Anna Cerf

The number one question I'm asked (and maybe the biggest point of confusion when it comes to climate strategy): What’s the difference between Carbon Neutral and Net Zero❔ The headline advice in navigating the two: ➡ A Carbon Neutral business has measured and offset its carbon footprint. It's an action taken now and doesn't necessarily entail reducing emissions. ➡ A business committed to Net Zero intends to significantly reduce its emissions and offset the residual. It's a stronger, long-term commitment. Sounds simple enough, right? So, why the confusion? Well, for the above Net Zero definition we’ve relied on the Science Based Targets Initiative. The SBTi works to align businesses on what balance of emissions reduction vs. offsetting should be used in a Net Zero commitment. You can think of the SBTi’s Net Zero as a best practice definition - the one that will help us limit warming to 1.5°C (per the IPCC’s guidance). The SBTi’s Net Zero requires significant (90%) emissions reduction. However, it turns out that, outside of the SBTi, Net Zero and Carbon Neutral have been used almost interchangeably. From the UK Government’s Net Zero target to definitions in IPCC reports, Net Zero simply means a ‘netting-off’ of emissions. Check out the glossary of the IPCC’s Special Report (2018) and you’ll see this: 'Carbon Neutrality - See Net Zero CO2 emissions' What's the controversy? Why do these definitions matter? Offsetting has been getting some stick. Criticism centres around businesses investing in offsets without seriously planning to reduce emissions. If we are to limit global warming, offsetting alone is a dangerous strategy, as it means relying on our ability to massively scale-up technologies such as carbon capture. (This is simplistic - there are lots of reasons our current approach to resource extraction is a bad idea). However, demonising offsetting is also a bad strategy. High quality, verified offsetting projects are an effective way to combat climate change (e.g. investing in renewable energy infrastructure or bolstering carbon sinks through tree planting), provided they’re paired with reduction. Taking this into account, here’s three top tips: 1️⃣ Say what you mean -> do your bit to stop the confusion proliferating by explaining exactly what you have done or plan to do. Don’t rely on your audience understanding the terms you use. What do you mean by Net Zero? Is your target SBTi-aligned? 2️⃣ Prioritise emissions reduction -> Setting an SBTi-aligned Net Zero target will mean you aim to reduce emissions. 3️⃣ Don’t fear high-quality offsetting -> If you invest in verified projects, offsets are a great way to have additional impact as you work toward your emissions reduction goal. If you’re looking for a nuts-and-bolts explainer, give this a read 👇 https://lnkd.in/esXKUzNx

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💡 Super common thread across companies we work with at the moment: We want to make emissions relevant to each team, not just sustainability... Ideally we work towards carbon budgets and forecasts... It would be great to report on emissions by categories that feel relevant.. We need it to be robust and transparent so people trust it is useful... The best place to start on this path is often: 👉 Set the boundary, complete the baseline 👉 Assign inputs to tracking categories that are useful 👉 Just like financial budgets, agree a consistent way to allocate by department 👉 Improve this process and levels of sophistication as you go More carbon budgeting and forecasting tools in Sumday are on the way ✨ We're committed to growing with you 💜

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What’s THE killer thing that 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗔 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗽 tells us about great climate comms? Everyone seems to love Who Gives A Crap. They’re bright, they’re witty, they’re good eggs They’ve managed the genius move of turning a not-very-glamorous subject into something aspirational. They absolutely NAIL the branding and marketing. 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 - TICK 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 - TICK 𝗔 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲- TICK 𝗢𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 - TICK 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 - TICK But the 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴? They’re not asking people to uncrap the world by doing something worthy or boring. They’re asking people to uncrap the world by using something they 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲. This in our opinion is 𝗶𝘁. If we just talk about saving the planet, no one will show up. But if it’s funny or cheeky, or it saves people cash, or it makes them feel cool, or it gives them something they want, or someone they like is doing it, they will. These are the levers we’re always experimenting with and trying to crack! No pun intended. What are your favourite campaigns.? _____________________________________________________________ I’m co-founder of Couch to Carbon Zero. We make smart climate action easy for busy people.  We work with organisations to engage their workforces on sustainability and to make it aspirational and fun. If you like the sound of that…follow or DM me Or visit our website to find out how we could help you (the link's in my profile)

