Despite its complexity, climate change can be countered by a shared effort through an apparently simple mechanism: emission compensation.
The emission compensation mechanism was created by the United Nations (within the scope of the Kyoto Protocol) so that rich countries could invest in projects that reduce emissions in the poorer countries. Hence, the carbon market came into existance.
This simple way of protecting the climate is made available to companies and to people through Carbonfree.
The role of Ecoprogresso, through our Ecotrade service, is to discover, in the world carbon market, the best project for your company's needs and interests.
Ecoprogresso does not have any direct interest in any of the projects we offer our clients. Our only interest is to ensure that the carbon credits used to compensate your company's emissions represent an effective reduction in emissions and become a very important feature in protecting the climate and promoting sustainable development.
In order to provide more direct access, and to ensure the best carbon credits at the most competitive price, Ecoprogresso established a group of partnerships with project promoting entities.
AMES – Agência Municipal de Energia de Sintra, set up as an energy management entity, has been planning and implementing a range of renewable energy projects, particularly solar energy, biomass, biogas and biofuels, with a view to lowering the fossil fuel consumption of local government services and facilities.
BlueNext Carbon Carbon (that integrates PowerNext Carbon after having been acquired by the New York Stock Exchange) - Ecoprogresso is the only company in Portugal authorized to trade on BlueNext Carbon, the world's main carbon stock exchange. BlueNext Carbon provides Emission Allowances from the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme and is the reference point for pricing the world's carbon credits.
Instituto Superior Técnico – IST promoted and supported scientific research and the corresponding implementation of sustainable agricultural practices that promote strong carbon retention in agricultural lands, by resorting to biodiverse seeding extremely resistant to the different kinds of climate extreme weather events (severe drought, heat waves or floods) beginning to afflict our climate. The Extensity project is, therefore, an excellent example, probably the first in Portugal, to develop the synergies between mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
Myclimate – A Swiss foundation dedicated to supporting high quality sustainable projects.
OIKOS: Oikos is a non-governmental development organization founded in 1988. One of the goals of the Carbon Campaign Against Poverty [www.carboncontrapobreza.org], jointly developed by Oikos and Ecoprogresso, is to promote support for emission reduction projects with great impact in poverty reduction either in Portugal or in developing countries.
Examples of projects available in Ecoprogresso's portfolio
Promoter: Agência Municipal de Energia de Sintra
Description: several opportunities to support renewable energies in social facilities (for example, the installation of solar panels in municipal swimming pools).
Promoter: Instituto Superior Técnico
Through a Sustainable Management System, defined with the participation of NGO's and the Government, this project seeks to optimize the economic, social and environmental performance of agricultural holdings, directly, and throughout their life cycle. At the same time, farmers gain technical assistance in the adoption of sustainable practices.
Farms included in the project are located in Ribatejo, Alentejo and Beira Interior.
Promoter: MyClimate
Project implemented in a poor farming community in India. It proved extremely important given agricultural waste, formerly burnt in the soil with great harm to both local pollution levels and public health, is now collected and delivered to an electricity production plant. The emission reductions derive from substituting coal in the production of electricity by agricultural waste (biomass).
The project created around one thousand new jobs and additional income, of approximately 800 thousand dollars, for this agricultural community.
Due to such contribution towards the sustainable development of this local community, the project was acknowledged by United Nations certification and with Gold Standard Certification, attributed by Non Governmental Organizations.
Promoter: MyClimate
In the southern regions of Cambodia, traditional stoves are being improved so as to use less firewood and coal. Hence, forestry resources are protected and the need for long distance firewood transportation is reduced, a task usually assigned to woman. Furthermore, the technology used in the production of efficient stoves is transferred to local producers.
Promoter: Ecoprogresso
Emission Allowances from the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme purchasable by national installations or by any European country.
Build your own emissions compensation project
Some companies have developed strong bonds with a particular community or with a certain institution and prefer to continue focusing their assistance on those recipients. In such cases, Ecoprogresso brings to bear all the necessary experience to assist you in assembling the project according to the specifics you present us.
The compensation of all Café Delta emissions is our landmark example of an emission reduction project tailored especially for our client. Delta's requirements regarding this project were: to effectively reduce emissions (without necessarily comparing an emission of one ton of CO2 with an avoided ton of CO2), get clients involved in the initiative, establish a strong connection between the product and the emissions reduction.
The solution encountered by Ecoprogresso was the donation of 100,000 economical light bulbs to Café Delta consumers given that over the course of their product cycle, these 100 thousand bulbs counter more than double the emissions associated with the Café Delta life cycle throughout a year.