After intense work, the ISO 14068-1 standard for the achievement of carbon neutrality was published in November 2023. Goal of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is to harmonise and professionalise the market.As of now, companies can have their organisation and their measures for carbon neutrality certified according to the new ISO standard, and thus follow the approved norms. Carbon credits play a central role in this.
A growing number of businesses are actively seeking strategies to reduce their carbon footprint. One promising avenue lies in prioritizing quality-driven carbon credits and sustainable offsetting initiatives. The Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Carbon Offsetting have emerged as a benchmark for identifying and promoting these high-quality offsetting projects.
Hopes for clear global guidelines on carbon compensation were high – but the results remained vague. After 14 days, COP 28 in Dubai has now come to an end. It continues to leave companies in the dark as to what specific recommended actions regarding CO2 emissions and offsetting arise from Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
For many organizations, knowing their company's carbon footprint is now not only a social and legal obligation; it is also a prerequisite for implementing suitable measures to offset CO2 emissions. Product carbon footprints (PCF) are now increasingly appearing in the public debate on sustainability
Regulatory and voluntary carbon markets are converging in a growing number of countries. This trend is true for Europe as well, not only since the EU Regulation on Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming (CRCF) has been issued.Will the strict separation of the compliance and voluntary Carbon Credit market soon be history? And how can companies use Carbon Credits in the future in order to meet the statutory sustainability obligations?