FAQs

Born in 2021, Strive was created by Vertis Environmental Finance in response to our clients and the markets’ demands. It englobes all voluntary market solutions.

Established in 1998, Vertis Environmental Finance was one of the first companies in the world to be involved in carbon markets and helping companies finance emission reduction investments. Today, Vertis is a regulated entity under MiFID II that helps its business partners to understand and operate in the carbon markets, as well as to adopt a zero-emissions growth model.

According to the United Nations, Climate Action is to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. The UN has included Climate Action as its 13th Sustainable Development Goal.

According to the UN, Climate Action aims to intensify efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon offsetting is about compensating the carbon dioxide emitted through participation in environmental projects. The ultimate goal of climate action is to make the company net-zero and that the objective of carbon offsetting is to make the company carbon neutral.

Net-zero emissions are achieved when anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere are balanced by anthropogenic removals over a specified period.

Carbon-neutrality refers is when a company is measuring and mitigating it’s CO2 footprint, compensating their residual carbon emissions. Net-zero carbon means that the company is measuring and mitigating its impact on climate (all GHG emission, local environment, water etc.) Residual emissions are compensated by carbon removals . Net zero emissions are achieved when anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere are balanced by anthropogenic removals over a specified period.

Carbon neutrality happens when the CO2 released into the atmosphere is balanced or offset by an equivalent amount being removed. Climate-neutrality is the mitigation of all greenhouse gases (GHG), not just carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide comprises around 80% of all gases but there is also water vapour (H₂O), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), ozone (O3) and some Halocarbons (such as CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs and PFCs).

Carbon offsets help reduce or avoid emissions but have no effect on current levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide offsets remove CO₂ that has already been emitted into the atmosphere, thereby reducing the absolute amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere.

Carbon credits in the voluntary market allow companies to compensate for their emissions. For each carbon credit purchased and retired, a company can claim an emission reduction of 1 ton of CO2 equivalent emissions. These carbon credits come from projects that can pertain different methodologies and different co-benefits, but all serve the same purpose: of compensating emissions, regardless of the project type.

All projects are verified by a third party who must validate all the data, such as the volume of CO2 reduced per year or other SDGs impacted. At Strive, we only sell verified projects.

Greenwashing happens when you give a false impression or misleading information about how an organization’s products or services are more environmentally sound. It is a practice that deceives consumers into believing that an organization is environmentally friendly.

Verifiers or standards are bodies that ensure the quality of projects and prove their validity. The design process and verify results so the financing is justified and correct.

It is the action or process of compensating emissions from business or human activity by participating in projects that are designed to make equivalent reductions in the amount of carbon dioxide that one has released into the atmosphere.

No. The mission of companies must always be to set and meet carbon reduction targets while offsetting their emissions. It is not a matter of choosing between the two, but of meeting both simultaneously. Offsetting allows companies to compensate for emissions that could not have been avoided.

As we have seen in recent years, wildfires are a global problem. This is also affecting forestry projects, as there is a possibility of wildfires in the project area. However, this issue is mitigated by a buffer pool or buffer mechanism, where a certain number of credits are withheld as insurance in case of unexpected events.

The price of offsets can vary from less than one dollar per ton to more than 50 dollars per ton. This is because the price depends on several factors such as the project, the standard under which it was developed, the location and the co-benefits associated with the project.

Claims can be made after an end-user or intermediary has cancelled a credit or energy certificate. Once emissions have been cancelled or offset, the organisation can claim neutrality. Claims can be done for a company, product, service or event. At Strive we help you achieve carbon neutrality and give you the necessary documents and labels of proof.

It does not. Carbon dioxide is mixed in the atmosphere worldwide. It does not matter where you emit it or where you offset it. The important thing is to offset your emissions.

Carbon credits are not the main strategy for a company’s climate or sustainability strategy, it is a means to further improve their environmental impact. Carbon credits allow a company to compensate for their carbon emissions, allowing them to reduce their carbon footprint.

Climate Action is the 13th Goal of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Climate action can happen in three levels: as co-benefits, as investment and as insurance. 1) As co-benefit to motivate when there is no interest. 2) As an investment when players want to benefit from greener economies. And 3) as insurance to prevent more disasters.

Not at all! Organizations everywhere try to reduce unavoidable emissions. However, it is not always possible to do so or maybe it is not possible in the short term. Therefore, offsetting these emissions is an essential part of a sustainability strategy.

There is a requirement that all credits issued are traceable, and you will receive this specific traceable number when buying credits. This is a way of ensuring that you are the only one possessing this unique credit.

When a company buys a carbon offset, the capital that it invests goes to support projects aimed at reducing the amount of carbon dioxide already produced in the atmosphere.

A certificate that enables the holder to claim the renewable or other attributes of the underlying MWh.

Companies can claim a reduction in their environmental impact due to the use of renewable energy.

As we have seen in recent years, wildfires are a global problem. This is also affecting forestry projects, as there is a possibility of wildfires in the project area. However, this issue is mitigated by a buffer pool or buffer mechanism, where a certain number of credits are withheld as insurance in case of unexpected events.

There is no regulation for offsetting. There are, however, mechanisms and players that ensure quality of projects, such as verifiers and standards. Offsetting is a voluntary and complementary action organisations and individuals can take in their road to net zero.

Voluntary carbon credits are an extra measure beyond compliance. Buying carbon credits in the voluntary market while you are already complying with EU ETS will increase efforts into mitigating climate change and achieving the Paris Agreement goals.