"Landcare Research's carboNZero programme is an internationally accredited greenhouse gas certification scheme (recognised by International Accreditation Forum (IAF)).
It has been made by the Joint Accreditation Service – Australian and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ) which is an international accreditation body established by a treaty between the New Zealand and Australian governments and linked through the IAF which promotes mutual acceptance of certification to common international standards.
The programme provides clients with two key certification offerings, carboNZero for those wishing to make carbon neutralA voluntary mechanism where an activity, event, household, business or organisation is responsible for no net emissions of greenhouse gasesGreenhouse Gases in the earth's atmosphere absorb and re-emit infrared radiation. The Kyoto Protocol lists six major greenhouse gases, which vary in their relative warming effect. The six gases are: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), PFCs (perfluorocarbons) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). and can therefore be declared carbon neutral in that specific area. Carbon neutrality can be achieved by reducing emissions as far as possible (e.g. energy efficiencyEnergy efficiency improvements refer to a reduction in the energy used for a given service (heating, lighting, etc.) or level of activity. Such savings are generally achieved by substituting technologically more advanced equipment to produce the same level of end-use services (e.g. lighting, heating, motor drive) with less electricity. , purchasing renewable energy) and then purchasing offsets for any residual emissions in order to achieve zero net emissions. claims and CEMARS (Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme) for those business who wish to manage and report on their carbon emission & reductions without the requirement for offsetting and use this information for reporting to the likes of an ETSAn ETS is an organised system of emissions tradingUsually means an ETS. In relation to the Kyoto Protocol, Annex I countries can trade emissions reduction credits in order to comply with their Kyoto-assigned targets. (See also ETS.) that can be applied within businesses, states, countries and also internationally. Through an ETS an organisation is allocated an allowance for the amount of greenhouse gases it is permitted to produce. These systems allow those who reduce emissions beyond their obligations to sell their excess emission capacity to others within the ETS who are unable to meet their own emission reduction targets. There are two broad types of emissions trading schemes, cap and tradeA term used to describe an emissions trading system, where total emissions are limited or 'capped'. Permits are issued up to that cap, and a market allows those participants emitting less than the quota to sell their excess permits to emitters needing to buy extra permits to meet their quota. and baseline and credit./CPRSAustralia's cap and trade scheme which will come in to effect in 2010. The CPRS will place a limit, or cap, on the amount of carbon pollution industry can emit and allow trading of carbon credits. It will concentrate on the biggest polluters, by placing obligations on around 1000 Australian companies in total. However it will effect all Australians through indirect price increases., Carbon Disclosure Projects, annual reports or supply chainA network of retailers, distributors, transporters, storage facilities, and suppliers that participate in the production, delivery, and sale of a product to the consumer. reporting. For more information about CEMARS, see http://www.carbonzero.co.nz/action/CEMARScertification.asp."