MyClimateLux - The Climate Protection Partnership MyClimateLux – Introduction The nonprofit organisation MyClimateLux was founded in June 2008 by Energieagence, the Centre de Recherche Public Henri Tudor and Enovos Luxembourg. The activities of the association concentrate primarily on programmes and pro- jects initiated to reduce greenhouse gases. In this context, MyClimateLux has now also entered into a partnership agree- ment with the Swiss foundation The Climate Protection Partnership. Science-based and market-oriented, MyClimateLux offers a comprehensive package of services for offsetting in accordance with the principles of «avoid – reduce – offset» and «do the best and offset the rest». This is how myclimate turns the challenge of climate change into your opportu- nity. myclimate services Headquarter International myclimate representatives Carbon offset projects Carbon Management Services myclimate carbon offset Projects Offsetting Using carbon assessments and car- myclimate develops and supports Thanks to MyClimateLux, individu- bon reports as well as other carbon offset projects around the als can fly in a climate neutral way comprehensive LCA (Life Cycle world that directly reduce green- and offset their car and household Assessments), myclimate assesses house gases: Fossil fuels are being emissions. MyClimateLux also the ecological footprint of products replaced by renewable energy or offers tailored solutions for busi- and processes. In addition, alternatively, allow the realisation nesses. For instance, it is possible MyClimateLux supports companies of energy efficiency measures. to make individual departments, with a range of tools to help them myclimate carbon offset projects products or even entire companies develop a climate strategy and fulfil the highest standards (CDM, climate neutral. Using the offset optimise their processes. Gold Standard). They lead to a payments, MyClimateLux develops reduction in CO2 emissions while and supports high quality carbon making a significant contribution offset projects around the world . to sustainable development in the respective regions. At least 80 percent of the offset funds flow into the myclimate carbon offset www.myclimate.lu projects. Carbon Management Services (CMS) Carbon Management Services Management Carbon Today, companies are facing numerous social and environmental challenges. One of the most important topics among them is climate change. With services such as Carbon Footprinting (i.e. CO2 calculations), LCA (Life Cycle Assessments) or reporting, as well as support in communications and competence development, Carbon Management Services turns the climate change challenge into your opportunity! The three factors of success Carbon Footprint Performance Management System Communication At which point in the product MyClimateLux supports companies Many organisations are already lifecycle do most of the green- in the collection and interpreta- doing their best to minimise housegas emissions accumulate, tion of relevant data for decision- greenhouse gas emissions. and where are reduction measures making processes, as well as for the MyClimateLux reviews operational meaningful? MyClimateLux pro- optimization of products or opera- initiatives, creates fact-based vides answers to these questions by tions. The performance manage- perfomance statements, offsets analysing greenhouse gas emissions ment system supports you with the unavoidable emissisons and offers of products or processes. data analysis and interpretation for the «climate neutral» label as an planning and implementation, as innovative approach to communi- well as for evaluation and report- cate this commitment. ing. www.myclimate.lu Carbon offsetting Carbon Management Services Carbon Management Carbon offsetting The average luxembourg CO2 output is around 21 tonnes per person and year. To guarantee a stable climate, this annual per capita output should be reduced to a maximum of 2 tonnes of CO2 as soon as possible. This is the amount that is currently emitted during the normal operation of a car. Measures for reduction in the areas of personal activi- ties and decisions are required. In addition, externally purchased CO2 reductions can help to rapidly reduce global CO2 emissions. myclimate offers conscientious businesses and other organisations a simple, innovative and easily teachable approach to making a contribution to carbon offsetting. By supporting carbon offset projects in developing nations and emerging countries, they can offset their climate impacting emissions in other countries around the world. The principle of carbon offsetting Climate neutral with myclimate As a first step, myclimate calculates the amount of green- Depending on the type of organisation, climate house gas emissions produced during a specific activity damaging emissions are generated from various (e.g. the production process or a business trip). sources. The most significant ones being the To offset the calculated greenhouse gas emissions, one following: pays a specific amount of money, which MyClimateLux - Travel: business flights, other business trips then invests in carbon offset projects. The offset and employee commuting payments allow climate-impacting fossil energy sources to be replaced with renewable energies or alternatively, - Infrastructure: heating, air conditioning and they allow the realisation of energy efficiency meas- power consumption ures. In this way, the same amount of emissions which - Production and distribution: energy consump- are originally produced are later saved. Thanks to the tion during the production and distribution of carbon offsetting mechanism, emissions are reduced at products those locations where it is most economically effective. For instance in developing nations carbon offset projects - Waste disposal and paper consumption may be implemented at lower costs compared to within - Food and drinks Luxembourg. In addition, the MyClimateLux carbon offset projects contribute to sustainable development in the respective project regions. www.myclimate.lu The way to climate neutrality Projects Standards Standard calculations can be performed using exist- The myclimate Gold Standard portfolio comprises over- ing emissions calculators, and the resulting amounts seas projects that fulfil the Gold Standard CDM criteria of greenhouse gas emissions can then be offset. Some (Gold Standard CERs) or generate Gold Standard VERs. examples: CER - Certified Emission Reductions - Climate neutral business flights: calculation and off- setting of the emissions produced by business flights CER projects are official projects of the Clean Develope- - Climate neutral businesses: calculation and offsetting ment Mechanism (CDM), which is regulated according to of the emissions produced by business activities the Kyoto Protocol. These bigger projects are implemen- ted in developing and emerging counties and are registe- - Climate neutral events: calculation and offsetting of red with the United Nations. the emissions produced by events CER projects generate Certified Emission Reductions For more complex scenarios, myclimate offers calcula- (CERs). These emission reduction certificates can be tions tailored to specific requirements. For instance, it is traded within the European emission trading system and possible to calculate and offset the emissions produced bought by companies or countries to help them achieve by individual business departments, products or specific their reduction targets. The certificates are also suitable processes. for voluntary offsetting. MyClimateLux supports clients and partners in effectively communicating their carbon offsetting contribution with VER - Verified Emission Reductions texts, pictures and a label that certifies climate neutral- ity. In addition, MyClimateLux publishes the commitment The acronym VER stands for «Verified Emission Reduc- via the myclimate website, its newsletter and other suit- tion» and describes the kinds of certificates that may able channels (events, brochures, media, exhibition stalls only be used for voluntary greenhouse gas offsetting. In etc.).. contrast to the CDM projects, to which a single and inter- nationally recognised regulation applies, such unified standards do not exist for VER projects. However, mycli- Price mate also develops and controls the voluntary projects according to the strict CDM guidelines. All myclimate VER projects fulfill the tight guidelines of the Gold Standard Via the offsetting mechanism, MyClimateLux finances or are on their way to Gold Standard registration. the additional costs arising through the application of renewable energy sources compared to the use of fossil Luxembourg carbon offset projects energy. This cost varies depending on the size of the pro- ject, the technology used and the country in which the One of the objectives of MyClimateLux ist to generate project is implemented. For instance, the costs involved a climate protection project in Luxembourg, in order to in reducing a tonne of CO output differ considerably 2 promote energy efficiency and renewable energy in the between a wind project in Madagascar and a biogas Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. system in Nepal. This is why the cost per ton of CO2 varies from project to project. MyClimateLux calculates an average cost per portfolio which comes about as an average of all the carbon offset projects that are part of the portfolio. Individually selected projects will have a specific cost. Selected projects MyClimateLux offers business clients with an offset