Why is the SLCI Credit Price Standard™ Important?
The social and economic impacts of global carbon dioxide emissions are becoming increasingly severe, yet they are rarely directly quantified. Carbon footprint is typically treated merely as a technical metric in tons (tCO₂), without associating it with the financial damage that emissions inflict on society as a whole.
The SLCI Credit Price Standard™ addresses this gap: it connects carbon footprint with the economic value of social damage, i.e., the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) metric. This is not only technically justified but also morally and economically necessary to ensure that carbon credit prices are based on real social foundations.
🧮 SLCI Calculator - Calculate the Social Cost of Your Carbon Footprint
📊 Calculation Formula
Social Damage (USD) = Carbon Footprint (tCO₂) × SCC (USD/tCO₂)
This mathematically trivial but policy-wise neglected relationship makes it possible to directly assign monetary value of social damage to any carbon footprint value. The SCC (Social Cost of Carbon) is the cost that one ton of carbon dioxide emissions imposes on society.
🌍 Methodological Sources - SCC Values
EPA 2015/2016
42-138
USD/tCO₂
RFF/Nature 2022
185
USD/tCO₂
Bilal-Kanzig 2024
1056-1500
USD/tCO₂
Potsdam/Nature 2025
~1300
USD/tCO₂
Recommendation: The 1000-1500 USD/tCO₂ range can be considered as a relevant benchmark for the 2020s, as these values best reflect current and future social risks.
📈 Detailed SCC Data and Analysis
🎯 Application Areas
- Carbon credit pricing: SCC-based minimum price reflecting the real social cost of emissions in the VCM (voluntary carbon market)
- Climate protection project financing: Emissions offsetting with SCC-proportional compensation, supporting decarbonization efforts
- Product labeling and consumer information: Displaying social damage facilitates ethical decision-making and conscious consumption
- Public procurement decisions: SCC-based evaluation at governmental and institutional levels for sustainable procurement
- Corporate valuation and goodwill: Emission reduction contributes to company reputation and brand value
- ESG compatibility: Direct alignment with the environmental component of the ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) framework
- Risk management: Quantification of climate risks and strategic planning for future regulatory changes
⏰ Timeframe and Market Reality
Current Situation - VCM Prices:
- Average carbon credit price on voluntary carbon market (VCM): 30-50 USD/tCO₂
- This is only 2-5% of the latest SCC estimates (1056-1500 USD/tCO₂)
- Consequence: Emissions offsetting remains underfunded
Recommended Target Values for Achieving 2°C Goal:
- By 2030: carbon credit prices should reach at least 30-50% of SCC (450-750 USD/tCO₂)
- By 2035: carbon credit prices should reach full SCC value (~1500 USD/tCO₂)
Important: The SLCI Credit Price Standard™ does not adapt to market compromises but serves as a compass. The market must adapt to scientifically estimated social costs - not vice versa.
📜 License and Access
The SLCI Credit Price Standard™ is open access, freely applicable and further developable. The only condition: Proper attribution to the original creator and reference to the license is required.
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)
Complete documentation is available on the OurOffset platform.
