To keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C, as called for in the Paris Agreement – emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
Many businesses are already making great strides to reduce their Impact, and while you can reduce, achieving true carbon neutrality will involve offsetting a certain amount of emissions.
Treeconomy are one of the few companies in the UK that offer credible carbon credits. Backed by principles of PAS 2060 (Carbon Neutrality), they seek to break the greenwashing cycle.
Mel is joined by Harry Grocott, CEO and Co-founder of Treeconomy, to discuss their credible carbon offsetting schemes and the innovative technology they use to help quantify the value of nature.
You’ll learn
- Who are Treeconomy?
- What is the difference between services offered for landowners and Offset buyers?
- Can you quantify the value of nature?
- How can people be sure that they don’t fall prey to Greenwashing?
- How can someone go about buying and monitoring offsetting credits?
- Are Treeconomy’s carbon offsetting schemes verified?
Resources
In this episode, we talk about:
[00:30] Catch up our episodes covering the Sustainable Development Goals (Part 1 / Part 2), ISO 14064 and PAS 2060.
[01:00] Treeconomy are a company that offer credible carbon offsetting schemes – they are one of the few companies who are recognised by PAS 2060 (the Standard for Carbon Neutrality)
[02:05] Harry Grocott (CEO) introduces Treeconomy – A nature based, carbon removal and restoration company that operate in the UK and Internationally. They offer schemes that work towards afforestation, peatland restoration, rewilding ect. They are also keen to enable evidencing the impact, developing a software platform, remote sensing, and AI technology to do so.
[03:41] They are part of the Centre for climate change innovation which is an initiative of Imperial College London and the Royal Institution to catalyse innovation of all forms that address the causes and effects of climate change.
[04:22] What is the difference in services for Landowners and Offset Buyers? For landowners, Treeconomy can help you change land use from one to another. I.e changing land used for sheep grazing into something more carbon intensive. Treeconomy will ensure that any project started with them is a verified Carbon Scheme – in-line with the woodland carbon code. Once your project set up has been completed and verified, Treeconomy will assist in the sale of credible carbon credits.
[07:22] For offset buyers: Treeconomy offer a wide range of projects and varyingly priced carbon credits.
[07:45] Can we quantify the value of nature? Short answer right now is no, but there is a lot of nuance. Nature offers ecosystem services i.e. farms offer a calorific benefit, we can put a price on the value that offers. The same principle applies to resources such as wood or oil. Now we are gaining the ability to quantify CO2 removal, which is undeniably valuable to humanity.
[09:18] Other more recent services such as biodiversity projects are a bit harder to quantify – as they vary so much depending on the country. However, we are starting to assign value to these.
[12:15] How can people be sure that they don’t fall prey to Greenwashing? There are 2 main issues to consider: 1) Are your carbon credits credible? 2) what claims are top management making?
[12:44] Tackling claims made by leadership: ISO standards are starting to solve this issue. There are clear requirements and certifications that need to be in place to back those claims.
[13:00] Tackling carbon credits: The carbon offsetting market is heavily unregulated currently. Essentially it’s a lot of people trading in invisible gas. There are a number of carbon standards (Not quite at the same level as ISO Standards), such as the Woodland Carbon Code and the Peatland Code, and Internationally there are standards such as Verra VSC – unfortunately, a lot of these standards aren’t very robust and aren’t enforced.
[15:30] Many companies will often look to buy the cheapest offsets available, which are likely to be non-credible and will provide no evidence of actual offsetting occurring. But, there are a lot of new companies emerging that provide tangible evidence of offsetting (such as Treeconomy 😊)
[18:30] How can someone go about buying and monitoring offsetting credits? If you don’t want to use a company like Treeconomy, you would need to directly contact and purchase credits from a company who is developing a project.
[19:23] Treeconomy have created a platform called Sherwood – this displays all the projects they are helping to develop, which also tells you who the landowners are and the carbon inventory attached to each project. It can also help you evidence credits purchased, whether they are historic or future carbon removal.
[21:30] Not many companies offer comprehensive reporting and evidencing of carbon credits in practice. Treeconomy use a range of methods such as drones, satellites and AI programs to report back, and aim to make getting this information as easy as possible for credit purchasers.
[23:20] How did Harry get into this business? Starting off studying geography and Science – he later went onto work in finance for 3 years and qualified as a finance adviser. While working he realised that the amount of money available is rarely the issue, rather the use of it. He saw that there was a large gap in funding for climate change mitigation and adaptation – but not enough money was going towards it. He began wondering why more couldn’t be invested and so decided to study climate change management and finance (partly though Covid), where he met his co-founder. After getting some Government grant funding, investors and landowner partners, they have flourished over the last 3 years.
[27:00] Are Treeconomy’s offsetting schemes verified? Yes – they work under the UK woodland carbon code (and soon the peatland carbon code). They are also working to create a new protocol to tackle rewilding, including how the value and progress can be tracked. Internationally they will be working under Verra.
