2.15.2008 - 12:29pm ET

(CSRwire) SAN FRANCISCO, CA - February 15, 2008 - The Center for Resource Solutions announced the launch event for Green-e(R) Climate, the nation's only independent certification program for greenhouse gas emission reduction (offset) products sold on the retail market. Join us for a news conference at Carbon Forum America on Tuesday, February 26th from 12:15–1:00 in San Francisco’s Moscone Center, rm. 123.

Green-e Climate is the first offset product certification program in the country. This consumer protection mechanism ensures that retail products sold to consumers to offset such carbon-intensive activities as driving or flying have been verified at each step from the individual project to the consumer transaction. Consumers purchasing Green-e Climate Certified offsets will have clear information about the projects their GHG reductions are sourced from, and know that their offsets have been retired on their behalf. The program ensures that retail offsets are sourced from projects that are real, measured, permanent, beyond business-as-usual, and independently verified.

"We believe the market needs independent oversight in order to grow," said Green-e Climate Manager Lars Kvale. "The level of transparency Green-e Climate certification requires means that consumers will know where their offsets came from and have confidence that they are getting what they pay for. Building a credible voluntary offset market is an important instrument for combating climate change."

Green-e Climate will also hold a longer workshop from 3:15-4:15 pm the following day (Wed. Feb. 27th rm. 123) open to press and conference attendees. The session will go into more detail about Green-e Climate Certification and explain how the program will work with the Voluntary Carbon Standard, the Gold Standard, Clean Development Mechanism, and the Green-e Climate Protocol for Renewable Energy.

For more information about Green-e Climate, see www.green-e.org/climate.

About Green-e Climate

Green-e Climate is the nation's first certification program for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions (carbon offsets) sold to consumers on the retail market. This consumer-protection program strengthens the voluntary market by providing credible oversight of and transparency to retail offset products. Consumers purchasing Green-e Climate Certified offsets have clear information about the projects their GHG reductions are sourced from, and are guaranteed that offsets have not been double sold or double counted. The program verifies that a seller's supply of offsets equals their sales, that GHG reductions are independently certified and verified, and that consumer disclosures are accurate. Find out more at www.green-e.org/climate.

About Green-e and the Center for Resource Solutions

Green-e is the nation's leading independent consumer protection program for the sale of renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions in the retail market. Green-e offers certification and verification of renewable energy and greenhouse gas mitigation products through Green-e Energy, the renewable energy certification program; and Green-e Climate, the greenhouse gas emission reduction certification program. Green-e Marketplace is a labeling program for organizations that purchase or generate sufficient quantities of renewable energy. To learn more about Green-e certified products and programs available in all 50 states, visit www.green-e.org.

Green-e is a program of the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS), a San Francisco-based nonprofit with a global impact. CRS brings forth expert responses to climate change issues with the speed and effectiveness necessary to provide real-time solutions. Our leadership through collaboration and environmental innovation builds policies and consumer-protection mechanisms in renewable energy, greenhouse gas reductions, and energy efficiency that foster healthy and sustained growth in national and international markets.

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