International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance

The International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance is a non-profit membership organisation which promotes best practice across the voluntary carbon market.[1] ICROA’s membership consists of those established carbon reduction and offset providers based in the United States, European and Asia-Pacific markets which commit to the ICROA Code of Best Practice.[1]

The International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA)
Formation2008
TypeNon-profit, established as an unincorporated association
PurposeICROA promotes best practice in the voluntary carbon market with its Code of Best Practice, which the ICROA members sign up to and report against.
Membership
Worldwide
Websitehttp://www.icroa.org/

ICROA was established in 2008 to provide self-regulation of the voluntary carbon market.[1] Members produce an annual report demonstrating compliance with the ICROA Code. The ICROA Code promotes a combined ‘reduce and offset’ approach[2] to carbon management and has specific requirements for how members provide their carbon footprinting, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction advice and offsetting services. ICROA aims that member’s compliance with their Code will bring credibility to the voluntary carbon market.[3][4]

History

ICROA was launched by eight carbon reduction and offset providers on June 9, 2008.[5] Along with the initial eight, ICROA has been open to new members which meet its membership criteria,[6][7] and this was reflected in their early announcement that they intended to increase fourfold over the following twelve months.[8] Nevertheless, the co-chairman of the organization, Jonathan Shopley, stated in 2008 that most offset providers would not be qualified to join.[9]

With ICROA headquartered in the United Kingdom, the eight founding members consisted of five British firms (Carbon Clear, The Carbon Neutral Company, ClimateCare, CO2balance and Targetneutral), two from the United States (Native Energy and TerraPass), and one from Australia (Climate Friendly).[1] Current membership is eleven companies worldwide.[10]

The ICROA Code of Best Practice

The ICROA Code is available in full on the ICROA website.[11] The key points are:

  1. Members will help their customers to measure their carbon footprint according to accepted international standards, and will set their emissions reduction targets based on scientific assessments.
  2. The ICROA Code explicitly recognizes that offsetting alone is not a sound approach to carbon management, therefore members should support a ‘reduce and offset’ approach to carbon management.
  3. Offsetting projects must meet the following criteria: real, permanent, independently verified, unique and additional. So far ICROA accepts the following standards: Clean Development Mechanism/Joint Implementation, Climate Action Reserve, Gold Standard, Voluntary Carbon Standard. ICROA may also use offsets from approved Government schemes. This is on the proviso that the Government scheme certified offsets will only be used within the context of the Government scheme and will not be sold as voluntary offsets outside the context of the scheme, unless these methodologies have been separately approved by ICROA. Schemes that have approved for use so far by ICROA members are: US EPA Climate Leaders.
  4. ICROA members must follow the ICROA Code, and produce an annual report demonstrating their compliance.[12]

Criticism

In February 2009, ICROA criticised the UK Government quality assurance scheme for carbon offsets as it did not include voluntary emissions cuts (VERS). In a statement a spokesman said, "Unfortunately, it still fails to recognise VERs and we feel very strongly there's no reason for this."[13] In turn ICROA was criticised by Dr Bruce Elliott, managing director of carbon offset company Clear which had achieved accreditation under the government scheme.[14] Elliot stated that, "The trade body which represents offset organisations who sell VERs, ICROA, have unsurprisingly been vociferous in their criticism of the scheme. Many of its members have substantial investments in VER projects which now face an uncertain future without the government’s backing. This financial conflict of interest is readily apparent in their persistent public criticism of a scheme which matches or sets higher standards than its own code of conduct for the majority of criteria."[15]

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See also

In June 2011, The UK Government's Quality Assurance Scheme (QAS) for Carbon Offsetting, closed down. In a letter to the members of the QAS Advisory Board, including ICROA, the Head of DECC's Low Carbon Economy Unit stated 'The carbon market has moved on substantially since the introduction of the QAS and we now believe it is for the market to set best practice for carbon offsetting.' International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), the leading membership body of organisations offering offsets and carbon management services has been working with DECC as part of the QAS Advisory Board and believes this is the right course of action for DECC to take http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/decc-quality-assurance-scheme-for-carbon-offsetting-to-end-on-june-30th-145337855.html

References
  1. Murphy, Mathew (9 June 2008). "New international standards organisation hopes for plenty of carbon copies" (fee required). The Age. The Age Company. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  2. Young, Tom (24 August 2009). "Offsetters predict end to the downturn as customers return". BusinessGreen. Incisive Media. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  3. "Voluntary offset providers form global alliance". Carbon Finance. Fulton Publishing. 11 June 2008. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  4. Finighan, Adrian (12 July 2008). "Is Carbon Offsetting Legitimate, Worth the Money; Traveling with a Conscience; Taking Measures to Combat Climate Change; How We can make a Difference on the Road". Business Traveller. CNN.com. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  5. Murray, James (June 9, 2008). "New global offset trade group aims to clean up market". BusinessGreen. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  6. "Climate Neutral Group and First Climate Join Leading Alliance of Carbon Reduction and Offset Providers (press release)" (PDF). International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance. September 3, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 7, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  7. Programme and Policy Framework 2009 (PDF). International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance. 2009. p. 6.
  8. Murray, James (July 28, 2008). "Offset group aiming to quadruple in size". BusinessGreen. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  9. Taylor, Ian (August 13, 2008). "Carbon-offset provider association faces criticism". Travel Weekly. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  10. "ICROA Members". ICROA. Archived from the original on 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  11. "ICROA Code of Best Practice" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-10-14. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
  12. Stoddard, Tim (February 17, 2009). "Voluntary Carbon Needs Self-Regulation and Global Code of Conduct". EcoSystem Marketplace. Archived from the original on February 24, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  13. "Carbon offset providers to reject government code" (fee required). ENDS Report. Haymarket Publishing Services. 24 February 2009. p. 12. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  14. "The UK Government's Quality Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsetting". Department of Energy and Climate Change. Archived from the original on 2009-09-21. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  15. Elliott, Bruce (5 February 2009). "Carbon offsets now approved by the UK Government". The Clear Blog. Clear. Archived from the original on 22 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
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