Climate Care’s international expansionto Australia and Asia Pacific markets

Nov 2007-.World-leading carbon offset company Climate Care has opened an office in Australia as part of its international expansion programme.

Mike Mason, Founder and Chairman of Climate Care said. “The number of customers who work with us to take responsibility for their contribution to climate change grows every day. We havedelivered over 1 million tonnes of C02 reductions, and haveover 10m tonnes of emissions reductions in our project originationpipeline”.

“ Australia isan important country withinthefast growingglobal market forvoluntarycarbon credits that is forecast to be worth around A$6billion a year by 2010. We also view Australia as a logical springboard into Asia Pacific markets forprojects and credit sales” he said. More global offices are opening in 2008. “We recently launched a programme to fund energy efficiency cooking stoves in China which replace coal, with the potential tosave 28 million tonnes of C02”

“With the growth in the Australian market in coming years, customers in the offset market will want absolute assurance about the quality, credibility and value of the offsets they’re buying,” said.CorinMillais Managing Director of Climate Care Australia.“Our presence in the market provides companies and consumers with the option of dealing with a global player with global credentials.We run a world-class retail offset programme including the largest consumer offset scheme in the world,” he said.

“We’re one of the major global offset providers and have a substantial portfolio of our own projects - generation through renewable energy, biomass, energy efficiency projects and so on,” he said. Climate Care is looking to invest in Australian sustainable energy projects.“We invest in worthwhile projects, on behalf of our clients, which have the maximum possible impact in the global fight against climate change,” he said.

Mr Millais said there is rising demand in Australia for carbon offsets due to strongpublic concern, changes inbusinessattitudes, and the new Government will certainly have tougher policies that will open bigger markets.Climate Care Australia is based in Sydney and is currently hiring staff.

Climate Care was the most highly regardedinternational company evaluated byNGO Clean Air, Cool Planet in theirreport: A Consumer’s Guide to Retail Carbon Offsets. “We were awarded the highest overall ranking in four out of seven categories, including offset quality and transparency of operations, and second in two other categories.”

“Corin’s background in renewable energy, climate policy and the NGO world is a strongasset for Climate Care’s global mission to tackle climate change with high quality sustainable solutions” said Edward Hanrahan, Chief Operating Officer, Climate Care.

Contact

Michael Buick:+

Corin Millais02 8249 8171 M 0406 691 123

Notes to Editors

  1. Climate Care is a world class credible carbon offset provider with over ten years experience of sourcing, originating and retailing carbon offsets in both voluntary and compliance markets. It has offices in Africa, South America, UK, and Mauritius.
  1. The company make reductions of greenhouse gaseson behalf of individuals and companies.These reductions are made through investing in a portfolio of projects which avoid, reduce or absorb greenhouse gases. Sustainable energy projects (renewables and energy efficiency) make up 95% of the project portfolio.Climate Care was a founder of the voluntary market, trading carbon before the Kyoto Protocol was in existence.Participants in this market buy emissions reductions that go over and above any Kyoto targets.
  1. Climate Care develops projects that deliver real, verified emissions reductions in greenhouse gases that meet international standards.It has more than 50 projects in 23 countries.Climate care projects are externally verified by independent 3rd parties, accredited under leading international standards such as the Gold Standard. This means projects meet rigorous monitoring, verification and auditing rules.
  1. This year Climate Care worldwide expects to deliver over 1.5 million tonnes of emissions reductions for its clients and has developed a pipeline of projects which will deliver over 10 million tonnes of reductions.
  1. Climate Care recently announced a major project to fund energy efficient stoves in China. The efficient stove makes its savings byusingfuel efficiently and being capable of burning crop waste instead of coal.The project partners aim to install over 1 million stoves saving in the region of 28m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in the first five years.The stove is designed and marketed by Shenzhou Daxu Bio-energy Technology Company Ltd (Daxu - pronounced 'Da-shu'), whowon a prestigiousAshden Award for Sustainable Energy presented by Al Gore, for their work
  1. Climate Care’s 200+ corporate clients include: British Airways, Aviva, Barclays, British Gas,The Co-operativeBank, Interface, Land Rover, Lonely Planet, Powergen, Bombardier and SustainAbility.
  2. Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) research shows that if every Australian offset their car, plane and household electricity emissions, it would be the equivalent of reducing Australia’s national emissions by 16%.
  3. The voluntary carbon market is predicted to grow rapidly from 24 Million tonnes (Mt) in 2006 to between 120-400Mtin 2010 and a market value of A$6 billion . The UNFCCC estimates that the voluntary carbon market will in future comprise 15% of the total global carbon market, whichin 2007 is forecast to be worthA$69 billion.
  1. Corin Millais is appointed as Managing Director of Climate Care Australia. He was CEO of the Climate Institute of Australia,CEO of the European Wind Energy Association – the world’s largest-renewable energy trade body, Director of the European Renewable Energy Council,Founder of the Global Wind Energy Council and led campaigns for Greenpeace International in over 30 countries.

About carbon offsetting

  • Each time we fly, drive or use energy at home or at work, C02 is added to the atmosphere. There are many ways to reduce greenhouse gas consumption and Climate Care support the motto to ‘reduce what you can, offset what you can’t’.Buying carbon offsets results in activity that will directly reduce global warming pollution in an amount equal to the emissions for which you were responsible. As more and more people and companies want to tackle climate change,the idea of carbon offsets has caught on as a way that individuals and organizations can directly help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Voluntary offsets play an essential role in the urgent task to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They are global by making emission reductions wherever in the world there is the most impact. Theymake reductions now by making high volume of reductions quickly.They are cost effective by making a high number of reductions per dollar spent. They innovate by funding the development of the low carbon technologies the world needs.
  • They allow us to reduce emissions above and beyond the levels set by the political agreements.Voluntary offsets complement compliance market reductions; they go above and beyond existing government policy and targets, helping to drive action while the politics catches up.
  • Offsetting can educate people and businesses about their impact on the climate and canreinforce broader behaviour to reduce emissions. In combination with other policies they are an essential component ofcarbon neutral goals. Carbon offsets can also provide a useful tool in pricing carbon into products and services.
  • Voluntary offsetting has added innovation, creativity to the market place, and consumer connections between money and delivery. For example, carbon calculators developed by the voluntary sector are now a common tool that have a strong education role.