Go above and beyond during your net-zero journey: Explaining Beyond Value Chain Mitigation

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Explaining Beyond Value Chain Mitigation

Beyond value chain mitigation &#8211; what is it? Why should your business do it? How should your business do it?
Science is clear that minimising global warming requires substantial emissions reductions globally, if we are to limit the global temperature increase to below 2°C, and as close as possible to 1.5°C.
Simply offsetting your business emissions is an outdated and ineffective way of thinking about sustainability &#8211; as we set out in our previous article, <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/carbon-offsetting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The way we think about carbon offsetting is all wrong</a>. If all the businesses in the world kept doing what they were doing, but offset their emissions, then we would not solve climate change.
So, for businesses to align with the science of climate change, making direct emissions reductions must be the number one priority.
However, whilst working towards those emissions reductions, businesses can (and must) fund high-quality climate‌ action around the world, at the same time &#8211; and this is where Beyond Value Chain mitigation comes in. 
But what does that actually mean? Where does the term come from, and where does it fit within your business’s net zero journey?
<h2>What is Beyond Value Chain Mitigation?</h2>
Beyond value chain mitigation, or BVCM, is a key concept in the <a href="https://sciencebasedtargets.org/resources/files/Net-Zero-Standard.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard</a>, which is the leading net-zero framework for businesses.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">‘Beyond’ refers to actions a business can take outside of its value chain</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">‘Value chain’ is the system of operations, suppliers and activities that generate business emissions</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">‘Mitigation’ refers to solutions which reduce the impact of climate change.</li>
</ul>
Don’t be put off by the scientific terminology. It just means funding climate action around the world, whilst reducing your business emissions on your journey to net-zero.

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Funding climate action allows businesses to focus on making an instant impact today that contributes positively on a global and societal level, instead of  simply trying to offset their  carbon emissions. Whilst the main priority, direct emissions reductions will take some time, so all businesses can and should start funding climate action (BVCM) today.
<h2>Why should businesses invest in BVCM?</h2>
There are two main vectors for why your business should invest in BVCM: for your business, and for our planet.
<h3>For your business</h3>
As well as your business’s philanthropic values, there is ever-increasing pressure from within and around businesses to take serious action on climate. Your business will want to meet climate targets, attract and retain top talent, make credible green claims about your products and services, and gain a competitive edge &#8211; and each of these is boosted if your business can evidence your contributions to impactful global climate action.
Stakeholders all around your business &#8211; from customers, to employees, to potential investors &#8211; all want to see your business give back to the planet. And BVCM is your business’s vehicle for doing so.
<h3>For our planet</h3>
On a global level, there is still a huge gap between where we are today, and where we need to be. Emissions are still rising, and we are continuing to deplete nature’s precious resources at an alarming rate. At present, globally, humanity is using nature<a href="https://www.overshootday.org/how-many-earths-or-countries-do-we-need/#:~:text=Humanity%20is%20using%20nature%201.7,the%20resources%20of%201.7%20Earths." target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 1.7 times faster</a> than our planet’s biocapacity can regenerate. That’s equivalent to using the resources of 1.7 Earths each year. The UK specifically is using 2.6 more of the natural resources than it should. In addition, we are <a href="https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overshooting planetary boundaries</a>, and our <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-what-the-new-ipcc-report-says-about-when-world-may-pass-1-5c-and-2c/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remaining carbon budget</a> is dwindling. 
Alongside taking accountability for your business’s direct emissions reductions, BVCM supports your business to make a positive contribution out there in the world &#8211; to support global efforts toward net-zero, and to the restoration of nature.

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<h2>How should your business approach BVCM?</h2>

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<h3>Tonne-for-tonne</h3>
The simplest approach is the tonne-for-tonne approach. This is similar (though not quite the same!) as offsetting or becoming carbon neutral. 
This means that your business buys and retires carbon credits to match 100% of your company’s emissions. If you produce 100 tonnes of emissions, you’ll buy 100 carbon credits. The size of your emissions is used to benchmark the size of your contribution to climate action.

