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The Hidden Value: Economic and Social Benefits of Environmental Commodity Markets Beyond Emissions

Author
Ryan Rudman
Publication Date
July 21, 2025

While the primary objective of environmental commodity markets is to incentivize decarbonization and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, their value extends far beyond mere carbon accounting. These dynamic markets, encompassing Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), Low Carbon Fuel Standards (LCFS), and Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs), are quietly fostering significant economic growth, enhancing national energy security, improving public health, and creating diversified revenue streams across the United States. For businesses and communities alike, understanding these broader, often hidden, benefits reveals a more comprehensive picture of their transformative impact.

Powering Job Creation

The transition to a clean energy economy, significantly supported by environmental commodity markets, is proving to be a powerful engine for job creation. Investments in renewables generate substantially more jobs than in the fossil fuel industry, with every dollar invested in renewables creating three times more jobs. In 2023, renewable energy jobs grew at more than double the rate of the overall U.S. labor market, with approximately 3.5 million Americans already employed in the sector. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates a net gain of 9 million jobs in the energy sector by 2030 as a result of the net-zero transition.  

Specific examples highlight this impact:

  • Renewable Natural Gas (RNG): The construction and operation of RNG processing facilities have spurred job creation, particularly in rural communities where agricultural and landfill waste are abundant. In 2021 alone, the RNG industry contributed 22,600 jobs and $2.6 billion in GDP to the U.S. economy, with projections indicating an increase to over 100,000 jobs by 2030.  
  • Low Carbon Fuel Standards (LCFS): Programs like California's LCFS have a notable impact on employment, with the potential to create an estimated 9,100 new jobs within California by spurring investments in clean alternative fuel production, associated infrastructure, and advanced vehicles. Washington's Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) similarly aims to stimulate local economic development and foster job creation.  

Enhancing Energy Security

Environmental commodity markets contribute directly to enhancing energy security by diversifying the nation's energy portfolio and reducing reliance on volatile fossil fuel imports. Renewable energy sources are globally abundant, mitigating vulnerability to geopolitical shocks and unpredictable fossil fuel prices.  

By incentivizing domestic renewable energy production, these markets increase the availability of locally made fuels, such as electricity and renewable diesel, making cleaner transportation fuels more cost-effective for consumers. Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), in particular, leverages existing natural gas infrastructure, thereby increasing domestic energy production and fuel diversity, and offering a baseload fuel source with high availability rates. This shift towards diversified, domestically sourced energy strengthens overall energy independence and resilience.  

Generating New Revenue Streams

Beyond job creation, environmental commodities create innovative and diversified revenue streams for a wide array of participants:

  • For Producers: Farmers and waste management companies can monetize methane emissions by producing and selling RNG and its associated Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). This transforms what would otherwise be a waste product into a valuable energy source, adding a strong financial component to their operations.  
  • For States: Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) programs, for instance, generate revenue for states, which can then be disbursed to underinvested communities, supporting broader public transit and low-carbon investments. California's LCFS annually deploys $4 billion for such initiatives.  
  • For Businesses: The market value attached to environmental outcomes, such as RECs or carbon credits, provides direct financial incentives for businesses to invest in green technologies and sustainable practices, improving their public image and attracting environmentally conscious customers.  

Improving Public Health and Environmental Quality

A significant co-benefit of the clean energy transition, facilitated by environmental commodity markets, is the tangible improvement in public health and environmental quality. Shifting to clean energy sources directly reduces air pollution stemming from the burning of fossil fuels, which is linked to millions of premature deaths and substantial health and economic costs annually.  

For example, when Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) is used as a transportation fuel, it can significantly reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, leading to improved local air quality compared to traditional diesel or gasoline engines. By diverting waste from landfills, waste-to-energy (WTE) processes, which can generate RECs, significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane, a potent greenhouse gas. These reductions directly translate to cleaner air and water, contributing to a healthier environment for communities.  

Broader Economic Multiplier Effect and Capital Reallocation

The financial transactions within environmental commodity markets, such as the purchase of RECs or the trading of RINs, are not merely financial transfers. They stimulate broader economic activity, leading to indirect job creation in supporting industries, fostering local infrastructure development, and contributing to the diversification of regional economies. This creates a significant economic multiplier effect, where initial spending generates additional economic activity as money circulates within the local economy.  

Moreover, environmental commodity markets serve as efficient mechanisms for capital reallocation, directing investment towards sustainable development and away from carbon-intensive activities. The financial value attributed to environmental outcomes directly incentivizes investment in green technologies and infrastructure that might otherwise struggle to secure funding. For instance, transferable tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) place critical capital into the hands of clean energy developers, which they can then reinvest into project financing, accelerating the deployment of new solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries.  

The U.S. environmental commodity markets are more than just tools for emissions reduction; they are multifaceted drivers of economic prosperity, energy independence, and public well-being. By creating market-based incentives for sustainable practices, they foster job growth, generate new revenue streams, enhance national security, and improve environmental quality. For AFS Commodities, recognizing and articulating this "hidden value" is key to demonstrating the profound and positive impact of these markets, positioning the firm as a strategic partner in building a more sustainable and prosperous future.