Projects
No doubt you would have heard about the climate change debate and everything associated with Climate Change, one of the biggest challenges facing society today. When you look at the facts, it all looks a little scary. (see facts about climate change).
Scientists have recently proved that increased Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere are at the highest level for over 600,000 years. The cause of climate change is the direct result of Human Activity. (see Climate Change explained).
However, the Stern Review Report, published in November 2006 stated that ‘there is still time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, if we take strong action now’.
What you can do
Our everyday actions consume energy, from driving to the shops, heating your home or flying to another country on holiday. There are a number of ways to reduce your emissions with only minimal adjustments to your behaviour and considerations. ‘Changing behaviour’ is a difficult thing and will be a slow process. It is unrealistic to think we are about to walk or cycle to work, stop watching TV or refuse to go on holiday to hot and sunnier shores ! However there are a number of very simple adjustments we can make to significantly reduce our energy consumption and therefore reducing our carbon emissions.
Take simple action to reduce emissions
Visit the energy savings trust www.est.org.uk, for further information on energy saving tips.
Once you have taken steps to reduce emissions within your everyday life you can ‘offset’ the remaining unavoidable emissions – for example plane travel or driving your car (unless you’ve switched to electric !).
Offsetting Explained
The offset process is pretty simple, though can sound quite technical at times. We’re assuming you’re reading this section to grasp an overview of the concept, so we’ll keep it simple for now. (see technical stuff)
To Offset, is a way of compensating for unavoidable carbon emissions which contribute to climate change. Offsetting compensates for emissions produced with an equivalent carbon saving.
Offsetting involves buying Carbon Credits that have been generated by projects that have reduced carbon emissions through renewable technology or energy efficiency projects. For offsetting to help tackle climate change, the credits need to have been generated from emissions reductions that are regulated and verified.
As an offset provider we are here to work out the most effective method to provide real carbon savings and that wouldn’t have already happened.
Currently there have been a wide range of projects undertaken with mixed results. For example there are a number of arguments for and against whether re-forestation actually is an effective way to reduce Co2 emissions long term, as to store the Carbon rather than reducing it. This is why forest fires are a large contributor to the level of Carbon Dioxide.
There are also concerns over the authenticity of some projects, which have received investment from other offset providers in the past.
At Green Carrot, we feel we have to ensure that your money goes directly to purchase credits from a verified source. Basically this guarantees the reduction is real, is happening, and would not happen should it be for direct investment for the sole purpose of reducing emissions.
The projects we invest in are part of the Clean Development mechanism (CDM) and are Certified Emission Reduction (CER) projects. These projects involve renewable technologies or energy efficient projects, which would not have happened if it wasn’t for direct investment. Put simply, CER projects have to satisfy the Kyoto Protocol to produce a Certified Emission Reduction in the way of a Carbon Credit.
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Certified Emissions Reductions
Objectives of the CDM
Methods of the CDM
1) The project must use an approved methodology to measure emissions reduction
. A designated operational entity (DOE) certifies the methodology
. CDM Executive Board accredits DOE’s and approves new methodologies
2) The project must be approved by the host country Designated National Authority (DNA) as with national sustainable development objectives
3) The project must be registered by the CDM Executive Board as an official CDM project
4) Project must have its reduced emissions validated by an accredited DOE
Our Projects
In keeping with the governments purposed Code of Practise for Offsetting, we only purchase carbon credits from projects which are classified Certified Emission Reductions (CER). All CER projects fall within the Kyoto Protocol Clean Development Mechanism, meaning the projects we invest in and buy Carbon Credits from a fully verified source.
Benefits of CER projects
Voluntary Emissions Reductions (VER’s) do not currently form part of the governments Code of Practise as they fall outside of the CDM. At Green Carrot, we feel there are some benefits to VER projects as they are generally small scale projects with a greater social impact. On the flip side, there are no guarantees all the invest goes to reducing emissions. We are lobbying the government as consultants to the code of practice to encourage small scale CER projects which have more appeal to you, or bring VER’s within the CDM.
Green Carrot CER project choice
We are consistently talking to our clients and costumers about which type of CER projects you would like to contribute to.
Currently there are a wide range of CDM projects mostly geared towards the compliance market, ie government offsetting within the Kyoto agreement and do not generally appeal greatly to the voluntary market. Although all CDM projects create Certified reductions, we work hard to find a portfolio of projects which compliment our core values for projects.