Samuel Gill

How could carbon accounting be more impactful? Carbon accounting is still a very nascent space. We need to innovate our methodologies to ensure they are serving their ultimate purpose: helping to inform and incentivise decarbonisation. The CAA is excited to host an important conversation on "how to evolve carbon accounting for impact", under the Chatham House rule, with Kaya Axelsson (Research fellow / Head of Policy & Partnerships at Oxford Net Zero) who present on her latest research paper where she suggests a new framework of "spheres of influence". She will be joined by Amir Sokolowski (Global Director, Climate Change at CDP) and Richard Sheane (co-founder & director 3Keel) for an interactive panel with our Carbon Accounting Alliance (CAA) community on 5th November (16:00 - 17:00 GMT) where we will be discussing how to evolve GHG accounting for impact. We know that we desperately need more impactful progress from companies on societal Net Zero. When many decarbonisation interventions don’t get funded because they are too difficult to capture in a GHG Scope 1-3 inventory or that they simply sit outside of a corporate value chain - it's about time we evolve our frameworks to objectively recognise and reward these. If you are a carbon accounting practitioner and not yet a member, please sign up here: https://lnkd.in/e5ExQ5xc If you are already a member, you can sign up through the CAA community platform here: https://lnkd.in/ewJ_HsPb

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Extract below from Bill Blain's excellent Morning Porridge blog (link below): "The big issue across Western Economies remains consumption – how much can consumers actually buy after their disposable incomes have been slashed by energy price inflation, higher taxation, inflation and low wages – the latter being a consequence of the increasing “financialisation”, aka greed, of corporates to pay workers less to make bosses richer. (That’s the reality of the last 20 years; bosses got insanely rich and higher paid. Workers got poorer.) When consumers can’t consume because all their income is consumed by higher rents, paying of credit cards, taxes, and dismal jobs… that’s when to worry. That time is now. Crashing consumption is the issue we haven’t yet seen on company earnings – yet." https://lnkd.in/d42VhKd9

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Monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) for carbon markets is confusing. There are 6+ organizations with 35 standards that cover different CDR technologies and have overlapping & different "rules" for the same technology. CDR.fyi, Tank Chen, and Nadine Walsh published a great guide to demystify the MRV landscape. They did a great job simplifying and clarifying the topic. Take a look!! #climatechange #climatetech #climatecareers #climateaction

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Want an overview of what's happening in the voluntary carbon market? Well, earlier this week we launched our annual market overview, where I was told that concerns about credibility continue to depress the market - however, major infrastructure developments such as the Core Carbon Principles are laying the foundations for a market resurgence. The SBTi was unsurprisingly a big topic, with market participants telling me that this has heavily impacted corporates, with many 'waiting to see' for its final decision (however long that might take). Concerns were raised that this ongoing debate is 'like another nail in the coffin' for the VCM and adding a confusing message to 'an already depressed market'. However, new themes cropped up from last year, with many anticipating that the voluntary and compliance carbon markets will continue to converge. It means that many are looking to align their voluntary projects with compliance market standards - or Article 6 regulations. It's a long one, but hopefully a useful overview of what's happened in this highly debated market over the past year. https://lnkd.in/gbFSRyw2

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🗣️ Hear from our CEO & co-founder Tommy Ricketts at Carbon Forward North America! Tommy will be speaking on a panel on Wednesday 12th June and will share his insights on the exciting topic of 'Emerging Trends in the Voluntary Carbon Markets'. If you're there, don't miss it! ➡️ Find out more about the event and register here: https://hubs.ly/Q02zZ3W90 #CarbonForward #CarbonMarkets #CarbonCredits #CarbonRatings

