Carbon Planet News

4 December 2009

Who is REDDy? A new free white paper from Carbon Planet

As the UNFCCC meets in Copenhagen to discuss formal international measures for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, Carbon Planet is pleased to release a free white paper, "The Carbon Planet REDDiness Index."

The Carbon Planet 'REDDiness Index' illustrates a country's preparedness to implement sustainable REDD projects combined with the chances of the successful outcome of a REDD project. This is based on a combination of empirical factors that include:

• the rate of deforestation
• government policy and planning and
• political stability.

You can access this white paper for free here.

4 December 2009

A comprehensive history of REDD policy - Kyoto to Copenhagen. A new free white paper from Carbon Planet.

A comprehensive summary of the History of REDD Policy, from it's roots in the Kyoto Protocol, December 1997 to the final meetings of the AWGs and SBSTA before COP15 begins in Copenhagen in December 2009.

The white paper discusses the genesis of REDD policy and provides an overview of major turning points in the key issues of contention in international REDD policy:

• The scope of the definition of reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation,
• Carbon Accounting for REDD - Measurement, Reporting and Verification,
• The rights of indigenous people,
• Financing options for REDD,
• Institutional arrangements - Should REDD be an NAMA or project based.

You can access this white paper for free here.

23 November 2009

Jim Johnson steps down as CEO and Chairman of Carbon Planet

Jim Johnson has resigned as CEO and Chairman of Carbon Planet Limited as from today, Monday 23 November, 2009. Dr Ross Williams accepted the role of CEO and Chairman, effective immediately. Jim will maintain his position on the board of Carbon Planet Limited.

Jim became involved with Carbon Planet in mid 2007, and was formally appointed Director and Chairman on 20 December 2007. He was appointed acting CEO on 1 Jan 2008. Since then, Jim has worked intensely for Carbon Planet, investing a huge amount of his time and resources.

Carbon Planet would like to take this opportunity to thank Jim for his huge commitment and contribution to Carbon Planet during his time as CEO and Chairman. We look forward to his contributions to Carbon Planet's future, as a member of Carbon Planet Limited's board.

About Dr Ross Williams

Dr Ross Williams founded Carbon Planet in 2000 with Dave Sag. Since then he has been involved in Carbon Planet in various executive capacities. The foundation of Ross' knowledge was a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Adelaide, in the area of data compression. Soon after completing his PhD, Ross founded the software company 'Rocksoft', created the Veracity data integrity software product and developed the Blocklets data de-duplication software technology.

28 October 2009

Pearl Tassell elected to the National Executive Committee of the Australian Association for Environmental Education

Pearl Tassell, Carbon Planet's Programme Coordinator for Operation: Coolenation, (Carbon Planet's Schools Programme) was recently elected to the National Executive Committee for the Australian Association for Environmental Educators (AAEE).

Through this role Pearl will be able to shape environmental education nationally.

Pearl's election to the committee is testament to Operation: Coolenation's standing as an important environmental education facility, and to Pearl's position as an outstanding environmental educator.

About Operation: Coolenation

Operation: Coolenation is Carbon Planet's award winning schools' program. It is one of the world's first comprehensive primary school programs dedicated to educating children about the science of climate change and global warming, the issues, and the solutions.

About the AAEE

AAEE is Australia's peak professional body for environmental educators.

AAEE advocates for environmental education and promotes best practice. It contributes to skills development among educators across the country and internationally.

Environmental educators work in government agencies, schools, businesses and community organisations. AAEE helps them stay at the forefront of sustainability education and behaviour change. It provides a network for the growing force of cross-sector environmental educators.

AAEE has three major roles:

• promoting the most extensive and effective use of education to help people to live more sustainably
• supporting its members and others in the sector via professional development, and
• building greater strength in local networks that facilitate collaboration and skill sharing.

14 October 2009

Carbon Planet Agrees to be Acquired by Technology Investment Company, m2m Corporation Limited

Carbon Planet is pleased to announce that a contract has been signed for its business and net assets to be purchased by m2m Corporation Limited. Through this transaction, Carbon Planet's business will become a fully-owned subsidiary of m2m Corporation Limited.

