Five years of Claire CO₂
How Local Carbon Credits Do Accelerate the Climate Transition
“Local carbon credits can deliver immediate, measurable results and finally bring the climate
transition up to cruising speed.”Prof. Steven Van Passel
Vice-Rector Valorisation and Sustainability, University of Antwerp
Five years ago, local CO₂ compensation was still a niche idea. Today, Claire CO₂ proves that it forms an essential piece of the puzzle in accelerating the climate transition. While major commitments and international carbon markets often remain stuck in long-term promises, local projects demonstrate that real impact is driven by speed, proximity, and concrete execution. After five years of pioneering work, Claire CO₂ has learned one clear lesson: the traditional way we look at additionality, the idea that a project is only valuable if it would not happen without financial support, is too narrow for today’s urgency. What matters is not only whether a project takes place, but when and at what scale.
This new vision took shape in what we call the “acceleration philosophy”: a way of working in which carbon credits no longer serve to buy off emissions for decades, but to make climate projects possible now. Carbon credits back to basics: a complement to your own efforts. Not a long-term buy-off, but a catalyst for action by others for the part you cannot yet reduce yourself today. From solar panels on schools to carbon farming with local farmers, by bringing investments forward and involving local actors, local carbon credits bridge the catalysing gap between intention and action.
The Acceleration Philosophy. Sooner is better
The essence of the acceleration philosophy is simple. A tonne of CO₂ avoided today counts more than a tonne avoided in ten years’ time. Instead of focusing on whether a project would take place without financing, this approach looks at when and at what scale it is realised.
Carbon credits can therefore also be used to speed up investments that would otherwise remain shelved, for example because other priorities take precedence or financial room is temporarily lacking. They can help expand projects, think of additional solar panels, further insulation measures, or faster installation of heat pumps. Innovative technologies that are technically ready but still face a high entry threshold can also gain market share more quickly through carbon finance.
The classical interpretation of additionality, “the project would otherwise not exist”, is complemented in this vision by the idea of temporal additionality: projects that would happen anyway, but are brought forward thanks to credits. In a world where CO₂ concentrations rise year after year, that timing aspect is crucial.
Why short durations are essential
The traditional carbon market often uses project durations of twenty to thirty years. On the face of it, that seems logical: the longer the period over which emission reductions are measured, the larger the total amount of credits that can be sold. But that reasoning carries a risk.
First, long durations artificially depress the price per tonne of CO₂. A forestry project that can sell credits for thirty years can spread its revenues over three decades, keeping today’s price low. Companies can thus “buy into” cheap compensation for decades, while their own emissions remain largely unchanged.
Second, this model slows down the wave of investments that is urgently needed. Instead of funding new projects every year, existing projects are stretched across decades. The impact on atmospheric CO₂ concentration therefore remains minimal: the increase may be slightly slowed, but not reversed.
Claire CO₂ therefore advocates a radically different approach. Carbon credits must be short-term. Technical reduction projects (such as solar panels or heat pumps) should generate credits for a maximum of three years; sequestration projects such as tree planting or carbon farming for a maximum of six. In this way, the focus remains on continuous action, and the market becomes a natural engine for reinvestment.
The pitfall of long durations and low prices
Maintaining long periods seems attractive because it makes projects “cheaper” for the credit buyer. But this is a false advantage. The low price does not reflect the true societal cost of emissions and ensures that companies continue to postpone the necessary investments in their own operations or supply chain. A classic example is international forestry projects selling credits for thirty years. They do contribute to CO₂ storage, but they also allow companies to keep compensating emissions for decades without structural change. The effect on the global CO₂ balance remains marginal, while the investment capital needed for local acceleration remains tied up elsewhere.
The acceleration philosophy changes this dynamic. By drastically shortening the duration, the real price of a tonne of CO₂ increases. This may seem counter-intuitive, but it actually ensures that more projects can be launched simultaneously and that pollution is priced more accurately. Carbon credits once again become what they were intended to be: a temporary boost enabling climate projects, not a structural revenue model that perpetuates inertia.
International evolution in the same direction
Although the term “acceleration philosophy” is new, the international debate is moving in the same direction. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) introduced Beyond Value Chain Mitigation, a framework recognising that companies may support climate projects outside their own value chain through carbon finance. The ICVCM Core Carbon Principles acknowledge that revenues from carbon credits may contribute to faster or larger implementation of climate projects, provided additionality remains demonstrable. The UNFCCC, the World Bank and the OECD all refer to “catalytic carbon finance”: funding that reduces risks, accelerates investment, and shortens project time-to-market.
Still, the underlying approach in many initiatives remains conservative. They recognise the importance of acceleration but cling to a traditional, strictly interpreted definition of additionality and to mechanisms that allow long-term credits, precisely where a structural problem lies. In this light, SBTi is currently one of the few that, through BVCM, explicitly combines the need for acceleration with the classical, but often undervalued, credit model. A form of international consensus is therefore emerging: it is no longer enough to compensate emissions “somewhere”. The real challenge lies in speed and impact: the faster projects are realised, the greater their contribution to limiting warming. But to fully unlock this potential, the system must rethink its traditional interpretations and incentives.
When is a project accelerating?
To determine whether a project truly accelerates, Claire CO₂ applies five criteria.First, it must be a new project, not an existing installation or already completed initiative. Second, it must not be legally required: what must be done anyway is by definition not additional. Third, the maximum duration must be short: three years for technical reductions, six years for sequestration. Fourth, the financial contribution matters. To effectively influence behaviour, the incentive must be substantial. European subsidy programmes show that support below ten per cent of the investment rarely triggers action, while support around twenty per cent usually does. For projects that already receive public support, a five per cent contribution via carbon credits can be sufficient to convince decision-makers.