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Carbon offset programmes allow governments, companies, and individuals to minimise their environmental impact. Carbon offsets fund specific projects that either lower CO₂ emissions or sequester CO₂. Common examples of offset projects include reforestation, renewable energy initiatives, carbon-storing agricultural practises, and waste management. Entities that emit carbon or other greenhouse gases can pay for initiatives, like tree planting or regenerative agriculture, that remove carbon from the atmosphere. By doing so, their emissions get reduced or cancelled out. If enough companies, governments, and individuals commit to offsetting their emissions, global warming can be addressed.   Carbon offsetting is not a substitute for preventing emissions; emissions must decrease significantly. Focusing solely on offsetting can distract from the urgent transition to low emissions by suggesting emissions can be easily erased. High-quality carbon offsets benefit struggling communities by creating jobs, reducing pollution, and providing health benefits. For this to be meaningful, offsets must meet rigorous standards and contribute to meaningful climate action.   The effectiveness of carbon offset projects depends on the concept of additionality. This means that the project wouldn't have happened without the offset funding. Ensuring genuine additionality is crucial for the credibility of offset programmes. The quality of carbon offsets varies widely. Too many projects do not deliver the promised emissions reductions. Verification and validation standards are essential to prevent greenwashing and ensure that offsets genuinely contribute to climate goals.   Some offset projects harm local communities and ecosystems. For example, large-scale tree plantations might displace indigenous communities or negatively impact biodiversity. Ensuring that offsets have positive social and environmental co-benefits is crucial. Relying too heavily on offsets can divert attention from the urgent need to reduce emissions directly. Offsetting should complement emission reduction efforts, not replace them. The focus should be on reducing emissions at the source.   Instead of relying solely on offsets, there needs to be more focus on reducing emissions at the source, and implement energy-efficient practises, transition to renewable energy, and optimise processes to minimise carbon output. Our preference is to invest in nature-based solutions that enhance carbon sequestration. In our case, we support the development and restoration of seagrass meadows. These approaches directly increase carbon storage in ecosystems. Terence Nunis Terence K. J. Nunis, Consultant President, Red Sycamore Global

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Good to see more progress from colleagues at The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) in efforts to build end to end integrity in the VCMs. The helps the buyers VCMI focuses on identity high integrity credits. https://lnkd.in/dJMSNxus #carbonmarkets #integrity #climatefinance

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📢 Last week The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) confirmed that both Verra's Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) program met the rigorous Core Carbon Principles (#CCPs). Proud to be one of the members of the group that helped create these principles, can’t wait to see more and more standards to be aligned with them. This is a significant achievement for the voluntary carbon market, marking a major step towards ensuring the highest levels of integrity and transparency in carbon credits. So who will be next? Thoughts? #CarbonMarket #VCM #CarbonCredits https://lnkd.in/ecYWpexc

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Zero Carbon Capital (ZCC), a London-based VC firm, has raised £20M to invest in pre-seed and seed-stage European companies focusing on scientific solutions for deep decarbonisation. The fund has attracted investments from various institutions, corporates, and individuals, including Isomer Capital, Green Future Investments Ltd, Bunge Ventures, and Extantia Climate All-stars. Led by Pippa Gawley, ZCC combines scientific research capabilities with operational experience from leading tech companies to identify and support promising early-stage climate tech companies. #ZeroCarbonCapital #ClimateTech #VentureCapital #Decarbonisation #SustainableInvesting #GreenFuture #ClimateInnovation #EarlyStageInvestment #DeepTech #EnvironmentalImpact #TechForGood #CleanEnergy #ScientificSolutions #CarbonReduction #ClimateAction #EcoInvestment

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What actually is Biodiversity Net Gain? And why is it so important? At Gaia we have built the UK's largest natural exchange for BNG Units. Today I try to explain in a little more detail what this scheme is about. #BNG #biodiversity #biodiversitynetgain

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Around one third of the whole voluntary carbon market has failed to meet the bar for The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM)'s 'best-in-class label'. The board announced today that eight methodologies used for renewable energy projects will be ineligible to use the label because they are "insufficiently rigorous in assessing whether the project would have gone ahead without the incentive of carbon credit revenues". Around 236 million credits currently use these methodologies. It was keen to emphasise that renewable energy credits do have a role to play, particularly for emerging markets - but updated methodologies will be needed. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eSFYdGkZ

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𝐀 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 by Samuel Huckstep and Jonathan Beynon Climate finance is falling short of meeting the adaptation needs of those most vulnerable to climate change. What little is provided increasingly comes from existing, and already overstretched, development budgets. Development leaders emphasise their desire to mobilise more private climate finance, but struggle to do so— especially for underfunded adaptation. This is the first challenge. Remittances are already an important and effective source of income for households in climate-vulnerable countries. Many Global North countries rely on migrant labour to fill (often seasonal) labour shortages. However, they make little effort to maximise the potentially very large effects of this labour migration by targeting it towards those who would most benefit. This is the second challenge. In a new paper (https://lnkd.in/gVrkCi5e), the authors set out a proposal that addresses both challenges: incentivise the reorientation of migration opportunities towards communities highly vulnerable to climate change by counting a portion of their remittance flows as mobilised private climate finance. https://lnkd.in/gNfzGNeK

