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Pure - the most effective solution

Via this website, donations to PURE financially support Kyoto Protocol emissions reduction projects around the world. Emission reductions are audited and verified by the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism; or for UK projects by the National Energy Foundation (see ‘Our Projects’). These emissions reductions are witnessed by carbon credits; that might then be used by polluters within Kyoto emissions trading schemes for compliance purposes. However, the Trustees then cancel these credits from the international register which limits the amount of greenhouse gases that polluting companies are allowed to release into the atmosphere. This method both meets the proposed UK Government Code of Best Practice for carbon offsetting and offers a dual environmental benefit.

As a result, Pure:


And because we are a registered charity we are able to boost individual donations with Gift Aid. In addition having modest expenses means more of your money is used to combat climate change compared to most other carbon offsetting schemes.

 

Is more effective against climate change

PURE offers the most effective carbon offset method widely available to the general public

When you offset carbon via PURE you are removing industrial "licenses to pollute" (e.g. the high quality regulated carbon credits) that are issued to industry. These licences meet standards set by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), or the EU.

Your donations are used to purchase carbon credits, ensuring the financial viability of emissions reduction projects around the world. PURE then cancels these credits, limiting the amount of carbon dioxide that polluters are allowed to release into the atmosphere. PURE's primary focus is upon Certified Emissions Reduction credits from the UN Clean Development Mechanism. These are properly verified emissions reduction certificates from schemes in developing countries approved by the UN for that purpose and help developing countries 'leapfrog' to the cleanest technologies available.

By contrast many other schemes offer an inferior approach.

  • Verified Emission Reduction Credits (VERs) that invest in small scale (often domestic) projects in developing countries do not remove industrial "licences to pollute".
  • Scientific evidence now casts doubt about the accuracy and permanence of carbon reductions claimed for many tree planting schemes.

Don’t just take our word for it

"Many people want to act responsibly on climate change - cutting their own household and travel emissions or buying offsets. But they need to be sure that the offsets bought are real and permanent. By enabling people to buy permits out of schemes such as the EU emissions trading scheme, PURE ensure that real cuts in emissions will take place".
Lord Adair Turner - former Director General of the CBI

"The Carbon Disclosure Project welcomes the creation of PURE The Clean Planet Trust; a UK charity offering a quality, low cost and transparent method for carbon offsetting; supportive of your brand leadership".
Source; Carbon Disclosure Project 2006 launch

"I have become a Trustee because the contributions to PURE to offset carbon emissions will be invested in internationally recognised instruments that ensure the integrity of the process."
Jed Jones; Export Adviser to business at the UK Climate Change Projects Office

By contrast;

Verified Emission Reduction Schemes
".......are generated by small scale projects which are assessed and verified by third party organisations rather than through the UNFCCC..."
Source; UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

Tree planting schemes
"Government is focusing on a technology based approach rather than planting trees because avoided emissions are preferable to carbon sequestration through forestry...."
"The main disadvantage with forestry projects is the issue of non permanence but there are also complexities over the determination of the amount of carbon sequestered by trees..........."
Source; UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

Directly supports Kyoto Process

Support for the United Nations primary global initiative is THE most effective way to combat climate change

The World’s primary initiative to combat climate change is the Kyoto Protocol endorsed by over 150 nations.

  • Via this website, PURE only buys and cancels carbon credits from projects that meet Kyoto Protocol requirements[1]
  • Unregulated tree planting offset schemes marketed to the general public are NOT generally recognised by UN, Kyoto or EU Governments.
  • Verified Emission Reduction Credits (VERs) are NOT Kyoto compliant


[1] This means credits issued through the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism and/or European Union Emissions Trading scheme. These credits meet the standard favoured by UK Government.


Acts more rapidly against climate change

Climate change is a problem that MUST be addressed today


PURE- The Clean Planet Trust

Verified Emissions Reduction Schemes

Tree Planting

Effective within 12 months

Effective within 1 – 10 years

Effective within 40 – 100 years

 

  • The PURE credits that you buy will reduce emissions within one year of issuance.