Finally, there is the emission factor. When calculating avoided emissions, Claire CO₂ always uses the “residual mix” from the Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB), which indicates the average CO₂ intensity of electricity without guarantees of origin. This avoids double claiming and aligns calculations with international standards such as ISO 14064, the GHG Protocol and the SBTi.
How Does This Work in Practice?
A school investing €100,000 in solar panels can shorten its payback time from more than five years to just under five thanks to carbon credits. This requires an average credit price of around €180 to €200 per tonne of CO₂.
For an energy renovation project of €500,000, a five per cent contribution via credits, around €25,000, can significantly accelerate the decision to start, corresponding to an effective price of €70 per tonne of CO₂. It is important to note that these amounts refer to the share of the carbon credit that goes directly to the project itself, excluding costs for intermediaries, platforms, or other actors in the value chain.
Agriculture also benefits greatly from credits. A farmer switching to compost or carbon-rich soil management contributes to CO₂ storage but incurs higher costs. With a carbon credit price of approximately €50 per tonne of CO₂ and average storage of 2 tonnes per hectare per year, that additional cost is compensated, enabling the transition.
These examples show that correct pricing — higher than the traditional market but realistic in relation to investment risk — is crucial to accelerating projects.
Local anchoring as a key factor
Alongside duration, the local dimension is also important. Locally financed projects are more transparent, tangible, and socially relevant. They bring the climate story back to the community: schools, sports clubs, farmers and local authorities become partners in the transition. Every euro spent locally strengthens not only climate impact but also public trust in the energy transition. Citizens and businesses can see where their contribution goes, increasing the credibility of the voluntary carbon market as a whole.
Conclusion
The global CO₂ concentration is still increasing by two to three ppm per year, while we are already nearly 50% above 300 ppm, the highest level in 800,000 years. The era of slow, thirty-year compensation projects is over. What we need are concrete actions taking place now, close to home, with direct and measurable impact.
Claire CO₂ ’s acceleration philosophy provides this framework: short-term, local carbon credits that bring investments forward, enable new projects, and visibly speed up the transition. It is an invitation to companies and policymakers to once again view CO₂ compensation as an instrument of action, not delay. By embracing this approach, organisations can achieve their own climate goals more quickly while contributing to a credible, future-proof carbon market. Local carbon credits do work — provided they are used as intended: as a motor for acceleration.
Frequently Asked Questions for Potential Compensators
1. Is local CO₂ compensation compatible with international standards such as SBTi or ICVCM?
Yes. The acceleration philosophy aligns with international developments such as Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (SBTi) and the Core Carbon Principles (ICVCM). Both recognise that carbon finance may support projects outside an organisation’s own value chain, provided additionality is demonstrable and no double claiming occurs. By using the AIB residual mix and reporting transparently, a local, short-term project meets the core principles of these standards.
2. May a company use credits before reaching its Net Zero target?
Yes, in fact, this is encouraged. Many international frameworks advocate investing today in beyond value chain projects that accelerate the transition. Credits are not a licence to reduce less internally, but a way to support societal transition while internal emissions continue to be reduced in parallel.
3. How does this differ from traditional international carbon credits?
Traditional credits often have a duration of twenty to thirty years and finance distant projects at a low cost per tonne of CO₂. They therefore slow down necessary action and keep the price of pollution low. Local credits have a short duration (3–6 years), a higher but realistic price, and create direct, visible impact. They accelerate project implementation rather than facilitating delay.
4. How can I determine whether a price is “realistic”?
A good rule of thumb is that a credit must provide enough financial incentive to ensure the project goes ahead now. In practice, this means for example:
– technical projects with public support: at least €120 per tonne of CO₂
– carbon farming projects: from €70 per tonne of CO₂.
Low prices below these thresholds generally do not trigger additional action and therefore do not generate acceleration.
5. What is the advantage for my company of compensating locally?
Local compensation makes impact tangible. You can see what you support, employees and customers can visit the project, and the investment stays within the region. This strengthens the societal legitimacy of your climate strategy and your local roots. It also simplifies reporting and communication: you can show clearly where and how much CO₂ you helped reduce.
6. How does Claire CO₂ guarantee the credibility of projects?
All projects supported via Claire CO₂ meet the principles of measurability, verifiability and transparency. CO₂ reductions or storage are calculated according to recognised international methodologies (such as ISO 14064) and audited annually. In addition, each project has a clearly defined duration and crediting period, ensuring no double claiming occurs.
7. Can a company have its own project recognised through Claire CO₂?
Yes. Companies that carry out projects within their own infrastructure or value chain that go beyond legal requirements may have them assessed on the basis of Claire CO₂ ’s five acceleration criteria. If the project qualifies, it can be certified as a local carbon credit project, allowing external partners to invest in the acceleration as well.
8. What is the difference between offsetting and insetting, and does it matter?
Offsetting refers to supporting a project outside your own value chain; insetting takes place within it. Both can fit within the acceleration philosophy, as long as the emission reduction is additional and short-term. The difference lies mainly in communication: insetting contributes to a company’s own scope 3 goals, while offsetting contributes to wider societal impact.
9. Why should we invest already if our Net Zero target is still years away?
Because time is the determining factor. Each tonne of CO₂ not emitted today counts more than one avoided in 2035. By investing now in acceleration projects, you help curb the short-term rise in global CO₂ levels, essential to keep warming below 2°C.
10. What is Claire CO₂ ’s role in all of this?
Claire CO₂ acts as a bridge between companies and local climate projects. We select, measure and certify projects in line with the acceleration philosophy, ensuring that every euro contributes to immediate CO₂ reduction or storage. This enables companies to compensate locally in a credible way and accelerate the transition.