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The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is reshaping global trade and compliance strategies. Importers of energy-intensive goods must already report embedded emissions (2023–2025). Starting in 2026, they’ll face full CBAM compliance obligations, including purchasing CBAM certificates directly tied to the EU ETS (Emissions Trading System) carbon price.
This transition creates both risks and opportunities. Companies must forecast costs, manage fluctuating carbon prices, and account for different carbon pricing regimes in exporting countries. For many, the challenge is magnified by inconsistent emissions data and evolving EU recognition rules — creating uncertainty in how CBAM costs will affect competitiveness.
Who’s Affected?
CBAM applies to importers and manufacturers in trade-exposed sectors:
- Iron & steel
- Cement
- Aluminum
- Fertilizers
- Hydrogen
- Electricity
Exporters in these industries — particularly those sending goods to the EU — must be prepared to integrate CBAM costs into their strategic planning.
Introducing ClearBlue’s CBAM Market Insights
ClearBlue is excited to launch CBAM Market Insights, a new offering within the ClearBlue Vantage carbon intelligence platform. Leveraging our existing Data Insights, and combining our award-winning Market Intelligence services with advanced analytics, CBAM Market Insights equips companies to forecast CBAM certificate needs, track carbon market trends, and plan for compliance obligations.
Key CBAM Market Insights Features
- Accurate Price Forecasting: Delivers CBAM Certificate prices directly linked to EU ETS auctions, along with ClearBlue's proprietary near and long-term price forecasts to support planning and budgeting.
- Advanced Analytics and Reporting: Within the ClearBlue Vantage platform, clients can run forecasts across multiple products, create interactive visualizations, and save results for ongoing analysis. The service also provides access to market reports, datasets, news updates, and a sentiment scorecard.
- Comprehensive Compliance Support: Helps companies calculate future certificate needs and their associated costs. It also leverages ClearBlues extensive worldwide carbon Market Intelligence to provide tracking and long-term forecasts for global carbon prices paid in countries of origin, which may be used to reduce the final CBAM obligation.
- Market Intelligence at Your Fingertips: Stay informed with market reports, datasets, sentiment scorecards, news updates, auction summaries, and a carbon market events calendar.
With CBAM Market Insight, importers and exporters can move beyond compliance reporting to strategic CBAM cost forecasting and long-term competitiveness planning.
Learn More by Downloading our Recent Webinar
To help businesses prepare, ClearBlue hosted a global webinar: CBAM 2026: Compliance, Risk & Opportunity
On October 21, 2025 our panel of carbon market experts shared practical insights into:
- CBAM implementation timelines and EU policy updates
- Forecasting CBAM costs and managing certificate obligations
- How carbon pricing systems worldwide interact with CBAM rules
- Strategies to minimize risk and maximize competitiveness
The session also featured a look at CBAM Market Insights and how it supports businesses in navigating one of the most important trade-climate policies of the decade.