Climate change has now become a top business priority, but other sustainability-related issues can also be at the forefront of an organization’s goals. Co-benefits from carbon projects can add extra value and help align multiple goals to the proper investment. So how do co-benefits work?
What are the co-benefits?
Co-benefits provide other benefits that extend beyond the scope of greenhouse emission (GHGs) avoidance and removal by positively impacting communities as well as biodiversity. It’s important to note that not all carbon projects offer the same levels or types of co-benefits. For example for instance, a REDD+ project that aims to save a forest from deforestation can, as a result, result in jobs being created in the region and preserve biodiversity in the area, whereas an air capture direct (DAC) project might provide a few jobs, however it would not provide greater ecological advantages. Visit carbon.credit to read more.
Measuring quality and impact
There are other considerations when making investments in carbon credits with co-benefits, mostly around quality and impact on biodiversity and communities. Many projects aren’t well designed; similar to how a low-quality offset can have negative consequences for the environmental environment, a poorly planned project with co-benefits can harm local communities as well as biodiversity.
Future frameworks could also influence the method by which co-benefits are assessed. Presently co-benefits are being measured using the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures’ (TCFD) recommendations are being codified by many financial regulators, including those located in both the US and UK. Should the Task Force for Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) were to recommend a similar model that requires businesses to disclose publicly their impact on biodiversity and nature. As a result, corporations who invest in carbon offsets with poor co-benefits would be subject to public scrutiny and put their climate claims and their brand at risk.
Biodiversity and biodiversity are both benefits.
Assessing and monitoring biodiversity is more difficult than carbon as it requires regular, detailed data collected from the ground. It can be expensive and time-consuming. Through our association and the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) the most authoritative source of biodiversity data We have access essential biodiversity data which can be incorporated into our carbon project analysis that include:
species and habitat diversity
monitoring equipment is in use in the region
information on income diversification or improved agriculture to reduce the pressure on biodiversity
National and regional threats to biodiversity
Affiliating more than one of your organization’s objectives
The chance to invest in solving multiple sustainability issues through one carbon-based project could be a massive benefit for any business, but it is only true if the credit is high quality and meets the requirements set in the proposal. In the absence of this, there is a risk of negatively impacting biodiversity, human beings and the environment.
There are numerous elements that affect co-benefits, as well as the overall quality of a carbon credit initiative. If you’ve done the due diligence, there is an opportunity to invest in high-quality natural-based carbon credits that meet your company’s net zero goals and can help tackle other global issues.
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- March 26, 2025 11:03 pm