Carbon Planet is currently in negotiations to buy back the Audit and Advisory business which was franchised in 2008 as Carbon Planet Australia Pty Ltd, making Carbon Planet, within m2m, Australia's first listed full-spectrum carbon management company.

m2m will be conducting a capital raising of $10 million, to be concluded simultaneously with the completion of the transaction.

The deal provides Carbon Planet with accelerated opportunities for further growth. Carbon Planet can now amplify its core skills and expertise, leaving it better placed to fulfil its mission as a global full-spectrum carbon management company.

All employees will be retained to maintain Carbon Planet's extensive capabilities in carbon management, education, origination and commercialisation.

In addition to its core technical and scientific skills in the carbon economy, Carbon Planet's G3MS Software, pioneering use of internet telephony and web-based work flow management tools make it complementary with m2m's existing investment portfolio, with their background in global technology investment.

About m2m

m2m Corporation Limited is an ASX-listed technology investment company. The Company has active investments in Telecommunications and Broadband Telephony, Online Portal and Software Development and Digital Video.

12 October 2009

Carbon Planet executes a new partnership agreement to develop
CDM and REDD projects in Malaysia

Carbon Planet has engaged in partnership with Green Science Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Corro Shields Malaysia, to develop CDM and REDD projects in Malaysia.

Four principals of Green Science flew to Adelaide from Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to execute the agreement in Carbon Planet's Head Office.

Carbon Planet will assist Green Science to develop their capacity to identify, secure and develop CDM & REDD projects over the next 8-12 months.  Through the partnership, Carbon Planet will also commercialise the carbon products created.

The partnership represents an important opportunity to preserve Malaysia's tropical rainforests and bring Malaysia in to the carbon economy.

26 August 2009

Our award-winning schools program

Carbon Planet’s schools program, Operation: Coolenation, has received the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) Award for Marketing Excellence in the Corporate Social Responsibility category, at the state awards.

The annual awards are presented to organisations and marketers that have achieved extraordinary success from innovative and effective marketing practice.

Operation: Coolenation is now a finalist in the national awards, which will be announced in October.

5th June 2009

Carbon Planet Founder makes top 50

Founder Dave Sag was listed in the ABC Carbon 50 – a list of the top 50 most influential people in the Australian carbon market. The list was announced on World Environment Day and at Greenfest in Brisbane, as well as in issue 61 of ABC Carbon Express.

19 May 2009

Carbon Planet's Bangladesh partnership

Carbon Planet formed a partnership with Bangladesh Carbon, part of the Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Limited group. The agreement involves the identification and commercialisation of public and private-sector projects under the Clean Development Mechanism and Voluntary Carbon Standard.

Managing Director of Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Ltd Munawar Misbah Moin said carbon trading will provide monetary reward and help to reduce emissions in every activity in the Bangladesh economy and "bring the country to the global carbon commerce market".

Bangladesh, with its vulnerability to global warming, stands to benefit massively through the improvement of its environment, reduction in deforestation and degradation of its natural resources. Carbon Planet is very pleased to initiate this exclusive partnership with such a respected company in Bangladesh.

9 April 2009

Carbon Planet REDD

Carbon Planet submitted a methodology for Improved Forest Management to the Voluntary Carbon Standard.

24 Feb 2009

Protecting Pakistan’s forests

Carbon Planet and the Pakistan Government met in Islamabad to sign a memorandum of understanding for the protection of existing forests in the northern areas of Pakistan. This will be done through REDD and other CDM projects in the region, creating alternative income streams for forest land owners by generating revenue from reducing or stopping the logging of the forests.

During the visit, Carbon Planet's Chairman Jim Johnson and Director, Global Business Development, Haris Chaudhry also met with President of Pakistan, Mr Asif Ali Zardari, to discuss matters relating to environment, carbon economy and opportunities for Pakistan to take a key role in the fight against global warming in the region.

The President, who served as federal environment minister for Pakistan during mid-1990s, took a keen interest in the work Carbon Planet is was doing globally and is has confirmed assured of his government's full support in capitalising on this fast-growing industry.