carbon credits. Carbon credits can be defined as the monetary value of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. “Let’s say I produce a lot of emissions, and you have a way of capturing those emissions – I can pay you to offset my emissions,” explains Blignaut. “But I still need to reduce my emissions, and only offset those emissions that I can’t practically reduce.” There are standards for what counts as a carbon credit. Offsets must be measured and verified before they can be registered as carbon credits. The credits then become available for purchase on carbon exchanges. In theory, certain activities on farms could qualify as carbon credits. “By planting an orchard - planting trees - you don’t necessarily offset emissions because you are removing them 20 years later”
“Our tool has been reviewed by the Carbon Trust to ensure that we followed the standard correctly.” Users access the carbon calculator online. “We thought it would just be a matter of developing this online calculator,” says Campbell, “but we soon realised that a major part of its success would depend on doing extensive training.” The Confronting Climate Change Initiative holds workshops throughout the year, including free workshops for first-time users. Users also have access to support. “The user receives a very detailed report,” says Blignaut. “Your report will benchmark you against others in your area, in kg CO2 per kg fruit, as well as relative to the inputs that contribute the most to your overall carbon footprint. “One of the biggest benefits that’s come out of carbon footprinting is the information on operational usage which then translates into costs,” reflects Campbell. “The biggest one is electricity.” The shock of seeing the numbers motivated many in the industry to innovate and to reduce their electricity usage, resulting in substantial savings.
Trading in carbon credits
As growers have acted to reduce their carbon footprint, and to adopt sustainable practices, they’ve begun to wonder whether there could be additional financial benefits, in the form of
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