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Additionality

The development of any GHG mitigation project entails 3 main steps:

  •  Choosing a Methodology​
  •  Determining the Baseline​
  •  Proving Additionality

PRINCIPLE 5 OF GS4GG

All Projects must demonstrate impacts that are additional as compared to their baseline scenario (i.e., the benefits of the Project are beyond a business-as-usual scenario)

What is Additionality?

The concept of additionality is important as only carbon credits from projects that are “additional to” the business-as-usual scenario represents a net environmental benefit.​

​Without the “additionality” requirement, there is no guarantee that the emissions reduction activities will lead to a reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.​

​To qualify as a genuine carbon offset, the reductions achieved by a project need to be ‘additional’ to what would have happened if the project had not been carried out (e.g., continued as business-as-usual). 

To avoid giving credits for emission reductions that would have occurred anyways as a business-as-usual scenario, there are specified tools to ensure that the Project reduces emissions more than what would have occurred in the absence of the Project.