2.27.2008 - 10:17am ET

(CSRwire) SAN FRANCISCO, CA - February 27, 2008 — The Center for Resource Solutions announced today that Green-e(R) Climate, the nation's first independent certification for carbon offset products, has certified products offered by retailers 3Degrees, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Community Energy, and Renewable Choice Energy. These products have met or exceeded Green-e Climate's strict standards for project verification and measurement, consumer transparency, and truth-in-marketing claims, and will be granted the use of the Green-e Climate logo.

Green-e Climate is a consumer-protection program requiring that greenhouse gas emission reductions be verified according to strict project-level certification (including the Clean Development Mechanism, Gold Standard, and Voluntary Carbon Standard) that ensure the reductions have taken place, are permanent, and come from projects that would not have happened under a "business as usual" scenario. Sellers of Certified offsets must provide customers with a product content label that explains where the reductions were sourced from, including the locations and types of projects, such as renewable energy, forestry, and methane capture. Sellers must also undergo a yearly audit to ensure their supply of offsets matches their sales, and comply with Green-e Climate's consumer-disclosure and truth in advertising requirements.

"Carbon offsetting is an essential weapon in our fight to combat climate change," said Ricardo Bayon, co-founder and partner of Eko Asset Management and chair of the Ecosystem Marketplace Advisory Board. "But this weapon will only be effective if it is backed by real, verifiable, measurable offsets and standards to ensure quality, integrity, and transparency. Green-e Climate goes a long way towards addressing these and other problems within the carbon markets."

"We are excited to have these four sellers offering the first Green-e Climate Certified offsets," said Lars Kvale, Green-e Climate Manager. "Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial, and offsets give us a way to go beyond conservation and energy efficiency. Consumers can feel confident that these Certified offsets have been verified, and are exactly as advertised."

Green-e Climate includes a stakeholder-reviewed protocol for determining the greenhouse gas value of renewable energy. One of the stakeholders that participated in the development of the protocol was the Natural Resources Defense Council. "We particularly appreciate Green-e Climate's leadership role in rigorously linking the markets for renewable energy and carbon offsets, so that those who want to help reduce global warming pollution can support additional renewable energy generation," said Ralph Cavanagh, NRDC Energy Program Co-Director.

The Gold Standard is one of the four Endorsed Programs that verify projects under Green-e Climate. "Green-e Climate offers consumers certainty that the offset they purchase is clearly labeled and traceable," said The Gold Standard's Caitlin Sparks. "The Gold Standard is one of the small handful of standards endorsed by Green-e Climate and we are pleased to support their effort to bring further transparency and credibility to the voluntary market."

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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