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<h3>Dollar-for-tonne</h3>
The dollar-for-tonne approach allows you to set a carbon price within your business. For example, you could say that you will fund climate impact of, say, £75, or $100, per tonne of emissions your business produces.
Both of these first two approaches apply the ‘polluter pays’ principle &#8211; meaning that the more emissions your organisation produces, the larger your obligation to fund climate action. Committing to one of these approaches therefore provides your business with a powerful financial incentive to reduce your emissions.

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<h3>Dollar-for-dollar</h3>
Dollar-for-dollar is the most flexible approach, but can also be the most difficult to implement. It ties your BVCM funding to your financial performance as a business, not to your organisational emissions. Examples could include spending 5% of your business’s annual profits on climate action, or 1% of your annual turnover. As your business grows, so does your funding toward climate action. 
As always, whichever approach you choose, it must be carried out alongside an emissions reduction plan &#8211; otherwise, it’s just greenwashing.
<h2>Which BVCM approach is best?</h2>
Which approach is ‘best’ is likely to depend on your business &#8211; what it does, which industry it is in, and how big it is. The highest impact approach in terms of funding mitigation is often the dollar-for-dollar approach, but this commitment may not be possible for your business &#8211; and it also may not be the highest impact approach, if your business is in a particular industry which has high emissions or small margins.
You can even mix approaches.

By definition, climate action that ‘counts’ towards BVCM are those that help to mitigate climate change, and that take place outside of the value chain.
The SBTi gives some examples: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Conservation projects, e.g., peatland or mangrove</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Energy efficiency, e.g., cookstove projects</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Methane destruction, e.g., landfill gas projects</li>
</ul>
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<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Renewable energy, e.g., solar/wind/biogas</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Industrial gases, e.g., N2O destruction at nitric acid facilities</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Carbon Removal technologies, e.g., Direct Air Capture (DAC) and Storage</li>
</ul>
Adapted from <a href="https://sciencebasedtargets.org/resources/files/Beyond-Value-Chain-Mitigation-FAQ.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SBTi (2021)</a>
 
The examples given by the SBTi refer only to the types of projects which generate carbon credits.
 
However, at Ecologi, we encourage businesses to think beyond carbon credits as well. Landscape restoration, ocean conservation, rewilding, climate education, climate justice &#8211; investing in all of these should be considered when preparing a BVCM strategy, and all of them count.

What climate action can I fund?

<h2>What makes a strong portfolio?</h2>
For businesses it can be helpful to think of funding climate action  as a ‘portfolio’, like an investment portfolio. A strong portfolio will have:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Integrity. Select projects and initiatives that benefit climate, nature and people. 
</li>
<li aria-level="1">Diversity. Balance different projects and project types in order to both maximise impact and minimise risk. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Quality. Vet all your selected projects for the quality of their activities. All carbon credits <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/funding-carbon-credits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">must meet high quality standards</a>.</li>
</ul>
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<li aria-level="1">Dynamism. Actively monitor the contributions of your business and be proactive with keeping those contributions up-to-date. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Innovation. Support new projects and initiatives within your portfolio. Don’t be afraid to move things around &#8211; if you find a project isn’t working out, exercise the flexibility and initiative to try something new.</li>
</ul>
In comparing your climate action portfolio to an investment portfolio, don’t expect it to deliver a financial return. It represents your business giving back &#8211; the ‘return’ is in impact for our planet helping to bring us forward to a more equitable, net-zero world. 
<h2>What might your BVCM portfolio look like?</h2>
Here’s an example of what a BVCM portfolio you could build with Ecologi might look like:

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As you can see, in this example there is a good variety of project types, and funding is provided in different amounts across the different types of projects. This allows you to prioritise project types and locations that matter most to your business.
Remember: <a href="https://sciencebasedtargets.org/blog/net-zero-urgent-beyond-value-chain-mitigation-is-essential" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funding BVCM is urgent and essential</a> whilst on your climate journey &#8211; but in building your BVCM portfolio, you should always consider where best to place your funds to produce the most impact. If you could spend some or all of your BVCM budget for this year on direct emissions reduction (for example, through installing solar panels) then you ought to prioritise that instead.
In this way, BVCM takes its place alongside your plans to reduce emissions directly, and should never displace them.
<h2>When should I start funding climate action?</h2>
The short answer is: start today. 
Funding climate action is not a get-out-of-jail-free card which excuses your business from reducing emissions. However, it can be the quickest and easiest way to get moving on your climate journey.
Moreover, BVCM represents an opportunity you can tackle in the immediate term, whilst you undertake longer-term strategies for directly reducing your emissions. Both components are essential, but they are likely to have different timescales for your business.
<h2>How can I fund climate action through Ecologi?</h2>
Your business can fund the very best climate solutions through our Impact Shop.
From tree planting to renewables, community-based and nature-based carbon avoidance projects and carbon removals including biochar, mangroves &amp; seagrass (blue carbon) and afforestation you can make an instant impact for our planet.
If you already know what you want to fund then visit our Impact Shop <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/business/impact-shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
If you need to speak to our team to find the right solution for your business, get in touch below.

Speak to our team. We're here to help find your perfect climate solution.

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Carbon Compensation vs. Contribution - What’s the difference?

Climate change is a topic that many of us are discussing at work each day. You may have heard terms such as ‘carbon compensation’ or ‘contribution’ being used in conversations about how to take meaningful action against climate change, but what do they actually mean, and how do they differ from one another? 
We regularly speak to businesses who have similar questions and in this guide, we’ll break it all down. Here’s a quick run-through of what we will cover:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What are the definitions of carbon compensation and contribution?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What is the purpose of each approach?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What mechanisms do both approaches utilise? </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What types of projects do they involve?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What types of certification are associated with each approach?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What kind of costs are associated with each approach?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What role do they play in achieving net zero?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What are examples of each?</li>
</ul>

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<h2>Definitions of carbon compensation and contribution</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation
Carbon compensation refers to the idea of balancing out a certain amount of carbon emissions by investing in projects that prevent or remove an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide elsewhere. This tonne-for-tonne ‘balancing’ or ‘offsetting’ is compensatory.
 
Contribution
This approach focuses on separating financial contributions from any compensatory claims. Instead, it involves directing funding to projects that will support global net-zero and nature restoration – but crucially without making compensatory claims. <a href="https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/join?utm_feeditemid=&amp;utm_device=c&amp;utm_term=one%20percent%20for%20the%20planet&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=ppc&amp;utm_campaign=&amp;hsa_cam=20766754741&amp;hsa_grp=155667469859&amp;hsa_mt=b&amp;hsa_src=g&amp;hsa_ad=680329727495&amp;hsa_acc=%7B8900384824%7D&amp;hsa_net=adwords&amp;hsa_kw=one%20percent%20for%20the%20planet&amp;hsa_tgt=kwd-299092657918&amp;hsa_ver=3&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwooq3BhB3EiwAYqYoEs0haU6oWnJZze5_b4QrYSQvdqPvXRSRdMCOrjloCv_URVN-RaIXIBoChu8QAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1% Percent For the Planet </a>is an example of this kind of scheme.

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<h2>What is the purpose of carbon compensation and contribution</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation
Compensation is aimed at achieving a ‘carbon-neutral’ status by offsetting specific emissions through equivalent carbon reduction elsewhere.
 
Contribution
Contribution focuses on supporting and financing sustainability projects and initiatives to encourage environmental stewardship, without associating this with compensation for emissions.

