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The responsibility individuals or organisations have to account for the carbon arising as a result of their actions.

The Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements limit the amount of carbon that some countries and organisations can emit. These agreements have also created a carbon market where carbon credits, in other words the rights to emit carbon, and carbon savings have a financial value and can be traded.

A well functioning market requires reliable accounting. Carbon is however accounted for in relatively simplistic and incomplete ways and as the value of carbon grows, so do the incentives for misleading carbon claims.

Misleading claims will damage the market and stakeholders’ confidence in all carbon products.

Carbon accountability advocates transparency of information and a framework to assign emissions savings without gaps or double counting. These characteristics can allow stakeholders to audit and value carbon claims.

The value of accountability in carbon policies and carbon reduction claims lies in increased confidence in the effectiveness of those policies and robustness of the carbon claims.

With better information stakeholders can have confidence in carbon reduction claims leading to a well-functioning carbon market, greater participation and benefits for market players

For examples of carbon accountability visit Publications>>