Co-operative Offset Group (COG)
The Co-operative Offset Group is a group of organisations and individuals interested in promoting a co-operaive approach to carbon offsetting.
Offsetting using the guidelines from the COG emphasises the use of projects and actions that alleviate poverty and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. The co-operative approach to offsetting also accepts that GHG emission reductions from these types of projects are subject to risks and uncertainties. However it takes the view that offetting should be seen as a positive action to compensate for emissions, rather than a fail-safe mechanism to cancel or neutralise them.
Recent activities
One of the main activities which is currently being undertaken by this group is a collaborative response to the consultation by DEFRA on voluntary offsets. To see our response Click here. Please send us an email if you wish to join the mailing list.
The DEFRA proposed code of practice can be viewed here. Defra Code of Practice
The co-operative offset approach contrasts with a trading offset approach advocated by DEFRA in the following ways:
| Co-operative Offset | Trading Offset | |
| The Claim | Positive action to compensate for emissions | Carbon neutrality |
| Types of units | Voluntary units (VERs), not government approved | Compliance (government issued or approved) units |
| Types of projects / activity | Community based projects for sustainable land use, agroforestry, avoidance of deforestation, bioenergy, solar PV, water aid | Industrial projects involving methane capture from landfills, HFC destruction or switching from coal to gas in power stations |
| Level of assurance | Variable levels of assurance; small / community-scale projects; future reductions (risky) | Rigorous assurance; industrial scale risk management; ex-post (0-risk) |
| Relationship to programmes and regulations | Promotes actions and areas not adequately covered by existing programmes and regulations | Strengthens existing regulations (may be seen as propping up weak regulation) |
| Beneficiaries (who gets money) | Rural and urban poor. Communities affected by climate change and related environmental impacts | Mainly large-industries or investors in clean technologies |