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I’ve just shared a new article where I dig deeper into airlines’ carbon offset schemes, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and why it’s so difficult to track the real impact as a passenger. In it, I look at how we’re asked to pay extra for “greener” tickets without any solid way to verify whether offsets or SAF ever reach our particular flight. I also raise a question about the role of the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI). It’s running, but not widely adopted for managing carbon exchanges or offsets. Some might call blockchain a solution looking for a problem, yet this might be precisely the area where transparency and accountability are desperately needed. Curious to hear thoughts from those in the industry—or anyone who has opinions on offsets, greenwashing, or the aviation sector’s path forward. Let’s see if we can spark better solutions and push for more meaningful transparency. Let me know what you think. #Sustainability #GreenAviation #CarbonOffsets #SAF #ClimateAction #AirlineIndustry #Innovation #EBSI #Greenwashing

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A huge well done to the whole CUR8 team, and massive credit to British Airways, too. BA know that carbon removals are not a nice-to-have but absolutely essential to reaching net zero, and this deal – to buy 33,000 carbon removal credits, procured by us – is real proof of that. For this portfolio we carefully sourced a fantastic range of projects from right across the removals spectrum, and put them all through our rigorous due diligence process. Each of them doesn’t just have its own route to scale, but also has its own special way of being deeply innovative. These are the projects we are going to need more of to scale top quality removals at the pace the world needs. Aviation has a tough road to net zero, and carbon removals is an important part of that journey. BA are leading the way here, signalling their commitment not just to net zero but to supporting the market that will allow other companies in aviation and other sectors to get there, too. You can learn more about the deal here: https://lnkd.in/eRY6KjHH

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I really want to believe what brands say about their products—call me an optimist. But I should know better—marketing teams are very good at their jobs. Take this Fjällräven jacket that I purchased. The brand prides itself on being built for the outdoors, yet this jacket couldn’t handle a light London drizzle, let alone the wilds of Scandinavia. And “hydratic”? A word that sounds technical but, in reality, means nothing. It looks waterproof, feels waterproof, but trust me—it isn’t. It’s a reminder: great branding doesn’t always equal great products. #ConsumerExperience #TruthInMarketing #ProductReview #OutdoorGear #BrandTrust #MarketingVsReality #Sustainability #CustomerFeedback #BuiltForTheOutdoors

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What actually is Biodiversity Net Gain? And why is it so important? At Gaia we have built the UK's largest natural exchange for BNG Units. Today I try to explain in a little more detail what this scheme is about. #BNG #biodiversity #biodiversitynetgain

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Link to The Guardian article in comments: Former Carbon Offsetting Executive Charged with Fraud: An ex-executive from a top firm is facing allegations of manipulating data to secure millions in carbon credits fraudulently. This case sheds light on the critical need for enhanced transparency and accountability in the voluntary carbon market. Key Insights: - Verification Vital: The incident emphasizes the significance of robust verification processes in upholding the credibility of carbon offset projects. - Transparency Matters: Building trust in the voluntary carbon market hinges on transparency. Companies must openly share their offsetting endeavors and emission reduction methodologies. - Accountability is Key: All individuals and entities in the carbon offsetting sector must be answerable for any misconduct or fraudulent behavior. #carbonoffsetting #climatechange #fraud #accountability #sustainability

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As noted by the IPCC, the IRP and others, if we rethink how we deliver goods and services, shifting to « provisioning systems » that take into account avoiding, shifting and improving consumption practices, we could see 40-70% emissions reductions by 2050 (IPCC). The International Resource Panel (IRP) claims 80% reductions are possible by addressing key resource intensive systems (food, energy, mobility, buildings). It requires systemic change focused most importantly on demand reduction.

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“I want to eat ‘regeneratively’ but I struggle to find brands or actually supermarkets I can trust. Why is it so hard!?” This was the summarised commentary from 3 seperate conversations that I had today, at what was a growth stage focused climatetech conference by ClimateImpact. Interesting given much of the conversation at the event was very much energy related, which going to be natural on this space. Never the less, my point being, digging further 2/3 of them were doing it for health reasons as a major driver. So come on, who is going to roll out the first regenerative food or nature positive aisle. Stock it with products making us and the environment healthier. Marks and Spencer Waitrose & Partners Sainsbury's Tesco Ocado Retail I challenge those mentioned above, in 2025 to run a trial aisle, then share us the data? Present us with choice to opt in, market it crucially with health first. Healthy soils, healthy plants, healthy animals = healthy families. I bet big the data will be compelling. If I’m wrong, I will eat my hat. 🧢 I will stream it live too, if that helps? The Food Foundation Future Food Movement Food, Farming and Countryside Commission

