The Blue Ventures' Carbon Offset is driven by:

• A motivation to invest as much as possible in improving the livelihoods of resource dependent communities in developing countries; especially southern Madagascar, one of the poorest and most isolated regions of Africa and helping to adapt to climate change
• A need to know what, where and how our carbon offset money is being used
• A desire to increase awareness of the link between air travel, climate change, and coral reef degradation
• The need to combat climate change through emissions reductions beyond efficiency savings
• A desire to help others to reduce their carbon emissions.

BVCO was born out of Blue Ventures Conservation. The charity has had great success in protecting coral reefs and other marine systems over the years, but climate change threatens to undo much of this work and further degrade coral reefs (learn more here).

The work of Blue Ventures has been able to go ahead through both the work and funding of volunteers.  Our volunteers however do contribute to carbon emissions through their travel to the site. Our need to address climate change started by advising volunteers to use offset organisations.  However, there seemed to be a better way to directly benefit the Malagasy communities that we were working with.  Thus, we established the Blue Ventures Carbon Offset programme. The programme is now compulsory for all Blue Ventures volunteers, researchers, tourists, and also recreational visitors to our research site.

Since the beginning of 2007 we have been working with Association pour le Développement de l'Energie Solaire (ADES) to coordinate the efficient stove programme.  ADES already have a great experience with dissemination of solar stoves in Madagascar. BVCO is currently financing the programme to be expanded across the Tulear region of Madagascar. 

Our offsetting principle

BVCO believe that energy management and conservation should come before carbon offsetting, but that offsetting can work along with other carbon reducing activities.  In fact, we believe that carbon offsetting is at the base of the carbon conservation triangle, so we utilise other strategies before resorting to offsetting.  This is why for all individuals and businesses looking to offset their lifestyle or businesses we offer an energy management programme.

Further, we do not claim that carbon offsetting will provide a solution for climate change, but it will help communities who are least prepared for the negative effects of climate change to adapt to the long term consequences of mass carbon burning.

BVCO is specifically works on alternative carbon mitigation projects that have additional environmental, economic and health benefits for local communities in Madagascar.  See our project pages for further information.