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<h2>What mechanisms do carbon compensation and contribution utilise?</h2>
Carbon Compensation
Compensation is carbon-centric and relies on detailed measurement and verification processes to ensure that the projects avoid or remove the claimed amount of CO2. Whilst projects may have ‘co-benefits’, project quality and credit utility is predicated on whether the carbon dioxide benefit is being delivered.
 
Contribution
Contribution is not predicated on carbon dioxide. It involves making donations to strategic funds which are designed to produce a range of benefits for net-zero and nature restoration – but may not require rigorous CO2 measurement or verification, but other kinds of monitoring and reporting are essential to ensure benefits are being realised.

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<h2>What types of projects do carbon compensation and contribution involve?</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation
Compensation is limited to projects which generate carbon credits,  typically those that are issued to an ICROA-endorsed carbon standard like Verra, Gold Standard or Puro. It includes projects such as afforestation, blue carbon removal, landfill gas, cleaner water systems and enhanced rock weathering.
 
Contribution
Contribution can include carbon credit-issuing projects but is not limited to them. Other projects that can be financed include funding for environmental research, habitat restoration, conservation programs, reforestation projects, educational initiatives, and donations to NGOs working on climate action.

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<h2>What type of certification is associated with carbon compensation and contribution?</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation: 
Carbon compensation requires third-party verification and certification by bodies such as the Gold Standard, Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Puro to ensure the credibility of carbon credits. 
 
Contribution:
Contribution typically does not require certification as it is focused on voluntary financial support for environmental causes. However, reputable organisations receiving contributions may provide transparency reports or impact statements.

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<h2>What kind of costs are associated with carbon compensation and contribution?</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation: 
Costs for carbon compensation vary depending on the project type and verification costs. The price per tonne of CO2 offset can differ significantly with some being much more expensive than others.
 
Contribution: 
Contribution is usually more flexible when it comes to costs. This is because the focus is on voluntary contributions towards environmental outcomes,  rather than compensating for a specific amount of emissions.

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<h2>What role do carbon compensation and contribution play in achieving net zero?</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation:
The <a href="https://sciencebasedtargets.org/net-zero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SBTi’s Net-Zero Standard</a> specifies that businesses must achieve a minimum 90% reduction in emissions on their path to net-zero &#8211; at which point a compensatory approach can be applied for the remaining &lt;10% of emissions which cannot be reduced directly. In this case, compensation is limited to carbon removals only, not carbon avoidance credits. To understand the difference between carbon avoidance and removal credits, <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/carbon-removals-vs-carbon-avoidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read our blog post here.</a>
 
Contribution:
The SBTi also promotes ‘beyond value chain mitigation’ known as BVCM. This involves a company funding climate action to support global net-zero efforts. BVCM does not count towards the organisation’s own corporate net-zero goals, however, the SBTi considers it “urgent and essential” that businesses contribute to global climate action outside of their value chain.

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<h2>Examples of carbon compensation and contribution</h2>
 
Carbon Compensation:
A company offsets its annual carbon emissions by investing in carbon credits from a landfill methane capture project that prevents an equivalent volume of emissions.
Contribution: 
A company contributes to an environmental project that works on biodiversity conservation, without claiming an offset of its own emissions. Instead, the company reports on how much it contributed, and the outcomes intended, and monitors the project’s progress over time.

<h2>Conclusion</h2>
In summary, Carbon Compensation focuses on the idea of ‘balancing’ or ‘offsetting’ emissions through purchasing carbon credits. The credits purchased are often used to offset emissions generated by businesses.  Contribution focuses on funding projects that support global net-zero goals without compensatory claims. Through supporting a contribution model, you can support a wide range of projects all offering crucial co-benefits, and in some cases, credit-issuing projects too. 
Both approaches play a critical role in supporting climate action. The Oxford Principles for Aligned Net Zero recommend a combination of carbon compensation (durable removals only)  and contribution to help maximise impact. At Ecologi, we believe that while both have their merits, prioritising high-quality, holistic climate action through a contribution-based approach is the best way to support global net-zero efforts and future-proof your sustainability strategy. This is why we created <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/business/ecologi-impact-funds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Impact Funds</a> &#8211; to allow our customers to support a wide range of projects that contribute to a particular climate goal.

