Introduction to Green-e Climate

Since 2008, Green-e Climate has served a crucial role in international over-the-counter (OTC) markets for carbon offsets. By providing critical oversight over the chain of custody of retail offsets from project to consumer, Green-e Climate ensures transparency and accuracy throughout the transaction. On April 7, 2016, folks joined this webinar to learn more about the largest international certification program for carbon offsets sold in the retail market, including:

• What carbon offsets are, where they come from and how they’re used
• What is included in Green-e Climate certification
• How organizations match their emissions with carbon offsets
• The role of Endorsed Programs and other project-level certifications
• The marketing benefits to organizations of reducing and reporting their carbon footprints

Transcript

1. Introduction to Green-e Climate Third-party certification for carbon offsets April 7, 2016 Sarah Busch Green-e Analyst & Partnerships Specialist
2. About ü Non-profit in San Francisco ü Founded in 1997 ü Policy work and certification programs ü Education and support OUR MISSION Creating policy and market solutions to advance sustainable energy.
4. Certifications for sellers… • Renewable electricity • RECs • Community solar and renewables • CCAs and municipal aggregation • Carbon offsets • Carbon offset natural gas • Federal-ready products • Utility products • Competitive retail energy provider products Certifications for buyers… • Direct PPAs • On-site generation • Corporations • Products • Events • EV charging stations • Paper and printers
5. the global retail standard for carbon offsets
6. Carbon Offsets Carbon Offset Natural Gas, and Fuel Offset Programs Carbon Offsets sold by third-party distributors Fixed and customized products Project-specific offsets Utility products Competitive supplier products
7. Basics
8. Carbon Offset An intangible commodity representing a specific reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
9. Carbon Markets Compliance Voluntary Emissions (allowances) 1 Cap-and-trade 2 Voluntary Cap- and-trade Emissions Reductions (offsets) 3 Compliance Offsets 4 Offsets
10. Emissions (+) Reductions (-)
11. 1 2 3 scopes
12. Oversight
13. Greenhouse gas emissions reduction Retail carbon offset Retail consumer Carbon offset project Carbon Offset Market
14. Project Types
15. • Independent oversight bodies • Develop project protocols and methodologies • Verify emissions reductions • Issue and serialize reductions • Guarantee project-level assurances GHG Project Standards
16. Project-level assurances • Permanent • Additional • Verified • Enforceable • Real
17. Carbon offsets issued, serialized, and tracked in electronic registries
18. • Retailers • Direct purchasers • Wholesale resellers
19. Retail carbon offset product
20. Retail consumer
21. Carbon Offset Market - Oversight Project-level certification standards
22. Risk in the retail market No oversight leaves room for: •Bad Actors (“Boiler rooms”) •Fraud and Double Selling •Deception •Mistakes Project-level certification standards
23. Risk in the retail market • Risk for the buyer • Risk for the seller Project-level certification standards
24. Gap in oversight Project-level certification standards Gap in Transparency & Oversight
25. Project-level certification standards Retail certification standard Retail oversight
28. •Permanence •Additionality •Verified •Enforceable •Real Unique Assurances 1. Verified GHG emissions reductions come from projects certified under high-quality project standards.
29. •Permanence •Additionality •Verified •Enforceable •Real Green-e Climate Endorsed Programs
30. •Permanence •Additionality •Verified •Enforceable •Real •Ownership Unique Assurances 2. Emissions reductions are not being double-sold. Retirement of correct volumes and types of emissions reductions on behalf of customers based on an audit of sales and supply.
31. •Permanence •Additionality •Verified •Enforceable •Real •Ownership Annual Verification Audit: Supply – retired/transferred eligible reductions, and reported accurately Sales – sales of Certified Products reported accurately Balance of supply and sales – retirements/transfers of eligible reductions sufficient in amount and type to meet Certified Product sales Disclosure – information provided to customers is accurate
32. •Permanence •Additionality •Verified •Enforceable •Real •Ownership •Disclosure Unique Assurances 3. Customers are given complete and accurate information about their purchase and are not mislead with inaccurate advertising.
33. •Permanence •Additionality •Verified •Enforceable •Real •Ownership •Disclosure General Requirements: • No false or misleading statements • Do not overstate environmental benefits • Differentiate between Certified and non- certified • Do not misrepresent the benefits of certification
34. •Permanence •Additionality •Verified •Enforceable •Real •Ownership •Disclosure Carbon Offset Content Label
35. •Permanence •Additionality •Verified •Enforceable •Real •Ownership •Disclosure Project List Price, Terms, and Conditions
36. •Additionality •Permanence •Real •Ownership •Verified •Enforceable •Disclosure A.P.R.O.V.E.D.
37. differentiate your programs with third-party certification and chain of custody oversight
38. the most rigorous way for offset sellers to demonstrate delivery of high-quality offsets
39. the easiest way for your customers to be confident in their purchase
40. Benefits of Green-e Certification § Demonstrates overall product quality § Establishes consumer confidence § Reduces risk to all parties § Protects against double claims § Meet best practices for marketing and sales § Use the trusted certification logo
41. Gas Offset Programs Natural Gas Carbon Offsets P.A.V.E.R. Offset Quality • Independent Verification of Sales and Exclusive Delivery • Transparency and Truth in Marketing
42. How does it work? 1. Open an account in a carbon offset registry. Purchase offsets. 2. Track customers’ natural gas usage. Convert therms to metric tons of CO2e. 3. Retire carbon offsets (CO2e) on behalf customer natural gas usage. No change to supply or sources of gas required
43. certification helps suppliers navigate the market and meet industry best-practices
44. LEED v4 Green-e Climate in • BD&C – EA CREDIT: GREEN POWER AND CARBON OFFSETS (maximum 2 points) • ID&C – EA CREDIT: GREEN POWER AND CARBON OFFSETS (maximum 2 points) • EBOM – EA CREDIT: RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CARBON OFFSETS (maximum 5 points) “Carbon offsets […] must be Green-e Climate certified, or the equivalent.”
45. Purchaser Recognition
46. Verification of offset purchase and percent of emissions covered for events, facilities, operations, vehicle fleets, and more.
48. How to Get Started
49. Buying carbon offsets? Buy Green-e Climate certified Sell carbon offsets or natural gas? Certify your offsets and offset programs Project standard and credit registry? Become an Endorsed Program Offset project owner/developer? Contact one of our Endorsed Programs …and use the Green-e logo with your claim
50. Sarah Busch Green-e Analyst & Partnerships Specialist Center for Resource Solutions Sarah.busch@resource-solutions.org CONTACT @greenemarktplc /CenterForResourceSolutions