Carbon offset selection criteria

Measuring the quality of an offset

How can offsets be measured? How can we be sure that the offset projects we purchase are legitimate?

Carbon offset projects must demonstrate actual emission reductions compared to if they were not implemented. They must also ensure the emission reductions they represent are not simply released at a later date or are displaced elsewhere.

 

Offsets can be viewed as high quality when they are:

 

Real:

Offsets must represent actual emissions reductions that have definitively already occurred and been verified. Projections of future anticipated reductions that have not yet materialised cannot qualify as offsets that mitigate current emissions.

 

Additional: 

Offsets must represent emission reductions that are in addition to what would have occurred otherwise.

 

Permanent:

Offsets must represent emission reductions that are non-reversible; or in the case of sequestration projects, must typically be sequestered for 25-100 years.

 

Verifiable:

Sufficient data must be available to ensure emission reductions can be verified by an independent auditor against an established protocol or methodology under the carbon offset program.

 

Quantifiable:

Emission reductions must be reliably measured or estimated and capable of being quantified.

 

Enforceable:

Ownership of the offset is undisputed, and enforcement mechanisms exist to ensure that all offset program rules are followed, and the environmental integrity of the market is maintained.

 

4tomorrow uses high-quality carbon offset projects that align with the above criteria. Click here to find out more.