FAQ

CO2 is a gas commonly known as Carbon Dioxide and is one of the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change. It occurs naturally in our atmosphere, but because of CO2 emissions caused by burning carbon-containing materials like coal and wood, the total mass of CO2 in our atmosphere has skyrocketed since the start of industrialization. Main polluters regarding CO2 emissions are mostly heat- and power-generating facilities, industry, private households, and large events. The increasing share of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is the leading cause of global warming.

We all have a carbon footprint because of how we live. Anytime we eat, shop, or travel, we cause emissions. Companies also create a carbon footprint because of their employees’ commute, seafaring, electricity generation, industrial processes, and agriculture. To mitigate climate change and reach the goals set in the Paris climate accords, we must reduce our CO2 emissions drastically. But even if we reduce all our emissions today, there still would be a surplus of CO2 in our atmosphere. That’s why we have to equalize this surplus by backing projects which reduce or remove emissions.  

Avoidance is the complete termination of a CO2-producing action or substitution with an eco-friendlier alternative. An excellent example would be heating your house through a biogas CHP plant instead of using fossil energy sources. A removal describes carbon’s permanent absorption, so it cannot bind with oxygen and get into the atmosphere anymore. This is possible through technologies like biochar. The carbon in biochar is permanently fixed inside it and cannot escape into the atmosphere as CO2.

Most important is finding possibilities to reduce CO2 emissions as much as possible. Many options are available to achieve this, and with our partners, we strive to find new opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint. A few of those options are, e.g., waste management, green energy, a high rate of recycling, and regional products.

ISO 14064-3 is an international standard that provides guidance on quantifying, monitoring, reporting, and verifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The standard is divided into three parts:

• Part 1: Specifies the principles and requirements for quantifying and reporting GHG emissions and removals at the organizational level
• Part 2: Specifies the principles and requirements for quantifying and reporting GHG emissions and removals at the project level
• Part 3: Specifies the requirements for third-party assurance of organizational-level GHG quantification, monitoring, and reporting.

ISO 14064-3 is designed to be used in conjunction with other standards, such as ISO 14064-1 and ISO 14064-2, which provide guidance on quantifying and reporting GHG emissions and removals at the organizational and project level, respectively.

The standard provides guidance on the following:

• The principles of GHG quantification, monitoring, reporting, and verification
• The requirements for third-party assurance of organizational-level GHG quantification, monitoring, and reporting
• The requirements for third-party assurance of project-level GHG quantification, monitoring, and reporting
• The requirements for documentation and reports to be provided by organizations and projects in relation to GHG quantification, monitoring, reporting, and verification.

The standard is intended to be used by organizations, projects, and third-party assurance providers to ensure that GHG quantification, monitoring, reporting, and verification are done in a consistent and transparent manner.