MARKIT AND C-QUESTOR LAUNCH CARBCO PLATINUM CARBON STANDARD
- Markit Environmental Registry to be Exclusive Registry for Listing of Credits -

Copenhagen, London and New York, NY – Markit, a leading, global financial information services company, and C-Questor LLP, a UK-based international organization dedicated to helping solve the problems of global warming and climate change through the application of cutting-edge technologies, have announced the launch of the Carbco Platinum Carbon Standard. Carbco offers a range of services relating to the Carbon markets, including both voluntary and mandatory carbon credits.   The two companies also announced an agreement to list the Platinum Carbon Standard verified credits exclusively on Markit’s Environmental Registry, a leading environmental registry which lists the majority of the world's credits based on voluntary carbon and ecosystem standards.

The Platinum Carbon Standard supports current international, scientifically sound standards (such as the Voluntary Carbon Standard), adding additional certification and validity.  Whilst earlier projects have focused on deforestation credits, the Platinum Carbon Standard is designed to encompass emerging technologies in the climate change sector.  It will focus initially on the forestry sector, integrating carbon, biodiversity and other environmental services into a single certificate thereby representing the highest possible ethical standards.  

There are currently several Platinum Carbon Standard projects underway in Africa, Brazil and South-East Asia.  The first certificates to be listed based on the standard related to a 168,000 hectare forestry project based in Papua, Indonesia.

Platinum Carbon Standard projects are required to meet a range of obligatory standards ranging from sustainability, biodiversity and transparent accounting to the setting aside of carbon as an insurance against accidents and the need for proof that a project produces genuine carbon reductions that would not have occurred during normal business practice.

Dr. Hans Christian Soerensen, a Director of C-Questor LLP, said: “The Carbco Platinum Carbon Standard’s focus is on protecting the broadest range of species and ecosystems.  Qualifying projects must ensure that project benefits can be verified and observed, both by official verifying bodies and by the provision of regularly updated satellite data and real time video feeds to permit monitoring by the global community.”

Transparency and integrity for the new standard are of paramount importance.  In line with this requirement, Markit’s Environmental Registry has been selected as the sole global carbon registry for credits verified with the Carbco Platinum Carbon Standard.

Helen Robinson, Managing Director of Markit’s Environmental Registry, said: “Markit is pleased to provide a secure platform for the listing and tracking of the Carbco Platinum Carbon Standard.”
Dr. Soerensen added: “It is essential for buyers and sellers of carbon credits to be confident in the provenance and singularity of the credits.  Markit’s Environmental Registry provides this security and greatly increases the visibility of the Carbco Platinum Carbon Standard within the global marketplace.”

There are 10 million Pending Issuance Units, validated to the Carbco Platinum Carbon Standard, currently listed on Markit’s Environmental Registry.  These can be viewed on www.markitenvironmental.com/carbcoplatinum

For further information, please contact:

Michael Gormley
Director, Corporate Communications
Markit
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel: +1 212 205 1310

Claire Gorman
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Markit
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel: + 44 20 7064 6032

Suzanna Hammond
Director of Communications
C-Questor and Carbco
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel: + 44 207 630 6633

Notes to Editors:
About Markit
Markit is a leading, global financial information services company with over 1,400 employees.  The company provides independent data, valuations and trade processing across all asset classes in order to enhance transparency, reduce risk and improve operational efficiency.  Its client base includes the most significant institutional participants in the financial market place.  For more information please see www.markit.com

About Markit’s Environmental Registry
Markit’s Registry is a pre-eminent environmental markets infrastructure provider.  As the global trend in managing environmental assets moves towards price-based mechanisms, a robust registry is an essential tool to provide transparency and credibility.  www.markitenvironmental.com

About C-Questor
C-Questor is an international business that aims to help arrest global warming through a portfolio of scientific and business activities.  The company has 12 sectors of operation, each focused on a different aspect of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases.  C-Questor aims to develop practical solutions in areas such as biological carbon sequestration using trees and algae, the prevention of desertification, geological sequestration, energy efficiency and renewable energy for homes, the generation of efficiencies in infrastructure and transport, carbon trading to bring about cost effective change, and bio-diversity protection.  The company leverages a range of technologies, including nanotechnology and biotechnology, commercialises its activities for application in local markets and leverages financial instruments such as carbon offsets arising out of their provision.  C-Questor’s operations are supported by a Scientific Advisory Board and an Environmental Ethics Board, in addition to the eminent scientists and business people on its main operational Board of Directors.  Further information on C-Questor and its activities is available at www.cquestor.com
 
About Carbco Corporation
Carbco offers a range of services relating to the Carbon markets, including both voluntary and mandatory carbon credits. The company develops a wide range of qualifying Carbon Offset projects and offers consultancy services to other providers including arranging validation and monitoring, project planning, assistance with project implementation and trading of the resulting Carbon offsets. For companies and individuals, Carbco offers a brokering service for all types of Carbon Contract, as well as advice on energy efficiency, and the opportunity to offset personal carbon emissions. Further information on Carbco Corporation is available at www.carbco.cc