Calculate your carbon footprint and get hints on reducing your energy bills
Calculate your carbon footprint and get hints on reducing your energy bills
The UK Government's Quality Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsetting
The Quality Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsetting (QAS) is a Government-led initiative aimed at increasing consumers’ understanding of the role of offsetting in tackling climate change and helping them to make informed purchases of good-quality offsets.
The Scheme’s Quality Mark can be used for offsets where it has been shown that they meet the specifications laid out in the Scheme's requirements and procedures document and have been assessed by the Scheme's Approval Body - AEA Group plc.
In turn, individuals and businesses wishing to purchase offsets can use the Quality Mark to identify those offsets that meet key quality criteria and that provide the assurance that emissions are properly offset tonne-for-tonne.
Approved offsets that have met the Scheme's requirements are listed here.
Background and purpose
The Government recognises the role that offsetting plays as part of a wider carbon management strategy. First of all, companies and individuals should take steps to measure and reduce their emissions where possible. Then, they should consider offsetting their remaining, unavoidable emissions. The Government helps people to easily identify quality offsets through the QAS. This falls within DECC's wider work on the ACT ON CO2 campaign. The Government's guidance on carbon neutrality and on how to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions complement the Scheme.
The main purpose of the QAS is to provide a straightforward route for those wishing to offset their emissions to identify quality offsets. By vouching for the quality of the offsets, the Scheme helps clear up the principle uncertainties involved in offsetting. In this way, it is hoped that the Scheme will address public confusion and mistrust of carbon offsetting. It is also hoped that the Scheme will help spread high quality standards and better information for customers across the carbon offsetting market.
Offset providers - approving your offset
Offset providers can apply to have offsets assessed via this website. If you would like to do this, please register and complete the online application form as guided. For more information click here.
Announcements
23 June 10 - Following a consultation between DECC and the Approval Body we have made revisions to the application prices originally published in February 2009. The following are the most significant revisions to the pricing:
- The charges for large and medium companies remain the same.
- A fee discount of 50% towards initial applications and renewals has been offered to the small and micro businesses.
- An introduction of two additional categories of sub-micro and charities. These have a 80% and 85% reductions respectively to the original fee.
- No minimum fee on the non-standard emission factors – fee will be determined on a case by case basis.
For further information on the new fee rates click here
03 June 10 - The England's football team's flights to the World Cup are being offset through the UK Government's Quality Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsetting. For further information click here