Greenhouse Gas Emissions Avoided Due to Carbon Offsets Sold (PI2787)

This metric is intended to capture the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided through the organization’s sale of carbon credits during the reporting period. The same data captured through this metric can also be captured through a combination of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Mitigation Types (OI9839) and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Avoided or Reduced (PI2764).

Examples of relevant details to footnote include the methodology used to quantify the GHG offsets, equivalent monetary value of the carbon credits generated and sold, information on the carbon offset market(s) in which the organization sold the credit(s), and the unique identification number and third-party registry for the carbon credit(s) sold. Organizations can refer to the glossary for additional information on carbon credits.

A number of methodologies offer detailed procedures for quantifying the real GHG benefits of a project, along with guidance to help project developers determine project boundaries, set baselines, assess additionality, and ultimately quantify the GHG emissions that were reduced or removed. For more information and examples, see the Verified Carbon Standard (http://www.v-c-s.org/methodologies/what-methodology).

In some contexts, this metric can serve as an indicator of whether the outcome being sought by an investor or organization is occurring (the WHAT dimension of impact). For more on the alignment of IRIS metrics to the five dimensions of impact, see IRIS+ and the Five Dimensions of Impact (https://iris.thegiin.org/document/iris-and-the-five-dimensions/). No single metric is sufficient to understand an impact; rather, metrics are selected as a set across all dimensions of impact. When possible, the selection of metrics to measure and describe the five dimensions should be based on best practice and evidence.