What is the Quality Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsetting?
The Quality Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsetting (QAS) is the first government-backed quality system in the world for carbon offsets. All QAS-approved carbon offsets must use the highest standards for carbon footprint measurement and carbon offset projects, including clear standards on additionality and reliability. The aim is to allow consumers and businesses to offset the emissions their carbon emissions with complete confidence.
Clear was the first carbon offset company in the world to have all its products fully approved by the UK Government. Our price is clearly displayed on our homepage, in tCO2e (tonnes of greenhouse gas reduction equivalent to CO2).
The following are key criteria for compliance:
- Highest levels of accuracy available for online carbon calculators
- Kyoto-compliant credits retired within one year of carbon offset purchase
- Clear & transparent online pricing for carbon offsets
- Must provide information on climate change, the role of carbon offsetting and how to reduce your carbon footprint
CERs - Kyoto-compliant carbon certificates
Clear offsets your emissions by buying and retiring certificates called Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs). So what is a CER you might ask? A CER is a certificate which is issued every time the United Nations prevents one tonne of CO2 equivalent being emitted through carbon projects registered with the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). CDM Projects include for example replacing coal fired electricity with clean technology, or methane capture from landfill sites.
The CDM ensures that each carbon project would not have happened anyway (additionality), and independently establishes a baseline estimating the future emissions in the absence of each project (more info). Once a project is registered and implemented, the CDM issues just enough CERs to cover the monitored difference between the baseline and the actual emissions.