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#UK Government - Exciting development to support high-integrity Voluntary Carbon Market + Recognition of our work at VCMI The UK Government has published a set of principles aimed at enhancing the integrity of Voluntary Carbon Markets (VCMs) and Nature Markets. These principles are designed to address critical challenges such as transparency, accountability, and the verifiability of climate benefits, which are essential to the credibility and effectiveness of these markets. Why This Matters: Key Role in Climate Goals: VCMs are a critical tool for achieving global net-zero targets by enabling investments in emissions reductions and removals. Addressing Concerns: Issues such as greenwashing and inconsistent market standards have undermined trust in VCMs. These principles aim to set clear expectations for market participants, ensuring genuine and measurable climate impact. Strengthening Market Confidence: By enhancing trust, the framework can attract more private investment, catalyze innovation, and drive broader participation in climate solutions. Next Steps: Consultation in Early 2025: The UK Government will open a consultation process to refine these principles based on stakeholder feedback, underscoring a commitment to inclusivity and collaboration. Global Implications: These principles align with international efforts to scale high-integrity carbon markets and position the UK as a leader in shaping sustainable climate policy frameworks. For more information: https://lnkd.in/ds66vBnC #Sustainability #ClimateAction #CarbonMarkets #Innovation Shivani Katyal Simon Petley Lydia Sheldrake

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🌿 BREAKING NEWS: Natural Solutions is Officially a #BCorp™ and We’re Freaking Out! 🌿 Natural Solutions has joined the B Corp™ family, and we couldn’t be prouder (or more confused about how we passed the audit). 🙃 After months of paperwork, soul-searching, and awkwardly explaining our eco-jargon to auditors ("Yes, biodiversity is a thing, and no, it’s not climat tech"), we’re now officially recognized as one of the companies saving the planet. 💼🌎✨ Why it’s a big deal: We’re the #Beyoncé of #biodiversity. 🎤 What’s next? More solutions for nature, obviously ! Thanks to everyone who believed in us, and to the planet for not giving up on us yet. 💚 Natural-Solutions.eu #BiodiversityBosses #BCorpCertified #NaturalSolutions

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For those of you that use carbon offsetting as part of your overall carbon management and Net Zero strategy - you now have access to CRISP a totally free to use carbon offset ratings platform. It rates projects for Additionality, Measurability, Permeance and Leakage - Helping you understand the inherent benefits, strengths and potential risks associated with specific carbon offset projects. There is over 1000 projects listed so far with more to be added over the coming weeks.

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Policies, standards and frameworks in the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) can be overwhelming to navigate. Our latest blog post, 'From Beginner to Pro: The Essential Policy Guide to the VCM', breaks down the top initiatives driving the market forward and helps you understand the key players ensuring credibility. 📮 Head to our website to read it in full: https://buff.ly/4cYThPj Whether you're a carbon removal buyer or a carbon project developer, this guide will help you stay ahead on your climate journey and towards reaching your net zero goals. Check it out and learn how to catalyse real impact through the VCM! #CarbonRemoval #VCM #NetZero #ClimateAction The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) Science Based Targets initiative VCMI Verra Gold Standard Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) Climate Action Reserve Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets ICROA

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Perhaps the world is waking up and realising that no carbon credit is as important and valuable for our planet as a REDD+ credit. The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) has approved three REDD+ methodologies, as high-integrity Now all we need is for bodies like Verra to stop overreacting to negative press (you cannot appease anti-market fundamentalists, or academics funded by oil countries), stop overreaching (stick to the science, no need for arbitrary virtue-signaling changes), and start realising that project developers are their customers, and that customer service (including timeliness) is extremely important. Demand is going to take off in the next years, as thousands of large firms approach the 2030 deadline for their NetZero pledges. (High quality) REDD+ will be key.

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This great report focuses on the cold supply chain. https://lnkd.in/eicFBVKU. Anyone reading this and Ceres, Inc. should look at 1) the size of the companies in the scope 3 results. Most will be small or not public, and this leads to gaps in the Scope 3 values that leak Scope 3 results to be of a lower quality 2) The Disclosures of the companies reporting may unintentionally only report a portion of their Scope 1 emissions since they may only be profiling assets that EPA Regulations effect. Refrigerant emissions in some companies may only reflect assets over 50 LBS, whereas the Scope 1 results include systems below 50. Some, like Kroger, only report HFC emissions, excluding HCFC - the narrative is explained in their disclosures. We have seen the values reflect as much as a 15x difference when applying comprehensive versus selective reporting. But this report is eye-opening.

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How are carbon credits priced? And what would it take to bring greater transparency to carbon credit pricing? I'll be speaking about these questions with - Alasdair Were from Abaxx Commodity Futures Exchange and Clearinghouse, Alice Mason from S&P Global, and Chamss Ould from dClimate. Come join and ask some questions of your own: https://lnkd.in/gQSKexNw

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