Tools and guidelines

The Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Organisations is a voluntary standard to manage greenhouse gas emissions, achieve carbon neutrality and to seek Climate Active certification. It provides best-practice guidance on how to measure, reduce, offset, validate and report emissions that occur as a result an organisation's operations.

The Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Buildings is a voluntary standard to manage greenhouse gas emissions, achieve carbon neutrality and to seek Climate Active certification. It provides best-practice guidance on how to measure, reduce and report emissions data for buildings.

The Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Products and Services is a voluntary standard to manage greenhouse gas emissions, achieve carbon neutrality and to seek Climate Active certification. It provides best-practice guidance on how to measure, reduce and report emissions data for the creation, use and disposal of a product or service.

The Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Events is a voluntary standard to manage greenhouse gas emissions, achieve carbon neutrality and to seek Climate Active certification. It provides best-practice guidance on how to measure, reduce and report emissions data for event activities.

The Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Precincts is a voluntary standard to manage greenhouse gas emissions, achieve carbon neutrality and to seek Climate Active certification. It provides best-practice guidance on how to measure, reduce and report emissions data for the operations of a precinct such as a university campus, sporting complex or business park.

The Climate Active Technical Guidance Manual will help you with your carbon neutral application and reporting. It covers the step by step processes for each certification category, calculating your emission boundary, purchasing and reporting on offsets, and compliance procedures.

Technical assessments ensure carbon neutral claims meet the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard.

Third party validation ensures carbon calculations are accurate and transparent. Organisations applying for carbon neutral certification must have their source data independently audited or verified.

The Electricity Accounting paper details how to account for and report a business’s electricity emissions under a Climate Active carbon neutral claim.

The Guideline Upfront Carbon for Buildings is for entities seeking Climate Active carbon neutral certification for the delivery phase of a building project.

This draft guideline is for entities seeking to include carbon removals from tree plantings within a Climate Active carbon account.

This guide will help you navigate the Portal when applying for Climate Active certification.

This sample application form is provided to give you an idea of the information we require upon application. This is a sample only, applications will only be accepted via the Portal.

The Climate Active Carbon Neutral Certification Trade Mark (Certification Trade Mark) gives businesses and organisations a credible stamp against their carbon neutral claim.

To become certified businesses enter into a licence agreement with the department. The licence agreement includes terms and conditions; the fee schedule, the reporting schedule and the validation schedule.

Guidance for organisations undertaking certification to help them understand their obligations under the Licence Agreement.

An affiliate agreement allows you to use a Climate Active Certification Trade Mark in certain conditions. Your business must be connected to another that holds the Climate Active Certification. 

You must meet certain criteria to be eligible for the small organisation certification pathway. This declaration is required to confirm you understand the eligibility requirements your business must meet.

Certification for buildings is available through the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS).

Certification for buildings is available through the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)

To provide additional certainty of the integrity of Climate Active carbon neutral certifications, the Climate Active Building Standard requires verifications are conducted for a minimum of 5% of all applications for carbon neutral certification for buildings.

Upfront Carbon for Buildings (Product) certification is available through Climate Active or the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). If you are seeking certification via Climate Active please use this form.

To obtain Climate Active Certification for Upfront Carbon for Buildings, businesses must enter into a licence agreement and this additional Annex A with the Department. This Annex A includes information on reporting obligations, validation requirements, expiry of certification and certification fees that works in accordance with, and supersedes where information is conflicting, the fee, reporting and validation schedules in the licence agreement.

Your business may need assistance to gain carbon neutrality certification. View a list of registered consultants who specialise in Climate Active certification on our registered consultant page.

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