Carbon Credit Environmental Services

Offsetting your GHG and CO2 emissions

By Mike Dolkowski

With global warming becoming more obvious to the general public and corporate initiatives to become green, the opportunity to offset GHG (Green House Gas) and CO2 emissions is growing.

The concept of becoming carbon neutral began with the Kyoto Protocol an internationally binding agreement that falls under the more general United Nations Frame work Convention on Climate Change, (UNFCCC). The Protocol sets GHG targets for countries that sign and ratify the agreement. The United States and Australia are among the few countries that ratified the UNFCCC but did not ratify the Protocol and thus are not subject to its GHG reduction targets.

This has opened the voluntary market in Australia and the United States. These programs are called Carbon Neutral. To become carbon neutral an individual, corporation, or institution goes thru an assessment of their carbon footprint. This assessment estimates the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other GHG associated with a particular activity, a plane trip, use of the family car, your family’s overall lifestyle, or use of a particular product or service. Corporate usage of energy (electricity, natural gas) corporate travel, events, all contribute to global warming.

To achieve carbon neutrality, six steps are followed: assess carbon footprint, account for emissions free energy purchases (wind power, solar power) , implement emissions reduction measures, compute remaining carbon emissions, purchase Carbon Credits, finally, communicate carbon neutrality.

The retail market for carbon neutrality is moving ahead with great speed. The retail market has providers that differ in sophistication of their message, their understanding of carbon credits and offsets, offset quality and the information they provide.

The top providers voluntarily follow the Kyoto Protocol, using the Gold Standards, Clean Development Mechanism.

The offset programs qualifying are Solar Power, Wind Power, Methane Recovery, and Reforestation.

Mike Dolkowski
Environmental Engineer BS,MS
CECM # 689