Understanding High-Integrity Carbon Removal

A buyer’s plain-language guide to Clo Carbon Cymru’s Biochar Standard

1. Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR)

What it means:

Carbon Dioxide Removal refers to activities that physically remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it durably.

Why it matters:

CDR is required to address residual emissions that cannot be eliminated, even after deep decarbonisation.

Context:

Biochar production removes atmospheric CO₂ via plant growth and stores it in a stable carbon form (biochar), qualifying as durable CDR, not an offset (avoided emissions or accounting substitutions).

2. Carbon Removal vs Carbon Sequestration

Removal:

  • The act of taking CO₂ out of the atmosphere.
  • Measured at the point carbon is captured and stabilised.

Sequestration:

  • The ongoing storage of that removed carbon over time.

Context:

Biochar achieves both removal (during biomass growth) and sequestration (through long-term carbon stability in soils).

Credits represent verified removals, not avoided emissions.

3. Durability vs Permanence

Durability:

  • How long carbon is expected to remain stored, based on scientific evidence.
  • Expressed in years (e.g. >100 years).

Permanence:

  • The confidence that stored carbon will not be reversed, supported by monitoring, verification, and governance.

Context:

  • Biochar meets durability thresholds of 100–1,000+ years, aligned with Carbon Direct and Isometric criteria.

Permanence is reinforced through independent verification and registry controls.

4. Carbon Insetting vs Carbon Offsetting

Offsetting:

  • Compensating for emissions elsewhere, often disconnected from a company’s value chain.
  • Historically associated with low-integrity credits.

Insetting

  • Investing in carbon removals within a defined supply chain or regional economy.

In this Standard:

Clo Carbon Cymru operates a carbon insetting model, linking investment directly to Welsh land management, biodiversity, and rural economies.

5. Biochar

What it is:  Biochar is a carbon-rich solid produced by heating biomass in a low-oxygen environment (pyrolysis).

Why it matters:  Biochar locks atmospheric carbon into a stable form that resists decomposition for centuries.

Context:

  • Biochar is produced from sustainably managed woodlands, hedgerows, and agroforestry.

Its carbon content is independently measured and verified before conversion to a CO2 equivalent

6. Carbon Lock Origin Certificate (CLOC)

What it is:  A verified unit of carbon removal, where one CLOC equals one tonne of CO₂ permanently removed.

What makes it different:

  • Backed by ISO-aligned MRV
  • Linked to physical biochar production
  • Retired transparently to prevent double counting

7. Nature-Based Solutions (NbS)

What it means: Actions that protect, restore, or manage ecosystems while addressing climate change and supporting biodiversity.

Context: Clo Carbon Cymru’s Biochar Production Standard aligns with the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-Based Solutions, ensuring carbon removal delivers real ecological and social benefits.

8. Verification

What it means: Independent assessment by qualified third parties to confirm that carbon removals are real, measurable, and permanent.

Context:  All CLOCs are verified under ISO 14064-3 and aligned with ICVCM Core Carbon Principles.

9. What You’re Buying:
Carbon Lock Origin Certificates (CLOCs)

Each CLOC represents one tonne of CO₂ permanently removed.

Every certificate is:

  • Measured and verified under ISO standards
  • Linked to physical biochar production
  • Transparently recorded and retired
  • Aligned with ICVCM Core Carbon Principles

Why this matters for buyers

Clo Carbon Cymru biochar removals offer:

    • High-integrity carbon removal, not offsets
    • Long-term climate impact, not short-lived storage
    • Transparent verification, not self-reported claims
    • Biodiversity and community benefits, not extractive finance