project in another country, but claims you make to customers are judged by the rules where you advertise. Describe what you funded, such as the tonnes retired and a link to the registry record.
How to use these guides
Pick your country from the list or the map. Each guide covers the local compliance market, how to buy voluntary credits, the main registries, tax notes and claims rules, with a table of providers that sell to buyers there. If your country isn’t listed yet, the steps in our guide for individuals apply anywhere.