Carbon Offsetting Working Group - terms of reference

The Carbon Offsetting Working Group is a fixed-term sub-committee of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy Committee tasked with developing an internal carbon offsetting scheme.

Organisation

The organisational arrangements are as follows:

• The working group is chaired by the Chair of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy Committee.
• The working group reports to the Environmental Sustainability Strategy Committee.
• The secretary of the working group is a member of the Sustainability Team.
• The working group is a limited life group, which will be disbanded once it has met its objectives. In the first instance, it is expected that this group will exist for up to one year.
• The working group will meet as often as is required to meeting its objectives. It is expected that this will be up to six times a year.
• The unconfirmed minutes of the meetings will be circulated to the Environmental Sustainability Strategy Committee and the Ecological Advisory Working group.
• Each nominated representative will serve for the duration of this working group.
• The working group may invite non-members to attend a meeting to report on or discuss specific matters.

Membership

The working group consists of the following members:

• The Chair of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy Committee (Chair)
• A representative of the Ecological Advisory Panel (EAP)
• The Director of Cambridge Zero
• Up to four University members with expertise in carbon offsetting or a discipline relevant to offsetting
• Up to two external members with expertise in carbon offsetting
• One undergraduate student representative nominated by CUSU
• One postgraduate student representative nominated by the Grad Union.

Members are proposed by the Chair in discussion with existing members, to be confirmed by the ESSC.

Officers in attendance: 　

• Head of Sustainability
• Head of the Research Office
• Carbon and Energy Manager

The terms of reference are to:

• Oversee the development of a robust and transparent internal carbon offsetting scheme and recommend appropriate policies relating to carbon offsetting.
• Consult with relevant stakeholders to agree the principles of the scheme.
• Make recommendations on an appropriate price of carbon to be used within the scheme.
• Advise on which sources of carbon should be included within the scheme.
• Advise on which types of offset project should be supported through the scheme and arrangements for verification.
• Make recommendations on appropriate governance arrangements.
• Oversee initial implementation of the agreed scheme.
• Provide advice to relevant University Committees and groups on carbon offsetting.
• Act as ambassadors for carbon offsetting at the University.

Members

Officers in attendance