What is Net Zero or Carbon Neutral?
To become carbon neutral or net zero, organisations must first calculate the greenhouse gas emissions generated by their activities, such as fuel, electricity use or travel.
They then reduce these emissions as much as possible by investing in new technology or changing the way they operate.
Then they finally ‘cancel out’ any remaining emissions that can’t be eliminated by purchasing carbon offsets.
Eliminating emissions as much as possible should always be done before purchasing offsets.
Why go net zero?
- Demonstrate your commitment to climate action and future generations
- Meet your clients or stakeholder expectations
- Save energy and cut costs
- Enhance your reputation and image
- Be a market leader
- Engage employees and build capacity in the organisation
- Improve efficiency
- Improve customer recognition
- Win tenders requiring demonstration of climate action
Carbon Neutral Certification - the Climate Active program
In Australia, certification is achieved through the Climate Active program. The Climate Active program is the only Australian government endorsed carbon neutral certification and it comes with stringent requirements. Formal certification is not necessary to become carbon neutral but it gives your event or organisation strong credibility and recognition as a market leader. Increasingly leading companies and public sector organisations want to procure products and services from climate aligned businesses. I am a certified consultant for the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for both Organisations and Events.How Climate Active works
- Measure your carbon footprint
- Prepare a Public Disclosure Summary including an emissions reduction strategy
- Offset the emissions that cannot be eliminated using carbon credits approved by Climate Active
- Independent verification process
- Submit application and fees