<h2>Why did you create Impact Funds?</h2>
Our industry is moving and evolving all the time in an effort to reach global Net Zero goals and at Ecologi we witnessed the challenges firsthand through our Impact Partners, below is a quote from our Impact Partnerships Manager, Katie; 
<blockquote>At Ecologi, our partners were extracting tree-planting costs from a wider landscape restoration project because that’s what the market wanted. We need to change this &#8211; and educate the market on the solutions our planet needs.</blockquote>
Contribution models are increasingly focused on outcomes rather than inputs and go beyond metrics such as carbon credits purchased, or the number of trees planted. These projects produce a host of diverse impacts that aren’t being captured by single metrics. Supporting projects such as landscape restoration focused on the wider strategy &#8211; in addition to tree planting, landscape restoration captures co-benefits such as increased biodiversity, improved soil health, and reduced pollution.
Interested to learn more? <a href="https://info.ecologi.com/ecologi-impact-funds/get-started" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get in touch to find out more about our Impact Funds</a>.

Speak to our team. We're here to help you find your perfect climate solution.

Case studies

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Case Study: BioPak UK

<h2>About BioPak UK</h2>
A world without waste. That’s the mission of BioPak, and they’re working hard to achieve it. By disrupting the current take, make, waste model, BioPak’s sustainable food packaging solutions are leading the way to a truly circular economy.
Founded in 2006, BioPak has become a globally recognised brand, loved by businesses and consumers across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Hong Kong and Singapore.
BioPak’s packaging solutions are designed to be better for our planet. They use renewable plant-based materials that are sourced responsibly. To promote responsible disposal of their packaging, BioPak encourages composting through their Compost Connect scheme—a not-for-profit initiative that connects customers to compost pick-up services.

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BioPak is better for people too. The company is B Corp certified and donates 5% of all profits to positive change via their Give Back Fund. BioPak is a business that’s truly committed to the principles of the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, and Profit.

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<h2>Issue</h2>
BioPak’s commitment to combating climate change is unwavering. Having been carbon neutral certified for over a decade, in 2022 the team took the strategic decision to shift away from carbon-neutrality, and instead focus on emissions reduction.
This decision wasn’t taken lightly, but they recognised the need to move beyond mere carbon offsetting. They view it as a leap forward rather than a step back, and a move to create a more substantial positive influence on the planet. 
The team believes that understanding their total carbon footprint is vital. They are dedicated to clarifying the sources of their emissions, which span the entire product lifecycle, encompassing offices, product transportation, packaging production, raw material extraction, and end-of-life emissions.
BioPak uses an independent third party to measure their carbon footprint, cost to the environment (including impact on biodiversity, human health, climate change and material scarcity) and lifecycle phases of their products. This is done to enhance transparency, accountability and demonstrate their commitment to combating greenwashing.
BioPak is serious about combating climate change, with reducing carbon emissions being crucial in achieving this goal. A key part of this goal is supporting industrial composting through the Compost Connect scheme. The team is committed to diverting food waste and compostable packaging from landfill and incineration by making compost facilities more accessible across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Working together with customers, BioPak truly believes it can pave the way for a more sustainable world for future generations.

<h2>Challenges</h2>
As a B Corp and leader in sustainable food packaging, the team at BioPak feels a keen obligation for environmental stewardship. They describe BioPak as a “profit for purpose business”, and as such are driven to preserve and protect the environment while giving back to the communities in which they operate. 
To honour this obligation, BioPak set up its Give Back Fund in 2012, and since then have dedicated their time and energy to partnering with leading environmental and social charities to bring about positive change. So far they have donated a total of £2,495,352.
In the last decade, BioPak’s commitment to Australian environmental conservation has flourished through a partnership with Rainforest Rescue, which has planted and safeguarded 95,720 trees and reclaimed eight hectares of endangered Daintree Rainforest.

