More than 240 participants from over 50 countries gathered in Singapore on May 18-19, 2026, for the World Bank Group (WBG)’s annual Global Knowledge Forum on Carbon Pricing and Markets (GKF). Bringing together countries supported by WBG carbon pricing and market programs, as well as donor countries and international knowledge partners, the Forum focused on helping countries move from analytics and readiness toward policy implementation and market transactions.
The GKF serves as a working platform for policymakers and practitioners to exchange experiences, clarify technical choices, and identify next steps as carbon pricing and carbon markets evolve in an increasingly complex global landscape shaped by competitiveness concerns, trade dynamics, fiscal pressures, and the need to mobilize investment and economic opportunities.
Reflecting this shift toward implementation, discussions moved beyond high-level design questions toward more operational issues related to carbon pricing systems, market participation, and institutional readiness.
Countries highlighted growing interest in topics such as Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) implications, market infrastructure, Article 6 authorization processes, and legal frameworks for carbon credits, MRV systems, registries and private sector mobilization. Discussions also underscored increasing efforts to connect upstream policy design with downstream market participation and transactions across the full carbon value chain.
Photo credit: World Bank Group
Country experiences were central to the Forum, with 24 countries formally sharing implementation lessons and practical approaches across panels and technical discussions. Exchanges reflected notable progress compared to previous years, including several countries now advancing carbon transactions and operational market systems, while also highlighting persistent legal, regulatory, and infrastructure gaps that continue to drive demand for practical implementation-oriented tools and technical guidance.
In this context, the Forum also served as a platform to present and apply new operational knowledge products developed by PMI and other World Bank carbon programs, including the State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2026, the Legal and Regulatory Reforms Toolkit for High-Integrity Carbon Markets, and new guidance on integrating carbon pricing and carbon markets into Long-Term Strategies (LTSs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Photo credit: World Bank Group
Participant feedback confirmed the Forum’s strong relevance and value for peer learning and technical exchange. More than 90 percent of GKF participants provided positive feedback, highlighting the importance of practical country-to-country learning, access to technical expertise, and interactive implementation-focused discussions.
Visit the GKF page to learn more about the 2026 forum and access the event’s summary report as well as the presentations on May 18 and on May 19.
