According to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), “climate change” is “a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.”

In layman’s terms, climate change is the scientific consensus that average surface temperatures on our precious Planet are increasing year-on-year and have been since the onset of the Industrial Revolution. This change in average temperature (climate) is generally agreed to be the driver for an increase in extreme weather events, rising sea-levels, acidification of oceans, accelerated loss of flora and fauna, drought, famine… the exhausting list goes on!

Humans are causing climate change by burning fossil fuels, sending waste to landfill and chopping down forests. Each of these activities results in more Greenhouse Gases entering our atmosphere, where they absorb solar radiation (heat) and release it again slowly into the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases are a group of compounds that are able to trap heat (longwave radiation) in the atmosphere, keeping the Earth’s surface warmer than it would be if they were not present. These gases are the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. Increases in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere enhances the greenhouse effect which is creating global warming and consequently climate change.

The ability of these gases to trap heat is what causes the greenhouse effect. So the more greenhouse gases you have in the atmosphere, the more heat stays on Earth. This process, which is very similar to the way a greenhouse works, is why the gases that can produce this effect are collectively known as greenhouse gases.

The main human sources of GHG emissions are: fossil fuel use, deforestation, intensive livestock farming, use of synthetic fertilizers and industrial processes.

The principal forcing greenhouse gases are:

• Carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Methane (CH4)
• Nitrous oxide (N2O)
• Fluorinated gases

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is by far the most common Greenhouse Gas and as a result it is common to measure the other GHGs in relation to CO2. Rather than GHG measurement, we typically discuss an activity’s “Carbon Footprint” and measure it is CO2e (the “e” stands for equivalent).

Humans can do something about climate change by accepting that the Greenhouse Gases we create are really important and that for most of human existence we haven’t given them a care in the world. In order to disincentivise pollution of the atmosphere, we must measure our carbon footprints and pay for carbon reducing activities wherever possible.

A Carbon Footprint is a measurement of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions associated with a particular entity (person, corporate or organization), product or activity (service or event).

A Carbon Footprint should be measured in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and/or the ISO14064 standard to ensure that data can be trusted, compared and meets the minimum reporting requirements in your jurisdiction.

Carbon Trade Exchange always follows the Greenhouse Gas protocol and splits a carbon footprint into three “scopes”:

• Scope 1 – Gas and fuel used at company sites or in company owned vehicles, refrigerants
• Scope 2 – Electricity, heat or steam
• Scope 3 – Indirect emissions from a source that contributes more than 1% of the business’ total emissions footprint – i.e. outsourced operations, business travel in vehicles not owned by the company, waste disposal

A company is carbon neutral when it measures its carbon footprint, reduces its emissions and buys carbon credits to balance out the difference. Every business has a carbon footprint made up of emissions associated with energy usage, transportation and waste. And every business must take steps to become carbon neutral if society is to reduce the total amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.

The carbon neutrality concept is typically extended to include all the main greenhouse gases (GHG) measured in terms of their carbon dioxide equivalence (CO2e) – the impact a GHG has on the atmosphere expressed in the equivalent amount of CO2 – namely: methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

Every business activity creates carbon emissions that are contributing to climate change. Smart business leaders will recognise the benefits of measuring, reducing and offsetting our carbon emissions to market yourself as Carbon Neutral:

• Demonstrate environmental integrity
• Measure and cut costs associated with inefficiency
• Meet customer demand for environmentally friendly products and services
• Differentiate your business to increase revenue and market share
• Stay ahead of legislation on carbon emissions

For many years Carbon Trade Exchange has worked with businesses that have executed a Carbon Neutral strategy to increase their profitability.

CTX will work with any organisation to ensure that achieving Carbon Neutral status is cost-effective and strengthens your business proposition. In the United Kingdom, companies must complete a certification called PAS2060 in order to label themselves, their products or their services as Carbon Neutral.

CTX provides a full advisory service for becoming certified under PAS 2060. This is part of our standard membership package, which you can read more about here.

Our service includes:

• A consultation on how to reduce carbon emissions in your business
• A carbon reductions strategy
• Declarations of commitment and achievement of carbon neutrality
• All Offsets purchased and cancelled on your company’s behalf

The Publicly Available Specification (PAS 2060) was created to produce a common definition and a recognised method of validation for a Carbon Neutral organisation.

There are four main stages to PAS2060:

Measure – Assess carbon emissions based on raw data
Reduce – Adopt and implement an emissions management plan
Offset – Retire carbon offsets to account for emissions you cannot reduce
Validate – Publicaly disclose a declaration of achievement of neutrality

Carbon Trade Exchange (CTX) has worked with many businesses that have gone Carbon Neutral to drive emissions reductions and become more profitable.

By choosing to become Carbon Neutral you will “put a price” on CO2 emissions and, as any business owner knows, what gets measured gets (un)made.

Nevertheless, our knowledgable team works with members to help them create a Carbon Footprint Management Plan so they can meet reporting requirements, and:

• State how your business intends to reduce its emissions and by how much
• Establish a process for assessing performance against the plan
• Demonstrate carbon emission reductions

Carbon Trade Exchange (CTX) uses a unique online Exchange to connect members to Gold Standard and United Nations climate projects around the world. The certified Carbon Credits listed for sale on the Exchange all meet the PAS 2060 criteria.

After your company has measured its Carbon Footprint, our team will help you to implement a Carbon Reductions Plan and, finally, to select a Carbon Credit project from which you can “offset” all the CO2 emissions that you cannot reduce.

These Credits are bought and “cancelled” in your company’s name. You’ll even receive a certificate from the UN stating your company name, the volume of offsets and the reason for their cancellation.

Though PAS2060 is designed to encourage reductions, a company can meet its first period of achievement through Offsetting and market itself as Carbon Neutral.

In accordance with PAS2060, CTX will produce two public declarations for your company:

• A declaration of commitment to carbon neutrality for your emissions measurement and
  management plan, and;
• A declaration of achievement of carbon neutrality for your reductions and offsets cancelled
• After these are signed and published, you’ll be able to market your company as Carbon Neutral
  and to display our CTX Carbon Neutral logo