 

  • The small projects that are typical for VERs (example: supply energy efficient light bulbs and stoves) might be implemented within a year, but they will then take many more years to physically offset your carbon 1.
  • VER credits are not investment grade.

 

  • If a new tree is planted, it might take 60 to 100 years to remove your carbon 2.
  • If you have ‘adopted’ an existing tree, there is no additional benefit. You have simply paid for something that has already been planted.
  • Doubts about permanence - as trees eventually release carbon back into the atmosphere.

 

  1. Take for example an offset project on offer that to the public has an that replaces incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient light-bulbs. In a best case scenario (i.e. replacing a 100w light-bulb with a 15w light-bulb that is on constantly), it may take 1.6 years to offset one tonne of carbon.  If the bulb replaced is a 60w light-bulb or it is on for 6 hours a day, it can take close to 12 years to offset just one tonne. In addition, it becomes much harder to assure and verify that the reductions have actually taken place over such a long time.
  2. Emission reductions from forestry projects can be calculated for a period of up to 100 years from the start of the project.

 

VERs or Tree planting is not as effective as offsetting high quality carbon credits sourced from mandatory emission trading schemes.



Reduces carbon PLUS smog & acid rain

PURE reduces carbon PLUS smog and acid rain

The main source of carbon emissions is power generation, heavy industry and transport. However carbon dioxide isn’t the only bi-product of these activities. They also generate pollution that creates smog and acid rain. A positive side effect of using quality carbon credits is that reducing carbon emissions also reduces smog and acid rain and other forms of pollution.
Tree planting does not reduce emissions – trees store carbon and eventually release it back into the atmosphere.


Is fully transparent in terms of process and pricing

PURE’s purchase of investment grade credits are your assurance of quality

PURE- The Clean Planet Trust

Verified Emissions Reduction Schemes

Tree Planting

The price of investment grade credits is dictated by market supply and demand by major carbon emitters and is therefore set independent of PURE.

 

There is no transparency of pricing for VER schemes.

The cost to you of purchasing a single energy efficient light bulb for a developing nation may not reflect the real cost of purchase and installation.

 There is no transparency with regard to

 

  1. The cost
  2. What is acquired
  3. How much is retained by the retailer or forester
  4. What you are buying when you “adopt” a tree

 


Registered charity

PURE – the Clean Planet Trust is a registered charity (no. 1112249)

PURE is a properly regulated and registered UK based charity with independent trustees specifically set up with the purpose of resolving climate change through voluntary carbon offsetting. We are apolitical and seek to complement the activities of other charities working to combat climate change.

Gift Aid means that PURE is able to reduce the donation required in respect of your carbon footprint by 22%. All you need do is tick a box to confirm that you are a UK Taxpayer and that you pay tax in excess of your donation. You will then pay the lower of the two sums stated within the Household Calculator


Combat climate change

Thanks to modest expenses PURE ensures that more of your money is used to combat climate change

If you are a UK taxpaying individual making a donation via this website, PURE can recover Gift Aid,

  • To enable the charity to receive £1 - you need only donate £0.78 and claim Gift Aid[1].
  • The Trustees guarantee that expenses will never exceed the level of Gift Aid that we can recover.
  • Hence at least 100% of your personal contribution is always used to buy and cancel carbon credits.

[1] Assumes current rates of tax and Gift Aid.

How does this compare with other typical offsetting schemes?

  • Many other offsetting organisations are not registered charities and cannot offer the benefit of Gift Aid to minimise the impact of expenses
  • There is little transparent data on the expense ratio of other organisations involved in carbon offsetting. According to a recent article in the Guardian, the expense ratio of some incumbents in the market today is between 35% and 60%

Source: “Can planting trees really give you a clear carbon conscience?” The Guardian, Saturday October 7 2006

How do PURE’s expenses via this website compare with typical UK charities?

UK registered charities typically incur costs of between 15p to 25p in the £1 to raise funds and have other administration and management costs that tend to range between 5p and 13p in the £1. (Source; www.charityfacts.org). PURE’s maximum expense ratio of 22% via this website hence compares favourably

Learn more about how the charity is supported.