Scrapping the Government’s Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsetting was the right thing to do
Mark Chadwick, ceo, Carbon Clear
27th May 2011
Like most carbon offset providers, we welcome the Government’s recent decision to axe its Quality Assurance Scheme (QAS) for Carbon Offsetting at the end of June 2011.
Designed to help organisations and individuals choose good-quality
carbon offsets, it was hampered from the outset by the decision to only approve
carbon credits that could be traded on compliance markets. Excluding popular and effective
verified emission reduction (VER) credits – designed specifically for the voluntary carbon offset market – seemed illogical and counter-productive.
We believed that VERs, such as those certified by the
Verified Carbon Standard or
WWF’s Gold Standard, met all of the conditions laid out by the Department for Energy and Climate Change for quality carbon offset credits. The decision to exclude VERs was considered so misguided that not a single member of the carbon offsetting industry body, ICROA, signed up to the assurance scheme.
Our main concern was that VER credits provide much needed finance for clean energy and forestry projects in the developing world – the reason why many organisations support carbon offsetting in the first place. Those wishing to offset using only QAS-approved credits were left with the option of more expensive compliance credits that offered no guarantee of additional social or environmental benefits beyond
carbon reduction. To confuse buyers even further, the assurance scheme also approved the use of European Union allowances (EUAs) that are unsuitable as voluntary carbon offsets and unapproved by the offsetting industry body.
Lack of supportGiven these factors, it’s not surprising that the QAS failed. The lack of support from consumers and carbon offset providers alike resulted in only nine companies participated in the QAS, requiring funding from DECC just to keep it running. Keeping the QAS going would have been pointless and expensive.
The end of the QAS has a silver lining. Whereas before consumers and businesses were faced with conflicting advice from the Government and carbon offset providers, DECC now concedes that they "believe it is for the market to set best practice for carbon offsetting". ICROA provides a very clear set of best practice guidelines that ensure that credits meet the six 'golden rules’ : that they are real, measurable, permanent, additional (i.e. that wouldn't have taken place without the
finance provided by the sale of carbon credits), independently verified and unique.
The fact is that carbon offsetting remains the only way for businesses and individuals to responsibly treat their unavoidable emissions. Removing the confusion over 'approved’ credits and promoting independent certification schemes such as the Verified Carbon Standard allows organisations to develop carbon offset schemes that are both robust and in line with their company values. This is good news for consumers, businesses and the climate.
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