A number of schemes exist to give you more confidence in claims made about the goods you buy. Many products carry a logo or other trademark to show they are certified by a particular scheme or a recognised standard of quality or performance.
In an emerging market where claims can be difficult to assess, consumers should have more confidence in products or activities that have had emissions claims approved by a credible third party.
One benefit of credible, independently verified products is that they already take into account important questions that determine whether an offset is reliable, including:
Is it additional? Are the offsets in addition to those required by law (if not, their value as an offset may be limited)?
Is it permanent? Any emission reduction should be permanent and irreversible.
Has it been double-counted? Has the offset been counted as part of some other scheme or project?
There are a number of schemes to give you confidence that particular greenhouse–related products or services have met a set of government–approved minimum requirements.
Greenhouse Friendly™
To be certified under the Greenhouse Friendly™ initiative, offsets must meet several criteria including:
the offset can be accurately measured
the offset is permanent, and in addition to any offset a business might produce
certified offsets carry a Greenhouse Friendly™ logo.
GreenPower™ is electricity that is generated from accredited renewable sources, such as wind and solar. To receive a GreenPower™ ‘tick’, electricity generators must meet a range of environmental standards. See the section on renewable energy for more details or visit www.greenpower.com.au .
A ‘standard’ is a recognised framework for measuring performance, quality and safety.
At the time of publication (June 2008), no mandatory standard for carbon claims has been adopted in Australia. However, Australian businesses use several voluntary standards to manage, report and verify greenhouse gas information.
Products and services that meet a recognised standard are likely to have taken into account a range of environmental issues (such as additionality and double counting) and you should be confident that any claim can be backed up.
Recognised standards used in Australia include:
international standards ISO 146064 and ISO 14065
the GHG Protocol
the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS)
the CDM Gold Standard.
It is against the law to give the impression that a product or service meets a standard that it does not meet. The ACCC can take legal action against companies that make these kinds of misleading claims.
Non-government certification schemes may also be able to help you assess the emissions claims for a product or service.
While many may be useful, these schemes should generally be treated more cautiously than government schemes.
Credible industry schemes will provide detailed information about the basis on which they make claims, such as the recognised standards listed above.
Watch out for unfamiliar logos that suggest a product or service is somehow accredited, but are not backed up with detailed information.
These logos may not be credible and you should not rely on them to guide your purchasing decision.
Be cautious of statements such as ‘seeking Greenhouse Friendly™ accreditation’. Even if this is true, it does not mean a product will meet the necessary requirements.
It is against the law to give the impression that a product or service is accredited or certified when it is not, or to imply it meets a standard that it does not meet. The ACCC can take legal action against companies that make these kinds of misleading claims.
