SAN FRANCISCO—3Degrees, a leading carbon solutions company, is one of the first providers selling international carbon offsets certified under the new Green-e Climate program launched by the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS).
“We’re pleased that 3Degrees joined Green-e Climate right from the start,” said Lars Kvale, Green-e Climate Manager. “By selling offsets that have been independently verified under this program, 3Degrees is showing industry leadership and a real commitment to transparency for its customers.”
Green-e Climate is a consumer-protection program requiring that greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions be verified according to strict project-level certification (including the credible and independent Clean Development Mechanism, Gold Standard, and Voluntary Carbon Standard) that ensure the reductions have taken place, are permanent, and come from projects that would not have happened under a “business as usual” scenario. Sellers must also undergo a yearly audit to ensure there is no double selling and that the provider is complying with the program’s consumer-disclosure and truth-in-advertising requirements.
Track Record Established
Well known as a leader in the renewable energy and Verified Emission Reduction (carbon offsets) industry, 3Degrees’ renewable energy certificates (RECs) have been Green-e Energy Certified since 2002 when the 3Degrees team launched its REC product. 3Degrees advocates for strong industry standards for offset projects and sellers to build consumer confidence and counter charges of a lack of standardization.
“We only source carbon offsets that have project level verification according to credible and independent standards such as the Voluntary Carbon Standard and the Gold Standard,” said Gabe Petlin, Director of Regulatory Affairs and Carbon Markets at 3Degrees and former Green-e Program Manager at CRS from 2001-2004. “The new Green-e Climate Program is the nation’s first retail level consumer protection program for greenhouse gas emission reductions and 3Degrees is pleased to offer the highest level of independent product oversight to our customers. For those calling for greater standardization in the voluntary offset market take note: this is the program.”
3Degrees sources Verified Emission Reductions and RECs from more than 200 projects located in six countries. 3Degrees’ initial Green-e Climate offering includes three emission reduction projects from Brazil, India, and China that will be registered later this year in the now forming Voluntary Carbon Standard registry. The Brazil project installs biogas control systems that capture and combust methane gas from manure treatment facilities at hog livestock operations. The project captures methane, a potent greenhouse gas that would have otherwise been emitted into the atmosphere. The other projects are wind farms in Northeastern China and Southern India, two of the largest greenhouse gas-emitting nations in the world. These projects displace fossil fuel electricity generation with clean wind energy in these heavily coal-based developing nations.
All three projects meet the CDM Tool for Assessment of Additionality that is required for satisfaction of the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS). This additionality test includes a regulatory test, timing test, barriers analysis, investment analysis, and common practice test.
Go to 3Degrees.