<h2>Solution </h2>
BioPak donates 1% of all profits to community and environmental projects, and here in the UK we’re proud that Ecologi has been chosen to support that commitment through tree planting. The team firmly believes that tree planting is a powerful solution that produces oxygen, stores carbon, and helps tackle climate change.
BioPak’s reforestation work with Ecologi underpins a global commitment to ecological restoration. This ambitious initiative is a cornerstone of BioPak’s corporate responsibility ethos, aiming to not only mitigate the impacts of climate change but also foster local biodiversity, enhance soil health, and support local communities in achieving sustainable development goals.
Working with Ecologi proves BioPak’s cast iron commitment to the environment, and in turn boosts its credibility, enhances its brand reputation and helps its customers make a positive impact. The team regularly communicates their sustainability milestones with customers and colleagues alike, through impact certificate, emails and internal communications.

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<h2>Outcome</h2>
Since 2021 BioPak has planted 102,479 trees with Ecologi, and the team plans to continue to regularly donate to increase this figure as much as they can. 
As a profit-for-purpose business, BioPak’s commitment to protecting the environment is vital in retaining current customers and attracting new customers, who are looking to make a positive impact through their supply chain. The Give Back Fund, and the work with partners like Ecologi, remains a fundamental part of BioPak’s brand messaging and ethos.
Sam Walker, Technical Director at BioPak UK, said:
<blockquote>It&#8217;s great to partner with Ecologi and support both the large scale reforestation projects they do and the more grass roots initiatives which really make a difference locally&#8230; Reforestation and habitat restoration are the foundations of reversing biodiversity loss and critical in the fight against climate change. We&#8217;re proud to work with Ecologi and share the impact data with our customers.</blockquote>

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<h2>Is your business ready to take climate action?</h2>
If this article has inspired your business to start its climate journey, talk to our team today.

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At Ecologi we believe in transparency, which is why, when we make changes, we want to let you know.
As of Tuesday 1st October 2024, we will be making a few changes to the Ecologi Impact Shop, including discontinuing some projects, as well as adding new ones and changing our prices slightly. 
Keep reading to find out more, or jump to the section on <a href="#customers">What these changes mean for our customers</a>, or our <a href="#faqs">FAQs</a>.

<h2>Update to our ‘Carbon avoidance’ project</h2>
We will be removing our generic ‘<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/impact-shop/support-carbon-avoidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carbon avoidance</a>’ product from the Impact Shop, and replacing it with a new type of carbon avoidance project, which specifically supports landfill methane capture. This project is among the first in the world to receive the CCP-Approved quality label from the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM).
<h3>Why are we making this change?</h3>
In June of this year, the ICVCM, an independent governance body dedicated to establishing a global benchmark for high-quality carbon credits, <a href="https://icvcm.org/integrity-council-announces-first-high-integrity-ccp-labelled-carbon-credits-as-assessments-continue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced the first carbon-crediting methodologies</a> that meet its high-integrity Core Carbon Principles (CCPs).
As part of this, the ICVCM have applied its ‘CCP-Approved’ label to a variety of projects that tackle potent greenhouse gases by capturing methane from landfill sites (like our supported <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/avoiding-methane-emissions-from-landfill-in-brazil" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Macaubas LFG project</a>), and by destroying ozone-depleting foams and refrigerant gases from discarded equipment such as refrigerators and air conditioners.
We have been supporting landfill gas projects through our platform since our early days, including some of these first projects which have received this ICVCM stamp of approval. Effective on 1st October 2024, we are replacing the general ‘support carbon avoidance projects’ product on our Impact Shop, to specifically support these newly CCP-Approved landfill methane capture projects.

