Government to crack down on green shams

Two measures were announced today to help provide clarity for businesses and consumers concerned about climate change.

A carbon offsetting quality mark, along with a new consultation on the definition of carbon neutral, will aim to instill confidence in those who wish to reduce their carbon levels.

To help consumers easily identify carbon offsetting projects that offer genuine carbon savings, the government has developed the Carbon Offsetting Quality Assurance Scheme.

Offsetting companies using the quality mark on their products will need to have registered with the Carbon Offsetting Quality Assurance Scheme, having demonstrated that their projects are compliant with Kyoto standards to offer genuine, additional, measurable carbon savings. This will help to bring consistency and transparency to the market place.

Minister for energy and climate change Joan Ruddock said: “Information for consumers needs to be crystal clear and people need to have confidence that their money is put to good use. This new quality mark - developed with the industry - aims to improve transparency and give confidence to people wanting to offset their travel.”

Ruddock also launched a new government consultation which proposes improved stringency and greater clarification with regards to use of the term carbon neutral.

In the current market, claims that products or systems are carbon neutral are often unfounded.

Ruddock said: “The UK will need to live within set carbon budgets as we reduce our emissions by 80% by 2050. This will be nothing short of a revolution in the way we live and we need to ensure that terms like carbon neutral are not used carelessly but are clear measures of what we can and will achieve.”