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This week: The economy. We’ve mapped 1,695 sentences  of economy-relevant manifesto content to help demystify who is saying what.  What’s surprising – or not – about the following selected patterns in the data?   - Labour not saying a lot about fair pay relative to Lib Dems  - Conservatives focusing heavily on regional infrastructure and resourcing  - Reform UK not saying much about Councils/social housing  - Labour featuring more content on Regulation vs innovation? See the link below for a full interactive map of all economy-related content, broken down by party.    What would you like to see next? 

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Unpopular opinion: Sustainability has a language problem. We’ve got net zero, carbon offsets, circular economy, upcycling, regenerative design… …and about a hundred other terms. The more complex our language, the fewer people we include in the movement. Because when someone hears “carbon sequestration” for the first time, their immediate reaction isn’t: “How can I help?” It’s, “What does that even mean?” Sustainability isn’t meant to be an exclusive club. But we make it one when we overload the conversation with jargon. Instead of inspiring action, we create confusion. Instead of inclusion, we create barriers. What if we simplified? No one joins a movement they don’t understand. So let’s break it down. Make it accessible. Speak like people, not textbooks. Because saving the planet isn’t about how smart we sound. It’s about how many people we empower to act. Do you agree? Let me know. With purpose and impact, Mario

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Controversial opinion from a founder operating in circular fashion: repairs aren't going to save the planet. Yet. The bad news: Repairs remain a "nice to have", hard to commercialise for retailers and not pressing enough for consumers to take consistent action on. The good news: Alterations will make meaningful change, IF made a seamless part of the shopping experience. People fundamentally want to wear clothes that fit and the emotional connection to this will drive the adoption, if we can make it easily accessible, particularly in the digital realm. Even better: RE-STYLE's working on it. Launching in 2025 - keep your eyes peeled. Or join our waitlist for updates. You can find the link to our waitlist on the same page as our handy calculator that lets you see how much 💰 alterations could save your brand. (link in comments - sneak hack, for items with an RRP of £45, alterations costing £14 pay for themselves) #returns #sustainablefashion #alterations #repairs #circulareconomy

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The National Football League (NFL) is secretly filled with biodiversity advocates. 27 out of 32 have animal mascots >> 84% If we rank these habitats based on the records of the teams, here’s the outcome: 1. Savanna/Grasslands: Lions (12-1) dominate this category. Couple mediocres with Broncos (8-5), Rams (7-6). 2. Generalist/Diverse Habitats: Eagles (11-2), Ravens (8-5), Falcons (6-7), Cardinals (6-7). 3. Coastal and Marine Ecosystems: Seahawks (8-5), Dolphins (6-7). 4. Forest and Woodland Ecosystems: Bengals (5-8), Panthers (3-10), Bears (3-10), Jaguars (3-10). It’s not the forests’ and woodlands’ fault. Blame the McCaskeys. #PlanetPortfolio #MergeImpact

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If I were a sustainability leader at a medium-to-large size enterprise in the UK, and I wanted to make sure we were ready to tackle our net zero goals, here’s what I’d do: 1. Get really granular with my carbon data. Most carbon data is too high-level to be useful, but to make progress, you’ll need to get specific. I’d look at individual facilities, trucks, and journeys. And not just for my HQ. 2. Continue to invest a comprehensive carbon inventory. Effectively managing GHG risk means covering as many activities and entities as possible. I’d continue collecting data from my suppliers, partners, and customers…even if the data is not 100% perfect in the first instance. This is a long game we are playing, so it’s okay to start somewhere and improve over time. 3. Collect and review my data frequently. It’s hard to make specific progress when you’re meeting once a year to discuss metrics. You’re constantly reviewing targets against data that’s months and months out of date. Ideally, I’d collect data automatically, every week. Monthly is great, too. And then meet frequently to discuss it. (Bonus points for integrating this data into tools like PowerBI). 4. Optimise and verify my data inputs. This removes so many headaches. I’d set up an automated system (like Minimum) to automate most of this & put guardrails around data quality and verification. This is achievable for any organisation. And yes, I know it’s a lot to ask for one overworked sustainability manager to do. It becomes a lot easier when you invest in automation (like Minimum), and we’re happy to help there.