<h2>Discontinuation of our ‘Renewable energy carbon avoidance’ project</h2>
In addition, we will be removing the ‘<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/impact-shop/support-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Renewable energy carbon avoidance</a>’ product from our Impact Shop. The ICVCM recently decided it would not award the existing renewable energy credit methodologies its CCP-Approved label, so we’ve opted to preemptively stop offering these on our platform. For additional insight into this decision, we encourage you to read our <a href="#faqs">FAQs</a> further down on this page.
<h3>Why are we making this change?</h3>
One of the next decisions made by the ICVCM as part of its assessment of carbon credit methodologies was to acknowledge that existing renewable energy generation credit methodologies do not meet the standard to achieve CCP-Approval. 
One key reason these methodologies don’t meet the CCP-Approved criteria is that the methodologies themselves fail to meet the stringent requirements for additionality, a key factor in ensuring that carbon credits represent genuine emissions reductions that wouldn&#8217;t have occurred without the carbon finance. See this quote from Sylvera on what additionality refers to: 
<blockquote>Additionality refers to the causal relationship between the project&#8217;s activities and the climate benefits it claims including the risk of the project over-crediting. A project is considered additional if the project activities would not have occurred without the revenue from a voluntary carbon credit. The additionality score is a function of how likely it is that the project is additional, and how likely it is that the project is over-crediting on the carbon avoidance or removal it is delivering.</blockquote>
Ecologi has always had a regionalised approach to our impact, consistently applying additional scrutiny to the projects we elect to support through our platform. Only six renewable energy projects are currently eligible for receipt of funding from our platform – out of an estimated &gt;2,200 renewable energy projects on the voluntary carbon market. Our careful selection process has ensured that we consider not only the type of project but also its specific implementation location.
For example, we have deliberately chosen not to fund large hydroelectric dams due to their associated social and environmental risks and we have generally steered clear of offshore wind projects, favouring onshore wind solutions that are more appropriate for the regions we support. We have always prioritised those situated in areas where the energy grid is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels, such as Morocco and Mexico, to maximise impact as much as possible.
This all said, following the ICVCM’s ruling on renewables, we have made the decision to stop offering renewable energy carbon credits via our Impact Shop.
We believe it is a good thing that the ICVCM is rejecting certain methodologies from receiving its high-quality label. This rigorous approach is necessary to maintain and improve the integrity of the carbon market – to raise the quality of projects across the board – and to ensure that all participants can trust that their investments are driving real, additional climate benefits.

<h2>Updates to pricing on the Impact Shop</h2>
Finally, on October 1st we will be updating pricing across our Impact Shop to reflect recent changes in market prices, and as a result some of our products will be cheaper to support.
<h3>Why are we making this change?</h3>
As part of our commitment to staying aligned with the evolving voluntary carbon market and providing the best prices we can to customers, we are also adjusting our pricing structure. To better reflect current market prices, we have reviewed and updated all the prices for carbon projects, some of which have reduced in price slightly. We are pleased to report that none of our existing projects have increased in price.
Pricing in the carbon market is dynamic, influenced by a variety of factors including regulatory updates, market demand, geographies, ratings, and broader project qualities. We aim to stay responsive to these changes and ensure that our offerings continue to provide value to all stakeholders involved, from project developers to buyers and the communities benefiting from these projects.
As an impact-driven organisation who put planet first, we want to ensure that we are responsive to the market and our customers are getting the best deal for the impact they want to support.

<h2>What do these changes mean for our customers?</h2>
There are no direct actions that our customers will need to take in light of these changes.
As of October 1st you will notice that our generic ‘<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/impact-shop/support-carbon-avoidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carbon avoidance</a>’ project and our ‘<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/impact-shop/support-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Renewable energy carbon avoidance</a>’ project will no longer be available on the Impact Shop. You will also notice that our new CCP-Approved landfill gas capture project will be available to support, and that the price of some of our existing projects have decreased slightly.

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