How does a group take part in a climate club?
If you want to start a group you should get in touch with the main contact for the Climate Club your group will be joining. They will let you know how it works and the next steps. Here we have explained the main tasks you will be involved in as a group.
Before you start your group you will need to consider who will be taking part with you. For instance, if you are part of a football team will your group consist of your team members or will it be your work colleagues or neighbours. Once you have decided who will be in your group you can start setting it up on the website by filling in the simple form.
Task 1: Completing your group’s baseline emissions footprint
Your baseline emissions footprint is based on how much energy you have used over the last year. It will give you an idea of how much energy you use and what you could change to reduce your carbon emissions over the next year. It is also used by the Climate Club to decide how many carbon permits should be available for people to use.
Depending on your Climate Club your group’s baseline emissions footprint will include either:
- carbon emitted from your group’s buildings such as a community hall (your institution baseline) or
- personal emissions from members of the group such as home electricity or gas use (your individuals baseline) or
- both these things.
All of this can be completed on the website.
Task 2: Allocating carbon permits
Your group will be given carbon permits at the beginning of the year. These will have a virtual value, e.g. £12 per tonne. Over the year you will need to make sure that the carbon your group emits is equal to or less than the permits that you own.
The Climate Club will decide whether to allocate these permits based on a target reduction or an auction. If it is an auction, there is more information available.
Task 3: Keeping track of your carbon emissions
You will want to keep an eye on the amount of energy your group is using and whether you are making the changes you need to reduce your carbon emissions. There is no requirement to monitor your emissions, but it is a good idea to have at least a check six months in to see how the group is doing.
Task 4: Trading carbon permits
As you go through the year your Climate Club will give you opportunities to trade carbon permits. You will be able to buy and sell carbon permits depending on whether your emissions are going up or down. You set the terms – price and quantity – and then negotiate with groups in your Climate Club.
As you go through the year your Climate Club will give you opportunities to trade carbon permits. You will be able to buy and sell carbon permits depending on whether your emissions are going up or down. You set the terms – price and quantity – and then negotiate with groups in your Climate Club.
Task 5: Completing the year
At the end of the year you will need to let the Climate Club know what your actual carbon emissions were for the year. This involves recalculating the emissions that you submitted at the beginning of the year.
You will need to make sure that you have enough carbon permits to match your real carbon emissions for the year. There should be an extra trading day at the end of the year where you can sell your surplus permits, or if you’re not so fortunate buy extra permits.
Once all the information from all the groups is in, the Climate Club will be able to compare the performance of all the groups. The top performers should get a reward of some sort.
Contact your Climate Club for more information.