[29:05] Treeconomy can help to provide detailed evidence of carbon offsetting thanks to their reporting capabilities, this can be passed onto 3rd party auditors to verify in-line with any carbon Standard.
[30:00] You can find Treeconomy via their website, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram 😊
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This episode is the final part of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.
This time, our resident Carbonologist David Algar is talking through the seventh step of the Carbonology process, ‘Declare’.
David explains the purpose of a formal declaration, different ways companies can make their declaration, and the different ways you can promote your achievement of carbon neutrality.
You’ll learn
- The purpose of a formal declaration.
- The key outcomes of the ‘Declare’ step.
- The different ways you can make a declaration.
- The pros and cons of doing your declaration internally.
- How long your declaration is valid for.
- Ways to promote achieving carbon neutrality.
Resources
In this episode, we talk about:
[01:56] A recap of the 7 steps to carbonology.
[04:02] The purpose of having a formal declaration.
[04:57] What the formal declaration involves.
[06:55] Different ways to make a declaration and which one’s most popular.
[08:31] How long your declaration is valid for.
[09:20] The importance of having an unambiguous declaration.
[10:07] The key outcomes and deliverables of the ‘Declare’ step.
[10:43] How publicised your Qualifying Explanatory Statement should be.
[11:27] Ways to promote achieving carbon neutrality.
[13:42] What companies tend to do after achieving carbon neutrality.
[14:23] Why it’s easier making a declaration in the second year.
[15:15] How to find out more information about the 7 step methodology.
[16:02] The importance of data.
If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!
Don’t forget to download your free ‘Getting Started with Carbonology’ Checklist here:
We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:
- Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
- Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.
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This episode is Part 6 of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.
This time, our resident Carbonologist David Algar is talking through the sixth step of the Carbonology process, ‘Offset’.
David explains what companies can do to offset emissions, how offsetting works in relation to PAS 2060, and the importance of picking the right Offset provider.
You’ll learn
- Different types of Offsetting.
- How Offsetting works in relation to PAS 2060.
- How long Carbon Offsetting Credits last.
- What to consider before buying an Offset.
- The importance of picking the right Offset provider.
Resources
- UK Woodland Carbon Code
- United Nations Offset Platform
- The Gold Standard
- Greenhouse Gas Protocol
- ISOlogy Hub
- Blackmores
In this episode, we talk about:
[01:43] The five steps before you go down the route of Offsetting.
[02:12] Why Offsetting is a controversial topic.
[03:03] How Offsetting works in PAS 2060.
[03:41] What Offsetting is and how Carbon Credits work.
[04:59] Credible Offsetting schemes in the UK.
[07:58] Key considerations you need to consider when buying a Carbon Offset.
[10:48] How PAS 2060 helps companies prove they really are carbon neutral.
[12:20] How Carbonologists help their clients know which schemes meet the requirements of PAS 2060 and which don’t.
If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!
If you’d like to book a free consultation with our Carbonologist, David Algar, feel free to book a slot Here.
And lastly, don’t forget to grab your ‘Getting Started with Carbonology’ Checklist here:
We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:
- Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
- Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.
Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:
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This episode is Part 5 of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.
This time, our resident Carbonologist David Algar is talking through the fifth step of the Carbonology process, ‘Re-quantify’.
David explains why it’s important to recalculate your emissions after measures have been put in place from the Reduce stage, what to do if you’re not hitting your targets, and how the ‘Re-quantification’ stage can help your public image.
You’ll learn
- What ‘Re-quantification’ is.
- Why ‘Re-quantification’ is so important.
- Ways to identify how specific areas of your business have performed.
- What to do if you’re not hitting targets.
- How to follow a carbon reduction plan while in a state of growth.
- How the ‘Re-quantification’ stage can help your public image.
Resources
In this episode, we talk about:
[01:05] The seven steps of carbonology.
[01:32] Why it’s so important to ‘re-quantify’.
[02:31] The real purpose of the ‘re-quantification’ stage.
[05:16] How to feel if you’re not hitting your targets.
[05:50] The importance of consistency, accuracy, and transparency in ISO 14064 and PAS 2060.
[07:20] How to follow a carbon reduction plan while in a state of growth.
[08:34] The key outcomes and deliverables in your ‘Re-quantification’ stage.
[09:30] Our free carbon neutral checklist.
Download your free Carbonology Checklist here:
If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!
We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:
- Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
- Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.
Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:
Stitcher | Spotify|YouTube|iTunes|Soundcloud
This episode is Part 4 of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.
This time, our resident Carbonologist David Algar is talking through the fourth step of the Carbonology process, ‘Reduce’.
David explains how we can put our Carbon Reduction Plan into action so we can see clear tangible results in our reductions, and the benefits this brings to organisations and their employees.
You’ll learn
- How the ‘Reduce’ phase in the Carbonology process works.