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Just opened shop on Bluesky (and Threads) you can find me @ athenamediaie. (Yes I've been on Mastadon for some time) There is now a strong possibility that Musk's platform (the X formerly known as Twitter!) will merge with Trump's Truth Social ( see Kara Swisher's column https://lnkd.in/ea83XaeW) and operate as a global propaganda platform for Trump agenda. Buying blue ticks, advertising on that platform raises serious governance and ethical questions for everyone in their external communications. There's been a dramatic shift to Threads, Bluesky etc this week and lots of global networks re-forming there while many of us are holding our identities on twitter/X. (one reason I continued to hold our Athena Media accounts is to avoid their name identities being re-purposed as identities by someone else - so even if not using - you can lock it off and make it private. LinkedIn is increasingly becoming an important part of digital public discourse and should also evolve to meet - and curate - that need. Any organisation ( state, NGO or corporate brand) using twitter/x should be revising its social media guidelines in the current landscape and ensuring it has done a risk analysis on the communications its out-sources to these platforms. Equally EU regulation needs to be monitoring this space and considering its governance and regulatory role for the public. Personally I've kept the athenamedia twitter accounts live primarily to amplify climate, environmental research and solutions but as things progress, and if Swisher is right, the current holding position for many of us will be untenable. #socialmedia #XmarksTheSpot #climate #digitalPolicy #BlueSky #Threads #governance

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Today at Carbon Unbound West, I had the opportunity to chat with Katie Sierks about Ebb Carbon’s hot-off-the-press agreement with Microsoft to remove up to 350,000 tonnes of excess CO2 from the atmosphere over the next decade. This landmark deal marks not only the largest marine CDR commitment to date but also one of the most significant carbon removal agreements across any pathway. I co-founded Ebb because I saw the ocean’s unmatched potential to combat climate change at the scale we urgently need. The fact that Microsoft is putting its purchasing power behind this pathway is a significant validation point for the entire sector. This is a big milestone for Ebb, and we’re just getting started. Onward! #mCDR #oCDR #CDR #climate #climatechange #CO2 #carbonremoval #ebbcarbon #OAE

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Natural England just released their report on the State of Natural Capital. Here are a few of my key takeaways, for those who haven’t had a chance to check it out: 1. The report shows a clear link between nature and our health, wealth and security. The UK’s natural wealth is valued at over £1.5 trillion and green spaces provide £25.6 billion in welfare benefits annually. 2. It’s notable that Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is not explicitly mentioned within the report. Potentially a pioneering policy for natural capital, as it links economic growth directly to the enhancement of natural resources. Strange not to be included. 3. Natural England highlight alarming declines in ecosystems, suggesting that depletion is affecting vital services like pollination (worth £500 million to agriculture), food security, and climate stability. 4. 1 in 5 people lack access to green spaces, which are crucial for mental health and crime reduction, especially in deprived communities. 5. The report calls for a new approach to nature conservation, viewing it as a long-term investment and urging policymakers to integrate natural capital into economic and policy decisions to safeguard future prosperity. While Natural England's State of Natural Capital report highlights the critical economic value of nature, it surprisingly omits Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), a pioneering policy that could revolutionise how natural capital is valued, positioning nature as a central component of the economy and societal wellbeing. Credit to Natural England check out the link in the comments to see the full report.

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Guess what? 😓 SHEIN has launched a €200 million “Circularity Fund” in the EU and the UK. Aka - they have just launched their largest greenwashing campaign yet 👇 They claim the fund will invest in startups and other businesses in the EU and UK that are driving circular solutions... 🫣 But all I can see is an attempt to generate positive press within the investment community ahead of a highly unpopular IPO with the public. Additionally, Shein says they will allow more European and UK artists and designers to join the Shein X design incubator programme, which helps emerging designers commercialise their creations through Shein's production, marketing, and logistics. 😢 In other words, it's a more formal way of profiting from independent designers' work Ultimately, the fund appears to mask Shein's true intentions: to further penetrate the European and UK markets, leverage local design talent, and gain favour with investors. 😓 There is no mention of reducing production, curbing consumption, or making their products less disposable Please share your thoughts by commenting below or resharing if you agree!

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