Several of the UK's largest carbon offset firms are considering forming an industry trade group designed to bolster the sector's credibility and isolate disreputable operators.
Sources close to the negotiations said the group would likely contain the " longer established" operators that have set up strict accounting and auditing processes to ensure their carbon offset projects deliver expected emission reductions.
"We are working on an industry body to represent quality, credible providers," one source told BusinessGreen. "The group would have agreed entry criteria to ensure only providers of genuine offsets are involved."
He added that the group would help reassure customers of those firms involved that they are "not selling any old offset" and allow the more established end of the sector to communicate to customers and legislators with a "clear voice".
Demand for carbon offsets has boomed over the past few years, but the industry has been dogged by controversy with several operators accused of investing in projects that fail to deliver expected emission reductions and use shoddy accounting practices to resell the same carbon credit several times over.
In separate news, reports this week from research firm PointCarbon claimed that the consultation period for the government's proposed code of best practice for the carbon offset industry is approaching its end, with stakeholders involved in the process claiming the final consultation meeting will be held before the end of the month.
Industry coalition to involve many of the biggest names in the UK's carbon offset sector 21 Feb 2008
Government's quality mark to only support Kyoto-approved credits, but Defra insists it will extend scheme for voluntary credits if industry can develop a robust standard 19 Feb 2008
EU action plan aims to increase carbon prices and drive renewables investment, in move designed to strengthen case for low carbon business models 23 Jan 2008
Environmental Audit Committee report insists offsetting can play a "useful role" in cutting emissions 23 Jul 2007
Brussels vote supports plans for cigarette style warnings, but environmentalists express fury at attempts to water down binding emission reduction targets 25 Oct 2007
Intelligent Energy ramps up funding for R&D and partnerships 04 Jul 2008
Focus on energy savings through fuel efficiency for homes and public and commercial buildings 04 Jul 2008
ActionAid accuses G8 of driving more people into poverty by pursing biofuels and cutting agri-aid 04 Jul 2008
More news
Businesses' new found focus on the environment may be welcome, but according to Conrad MacKerron, it is taking attention away from workers' rights issues – and the credibility of the entire green business movement could be at risk 03 Jul 2008
It may be a year old, but as Dell's Jonathan Perry explains, firms looking to get rid of their old IT kit still need to pay attention to the WEEE directive 02 Jul 2008
Telling customers about your environmental targets is all well and good but, as Paul Thomas argues, they are meaningless if you do not know how they are to be achieved 01 Jul 2008 More in-depth
Post your comment
Send an email to the Business Green editor at feedback@businessgreen.com
