Cash In while You Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Carbon credit schemes are the hottest product in the world of overseas property investment and set to solidify this position over the next few years, according to experts.

Property Frontiers, a global investment consultancy and one of the first to introduce carbon credit investment schemes in the UK, have seen the opportunity that they present because of the pressure on global leaders to reduce the damage our lifestyle does to the planet, because of the growing ethical movement in the UK and around the world, and the fact that most parents want their children to grow up breathing clean air and playing under ozone filtered sun. Director Ray Withers recently said:

“We, as a company believe in moving with the times, but with carbon credit schemes we are moving with the times and the world. This is the way the world is going; we are all under pressure to reduce our carbon footprint, and buying carbon credits is the only way that some people can or will do that.

“Because of this and the fact that carbon credits are limited in numbers the value of said credits will constantly be driven upwards, constantly benefiting the pockets of those shrewd enough to invest in a carbon offsetting scheme.”

In carbon credit schemes investors buy something that is of environmental importance to protect it. This is commonly a strip of land that is environmentally important, i.e. in a rainforest. Said land is worth a certain amount of carbon credits determined by its importance to the environment. Each credit can be used to offset 1 metric tonne of greenhouse gas emissions.

In the case of Property Frontiers the product is a SIPP approved strip of land in the Costa Rican rainforest. The minimum investment of $12,000 buys a strip worth 200 carbon credits. British families output 18 metric tonnes of greenhouse gasses per year on average, which would leave 182 carbon credits to sell each year.

Carbon credit schemes are the perfect investment product to capitalise on the changing attitudes toward climate change. Because the sentiment behind reducing our carbon footprints is only going to increase as time passes, so to the value of carbon credits can only increase. Ben Jeffries, Property Frontiers’ sourcing manager said it best though:

“Whether the investor keeps or sells [the credits], either way a beautiful piece of the Costa Rican rainforest is preserved, along with the biodiversity it contains. It really is a chance to help save the planet for a relatively small sum of money,” he added.