- How to monitor how successful your initiatives are.
- The importance of communicating your reduction plan to your staff.
- How to get your staff excited about your carbon reduction plan.
- The value of externally communicating your commitment to carbon reduction.
- How having a sustainability group can help your business.
Resources
In this episode, we talk about:
[03:05] The ‘reduce’ phase of the Carbonology process.
[04:36] The need to make your staff aware of your carbon reduction plan.
[05:13] How to best manage communications with staff around carbon reductions.
[06:36] How a carbon reduction plan can be beneficial for an organisation and their staff.
[07:26] How to best monitor the success of your initiatives and the benefits this has.
[11:11] The benefits of reducing your carbon footprint rather than offsetting it.
If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!
We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:
- Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
- Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.
Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:
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This episode is the second of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.
We’re joined by our resident Carbonologist David Algar to talk through the second step of the Carbonology process, Quantify.
What does the Quantify Step entail?
Calculating your emissions : This will be carried out for Scope 1 2 and 3 emissions.
- Scope 1 refers to sources you own, and are direct emissions from combustion or fugitive emissions from systems that contain GHGs, so gases that have escaped from somewhere they shouldn’t have such as an AC system.
- Scope 2 are emissions from imported energy, this refers to electricity for most organisations but can also include steam, heating and cooling. For ISO 14064 and PAS 2060 you’ll need to quantify 100% of the Scope 1 and 2 emissions within boundaries
- Scope 3 refers to all other indirect emissions from sources you don’t own or necessarily have control over. For example business travel in vehicles your staff own. Scope 3 makes up the majority of emissions for most organisations and is generally more complex to gather data for.
What information do you need to quantify your emissions?
You’ll need to collect and process data. This can be:
- Activity or financial data on a specific source. Common examples include utilities bills, meter readings and expense reports for business travel or fright
- Interviews and surveys. For instance a survey to better understand how staff commute to work, or the proportion of staff that work from home.
Why is Transparency so important?
There are 6 key principles of ISO 14064, but one David is particularly mindful of is Transparency.
- Ultimately your work will be made publicly available, and not everyone may agree with your methods, but you’ll need to record all estimates, assumptions, exclusions, and uncertainties associated with your methods. As well as generally being good practice, being transparent allows the end user of the work you produce to make informed decisions with a reasonable degree of confidence.
So what’s the purpose of quantification?
As well as giving you a total footprint for a specific time period, calculating your carbon footprint will enable you to do a few things:
- Firstly you’ll be able to see what are the most emission-intense areas of your organisation, i.e. where the emissions are coming from, whether this is a specific location, or activity or even department
- Secondly, by using this information you will be able to prioritise the areas that need to have their emissions reduced. This will form the basis of your Carbon Footprint Management Plan which we will go into more detail on in the next few episodes.
What are the Outcome and Deliverables?
One outcome of this exercise is a GHG Inventory. This is a requirement of ISO 14064 and put simply, is a big list of categorised emission sources, and the specific GHGs they produce. Here you’ll also list all emission conversion factors you used to turn activity data into tonnes of specific GHGs.
Another useful outcome is that you’ll be able to instantly and credibly respond to any tenders that require you present green credentials. As we’ve mentioned in previous podcasts, in the UK it is now a requirement for most large public sector contracts for the tendering organisation to outline its emissions.
Being able to easily present your carbon footprint to a potential tender could help in winning new business, particularly if you’ve completed this in line with an international recognised standard
Join us next week as we move onto the next step, Commit.
If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!
David Algar is also available for a free Carbonology consultation until the end of March – Book your slot Here
We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:
- Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
- Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.
Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:
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This episode is the first of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.
We’re joined by our resident Carbonologist David Algar to talk through the first step of the Carbonology process, Define.
David explains why the define stage is so important, what it entails, and how it works.
You’ll learn
- The seven steps in Carbonology.
- The importance of defining your carbon output.
- How to get a better understanding of your emissions.
- The recommended approach to define the subject and boundaries.
- How to write the introduction for your QES.
- How to become carbon neutral.
Resources
In this episode, we talk about:
[02:38] What the seven steps of Carbonology are.
[03:08] The first step to becoming carbon neutral.
[03:52] How the define stage in Carbonology works.
[04:42] What Carbonology boundaries in an organisation may look like.
[06:20] The importance of identifying the people involved with Carbonology work.
[07:00] The type of people that are normally involved with managing the Carbonology standards in a business.
[08:25] How organisations can determine the selection of the subject.
[09:49] Why it’s important to clearly define the subject and your boundaries.
[10:33] The recommended approach to define the subject and boundaries.
[12:17] The outcomes and deliverables that are provided through the define stage.
[13:35] Who the Qualifying Explanatory Statement has to be shared with.
If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!
David Algar is also available for a free Carbonology consultation until the end of March – Book your slot Here
We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:
- Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
- Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.
Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:
Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud
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