Myclimate

Myclimate was spun off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich in 2002 as a nonprofit climate protection organisation based in Switzerland to enable climate protection with economic mechanisms such as price-tagging carbon dioxide and integrating the externality into the market. They promote climate protection on the three levels: avoidance techniques such as capacity building and teaching, reduction which includes energy efficiency, renewable energy, and management methods and carbon offsetting. Myclimate advocates for the development of a carbon market while setting new standards in carbon emissions and in designing a sustainable society.

The 3 pillars: Avoid, Reduce, Offset

Avoid: myclimate promotes the gathering of knowledge about CO₂ reduction, raises awareness and inspires long-term climate protection. Herefore myclimate works with schools, institutions and businesses, organises exhibitions, contests, designes schoolbooks and games. In 2008 the climate protection game TriCO₂lor was awarded by the UNESCO^[1]

Reduce: myclimate provides carbon assessments services, as well as more comprehensive life cycle assessments. In 2008, together with the Swiss ecological centre of Langenbruck, the association Climatop was founded which awards climate-positive products. The initiative thereby hopes for more competition with producers with regard to the achievement of better products^[2] and promote ecodesign. The label is, among others, used by the biggest retailer of Switzerland, Migros^[3].

In addition, businesses are supported with a range of tools in the development of strategies, the analysis of products and the optimisation of existing processes. Furthermore myclimate designs carbon neutral products, for example climate neutral printing ^[4].

Offset: myclimate develops own projects under the CDM Gold Standard guidance. This most sharp standard for carbon offsetting projects, was developed by 21 NGOs, among others through World Wide Fund for Nature. The Standard is supported by meanwhile 60 NGOs worldwide. The Golden Standard is the only standard which certifies the projects' Sustainable development factors, e.g. co-benefit criteria like healthcare, job creation or reforestation.

Character traits

myclimate is know on account of its exotic properties compared to general climate protection companies working in the carbon market:

• myclimate is a charity foundation
• myclimate operates within the voluntary carbon market (i.e. Carbon offset realized is additionally to the Kyoto Protocol Targets)
• myclimate generates sustainability carbon certificates in self-developed carbon offsetting projects, i.e. does not trade carbon certificates

Partner and Patronage

The original idea for myclimate comes from former students of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich). myclimate is academically supported by different institutes of the ETH. The centre for sustainability of the ETH and the Swiss Federal Office for energy, as well as the economy ^[5]. In the patronage are, e.g., the Swiss minister of the environment Moritz Leuenberger or the former member of the German Bundestag Prof. Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker^[6]. The government of Liechtenstein, UNEP Global Civil Society Forum ^[7], the Swiss federal office for environmental protection or the Swiss WWF Climate Group compensate their emissions with myclimate ^[8].

Market Insecurities

There is some controversy around the theme of emission reduction through carbon offset. There are several insecurities within the 3 trading markets under the so called Kyoto flexible mechanisms (see also Carbon market mechanism), e.g. most standards lack of a proper quality assurance scheme which can lead to Double counting (accounting) or lacking Additionality. According to myclimate the CDM Gold Standard was developed to erase these insecurities ^[9].

Studies

The climate department of the American university Tufts has examined 13 organisations which offer compensations for CO₂ emissions. Criteria were transparency, exactness of the calculations, price of the certificates and administrative costs. Myclimate was one of four suppliers who reached the mark "excellent". Also in the guide ENDS belongs myclimate to the top 3 of the world.^[10]

Press

myclimate often is named in the press. Articles can be found in Tages-Anzeiger, NZZ, Blick and Basler Zeitung, but also in Spiegel, The New York Times and in Welt.^[11].

References

1. ^ UNESCO Award
2. ^ Climatop
3. ^ Migros
4. ^ The Printing Union and myclimate
5. ^ Supporters of the climate protection organisation myclimate
6. ^ Patronage of the climate protection organisation myclimate
7. ^ UNEP Global Civil Society Forum
8. ^ News
9. ^ Comparison of Carbon Markets
10. ^ Comparison of climate protection organisations
11. ^ Media

External links

• myclimate - Official website of myclimate
• Tufts - Website of the Tuft Climate Initiative
• CDM Gold Standard - Official website of CDM Gold Standard.
• Climatop - Website for climate positive products