In this episode of ClimateTalks we meet Cercarbono, a voluntary carbon certification program that facilitates and guarantees the registration of climate change mitigation projects.
The Biden administration is pushing for high-quality voluntary carbon markets to combat the climate change crisis.
In this episode of ClimateTalks we meet Verra to discuss how they are facilitating a sustainable transition through carbon offsetting.
In this article we will explore the key differences between carbon removal vs. carbon avoidance and tell you how to choose between them.
Market clarity empowers businesses to leverage verified high-quality carbon offsets and maximize their net-zero goals. Explore how these offsets are measured and find the perfect fit for your sustainability journey.
IETA promotes carbon credits for bridging the emissions gap, but emphasizes responsible use through new guidelines for climate action.
We are thrilled to announce the newest addition to our team at ClimateTrade: Javier Santoyo, who will be taking on the role of Commercial Development Director – Europe.
Thanks to technological support from ClimateTrade, members of Spain’s GEBTA (the Association of Business Travel Agencies) will have access to solutions to offset the CO2 emissions of corporate trips. Since GEBTA and ClimateTrade announced their strategic agreement in May 2021 to promote sustainable company policies, corporate travel agencies have shifted their CSR strategies: from simply offering sustainability consulting to their clients, they have implemented practical solutions that allow them to directly offset their impact. This is strengthening the agencies’ own sustainability commitments, as well as their clients’. Agencies are now offering high added-value services to their corporate clients, starting with the voluntary offset of the carbon footprint of corporate trips. How does carbon offset work in the travel sector? By integrating ClimateTrade’s digital tools and solutions in their processes and settlements, companies receive detailed information on the volume of CO2 emissions from their trips and stays. To achieve this, the digital climate company uses CO2 emission calculators that measure the footprint of flights, hotel accommodation, car rentals, buses and taxis, making them an indispensable tool to manage the carbon accounting of the agencies’ clients. With this CO2 measurement and visibility, companies can voluntarily offset their carbon footprint by acquiring credits certified by governments or other international organizations. This certification guarantees that the corporate indicators of companies’ CSR and environmental policies, as well as the sustainability reports requested by ESG auditors and investors, are traceable and transparent. The strategic partnership between GEBTA and ClimateTrade The ambitious agreement signed between the two organizations is an opportunity to accelerate the carbon neutrality of corporate travel by 2050, the deadline set by the European Climate Law. The application developed by ClimateTrade for carbon footprint offsetting is based on blockchain technology, reducing transaction costs and removing the need for traditional intermediaries or brokers. Each transaction and its associated value is visible to anyone with access to the system. On the other hand, the carbon credits generated follow the most authoritative international standards, such as the UN CDM Registry, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Gold Standard, among others. With this agreement, specialized business travel agency GEBTA joins the sustainibility leaders such as Iberia Airlines, Meliá Hotels, Cabify Mobility Services, Banco Santander, Telefónica, Suez or Danone in their carbon efforts. Do you want to see other examples of companies that are taking action to slow down ClimateTrade? Click here. This article was written by Francisco Martín, Head of Engineering at ClimateTrade, and Marcel Forns, president of GEBTA.
In a brand new sector that is evolving rapidly, understand where your company fits in the carbon credit market structure. What is the difference between the mandatory and voluntary carbon credit market? As its name suggests, the mandatory market is used by companies and governments that are legally mandated to offset their emissions. The countries that have joined these markets are those that have accepted and adopted the emission limits established in the Framework of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change. (UNFCCC) The voluntary carbon market, on the other hand, operates outside the compliance markets but in parallel, allowing private companies and individuals to purchase carbon credits on a voluntary basis. Who regulates the mandatory carbon credit market? This market is regulated through international, regional and sub-national carbon reduction schemes, such as the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) and the California Carbon Market. Each ton of CO2 is measured in carbon credits or CERs (Certified Emission Reductions). These credits or CERs are generated in the implementation phase of the project; and are issued once the reduction has been credited. Projects wishing to offer CERs in the market will need to have their emission reductions validated by Designated Operational Entities (validators and verifiers) and registered by the CDM Executive Board to ensure that real and measurable emission reductions are achieved. How does the voluntary carbon credit market work? The main objective for acquiring Verified Emission Reduction (VER) credits, is to neutralize the carbon footprint, motivated mainly by Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and public relations. Other reasons are considerations such as certification, reputation and environmental and social benefits. Companies and individuals can acquire or buy carbon credits directly from projects, companies or carbon funds. However, as in the regulated market, all VERs must be verified by an independent third party and must be developed and calculated according to one of the existing VER standards. Basically, the main difference is that a VER (voluntary market), unlike CERs (mandatory market), cannot be used to achieve obligations under the Kyoto Protocol compliance regime. However, a CER can be accepted by entities wishing to voluntarily offset their carbon footprint. ClimateTrade operates within both the voluntary offset market and the mandatory market. We have a wide portfolio of projects with credits of all types and a professional team with extensive experience in this field.