This document provides good practice guidelines on what a voluntary emissions offset is, the requirements of what constitutes a voluntary offset and examples of how voluntary emissions offsetting can be applied in the New Zealand context. Voluntary emissions offsetting should take place after the measurement of emissions and subsequent reductions of emissions have occurred. Offsetting enables an organisation to reduce emissions to the atmosphere outside the boundary of their organisation where further internal emissions reductions cannot be achieved. For the voluntary emissions offset to be considered credible, it must be:

1. transparent

2. real, measurable and verified

3. additional

4. not double-counted

5. address leakage

6. permanent