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Quality Assurance Scheme

In February 2009 the UK government finalised the design of its Quality Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsetting (QAS) and invited offsets providers to opportunity to have their products approved under the requirements of this quality standard.

The UK government supports carbon offsetting as a part of a measure, reduce, offset approach to reducing carbon emissions. The quality assurance scheme was launched to increase the confidence of offset buyers that their purchases were going to make a difference in the battle against climate change.  

Offset products that meet the requirements of the QAS are entitled to use the QAS quality mark. This helps buyers to identify approved offsets and they can then make their purchases in the knowledge that the offset product has been assessed and approved by the UK government.

The QAS sets down a number of principles which must be met before an offset product can be approved:

§          Carbon credits used to offset must represent a genuine, additional carbon saving. Only certain credits are allowed under the QAS – the main type being  Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) which is the type used by Carbon Passport

§          An appropriate method of calculating carbon emission volumes must be used – Carbon Passport’s calculators use methods and intensity factors approved by government.

§          The offset provider must purchase credits equivalent to its sales to consumers and cancel these credits within specified timescales.

§          The provider must display appropriate marketing and consumer information.