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The credibility of a carbon offset program depends on the quality of the selected emission reduction projects. First Climate’s project-related quality criteria are based on the quality criteria of the Kyoto protocol including the criteria for CDM- and JI-reduction projects as provided by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. All compensation projects offered by First Climate fulfill the highest quality standards.

Environmental integrity through third party verification: To ensure that each tonne of emission reductions is real and correctly quantified, we require monitoring and verification of our offset projects by an independent third party, usually a Designated Operational Entity (DOE) under the Kyoto Protocol accredited by the UN.

Additionality: First Climate believes that only offset projects that would not have been realized without carbon financing are suitable for carbon offsetting. We require additionality assessments by an independent third party, usually a DOE, for all of our offset projects.

Offset project types: First Climate is particularly engaged in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. First Climate does not invest in project types banned by the UN, such as nuclear energy projects.

Leakage: We ensure that GHG reduction measures in one place do not cause emissions in another place.

Double counting of emission reductions: First Climate ensures that the intended GHG reduction effect of its climate neutral activities is not affected by double counting.

Transparent process of retirement: For every tonne of calculated greenhouse gases to be climate neutralized, one reduction certificate representing one tonne of avoided CO2 equivalent (CO2e) will be purchased and retired. In order to guarantee that certificates will not be used more than once, they are retired in a transparent and verifiable process. Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) and Emission Reduction Units (ERUs) will be retired into the official state-run registers. Verified Emission Reductions are retired in a transparent process and verified annually by independent certified accountants, such as KPMG.

First Climate is the main sponsor of the Gold Standard version 2.

For more information see our standards