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Voluntary Carbon Offsetting
Reducing environmental impact by investing on sustainability.
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Product Features
Voluntary CO2 neutralization allows companies and individuals who are not “obligated entities” to reduce voluntarily their carbon footprint, on either whole or part of their activities. Such reduction is achieved through the purchase and cancellation of CO2 credits (CERs or VERs) generated by projects carried out in developing countries, which both contribute to CO2 emission reduction, and to boots the development of local communities. After cancellation takes place, a certificate is issued that certifies CO2 emission neutralization.
Carbon Footprint is the amount in tons of CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gas attached to a product, entity or activity, calculated through certified models. In order to measure Carbon Footprint all raw materials employed and electricity consumed in different phases of the life cycle of the analyzed product or process have to be identified and quantified.
Sustainability
Lower environmental impact in terms of CO2 emission by direct investment in sustainable projects.
Diversification
CO2 credits can be chosen by project type, geography, social benefit, certificate mechanism (CERs, VERs), label (GS, VERRA, etc.)
Market opportunity
Access to best projects in the market with a wide price range.
What Carbon Credits are and how to choose them
Carbon Credits for voluntary use are certificates issued upon energy-related projects (i.e. RES plants construction) or other kind of projects (tree plantation, household devices etc.) which bring about a reduction in CO2 emissions in a specific geography, usually in a developing country.
Each credit equals 1 ton of CO2 equivalent saved. Projects are authorized through a strict procedure performed by regulatory entities (United Nations for projects producing CERs and private entities charged by governing authorities for VERs). Authorization is granted if the project is compliant with the required criteria and depending on the level of CO2 reduction. Issued credits can be traded to allow voluntary emission neutralization.
Two types of Carbon Credits exist:
Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) – Issued upon projects started in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) regulatory framework.
United Nations developed CDM regulatory framework within the perimeter of Kyoto Protocol to allow industrialized countries to invest in sustainable projects in developing countries and use part of originated credits for obligatory schemes (ETS or carbon tax).
Verified (Voluntary) Emission Reductions (VERs) – Issued upon projects that comply with specific requirements asked for by organizations such as VERRA and Gold Standard for reducing CO2 emissions on a voluntary basis.
Reforestation and preservation of areas at risk (REDD), renewables, Waste Disposal and Household Devices cook stoves are examples of the most common projects generating VERs.