No carbon credit is authentic without additionality. Additionality ensures that carbon credits represent measurable reductions or removals of greenhouse gas emissions that wouldn’t have occurred without the project. Carbon credits that are additional meaningfully accelerate climate action, going beyond what would have happened without intervention.

Boomitra guarantees additionality for all our soil carbon projects. To do so, we’ve designed a robust additionality assessment framework: (1) we rigorously adhere to industry standards; (2) we follow the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) methodology, including VM0042, and VCS standard requirements. Our carbon removal credits go beyond business-as-usual scenarios and deliver environmental and social co-benefits to local communities.

Rigorous due diligence

Boomitra conducts due diligence on potential project implementation partners and their on-the-ground activities before entering into any agreements and starting a new project. Following that meticulous analysis, Boomitra selects eligible project activities, such as reducing tillage or rotational grazing, that align with with the intended Carbon Standard (such as VCS, GS, etc.). Boomitra developed a well-defined set of Standard Operating Procedures to guide this process and ensure the robust and systematic development of Carbon projects.

Collaboration and compliance checks

To guarantee the legitimacy of our projects and the additionality of our carbon credits, Boomitra collaborates with and seeks advice from local experts, institutions, and partners. We conduct quality assurance and control checks, coupled with due diligence, on all project activities. We also execute a comprehensive desk review of the project country’s existing laws to confirm that the selected project activity is not mandatory, ensuring additionality.

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)

As a multinational company committed to soil carbon initiatives, Boomitra performs an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in accordance with the project country’s legal requirements. This step is crucial to understanding and mitigating potential environmental impacts associated with our soil carbon project activities, reinforcing our commitment to genuine climate action and additionality.

Stakeholder engagement and grievance resolution

Boomitra identifies relevant stakeholders in a collaborative process with our local implementation partners. Any project stakeholders, including partners or growers, can share feedback, including concerns about additionality, through a variety of channels, like the Boomitra app, email, telephone, or handwritten notes. This comprehensive multi-level grievance resolution model fosters transparent communication.

Technology-driven measurement

Our cutting-edge technology measures, reports, and verifies historical and ongoing soil organic carbon (SOC) change, ensuring that our soil carbon initiatives meet the highest standards of authenticity and integrity. We use sophisticated biogeochemical models to establish baseline scenarios, and we conduct a thorough evaluation of agricultural practices deployed to ensure additionality.

The importance of additionality for corporations and credit buyers

Corporations and credit buyers can take comfort in Boomitra’s stringent approach to additionality. Additionality ensures that carbon credits represent real, measurable, and additional reductions, aligning with corporate sustainability goals and regulatory requirements. Credit buyers have access to the Boomitra dashboard which provides near real-time updates on carbon sequestration. By investing in genuinely additional projects, corporations can demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship and contribute to meaningful climate action.

Upholding high standards

Adhering to additionality standards is fundamental in ensuring that carbon credits genuinely represent measurable emission reductions. Boomitra takes pride in upholding and surpassing industry standards for additionality. As a leading soil carbon marketplace, we set the benchmark for high-integrity soil carbon offsets that are always additional.

Want to learn more about additionality at Boomitra? Talk to our team or sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Chethan T.R.

Director – Carbon Projects