Nature Certificate questions.
Everything you need to know about the Nature Certificate Scheme, how it's measured, and how it's used to fund the prevention of plastic pollution.
What are the Nature Certificates?
Nature Certificates are a comprehensive initiative by Seabin Pty Ltd aimed at preventing and reducing microplastic, plastic pollution, and marine litter in marine environments. It emphasises the “Polluter Pays” concept and seeks to create commercial value for funding nature repair and protection efforts.
How do the Nature Certificates work to reduce and prevent plastic pollution?
The scheme operates by filtering water for microplastics and plastic pollution using Seabin technology, and then impact data is created from this. This data supports actions such as brand audits, policy advocacy, improvement of waste management systems, and community engagement programs to prevent plastic pollution.
What are the environmental and financial benefits of the Nature Certificates?
Nature Certificates offer numerous benefits, including the protection of marine and freshwater ecosystems, improved public health, enhanced tourism attractiveness, benefits to the fishing industry, and a better value of life due to a healthier environment.
Is the NCS verified or associated with any existing credit schemes?
As of the document date, the Nature Certificates are not required to be verified and do not involve offsets, credits, neutrality, or being nature-positive. Nature Certificates stand independently from existing biodiversity, nature, or carbon credit schemes. Seabin plans to seek third-party verification in the near future to build more confidence for all stakeholders.
Who can purchase Nature Certificates and how?
The scheme is designed to accommodate all sectors, from individuals and families to SMEs and large corporates. Participation can be through subscription plans, or by purchasing digital products representing impact units.
How does Seabin aim to control greenwashing?
Nature Certificates documentation includes a claims and usage guide to promote honest communication about participation in the scheme. It emphasises the importance of reporting only the exact impact data and discourages misleading or exaggerated claims about environmental impact.
What is the methodology behind the NCS?
Nature Certificates use a science-based methodology developed internally by Seabin scientists and management since 2019, with third-party input from entities such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency. It involves detailed monitoring, reporting, and verification processes, including the use of Seabin technology for data collection.
How is the impact of the Nature Certificates measured and reported?
Impact measurement involves quantifying the amount of water filtered and the number of plastic items captured over time, including microplastics. The scheme uses an innovative Pollution Index to rate water quality levels based on the amount of plastic pollution. Annual impact reports and certificates are issued to document the financial investment and associated environmental impact.
Can the impact data be traded?
Yes and no. Nature Certificates package quantifiable science-based metrics into impact units that have an allocated value. These impact units can be sold as digital products or subscription plans, representing a tangible contribution to reducing plastic pollution. The Nature Certificates cannot be sold or traded by the purchaser.
What steps are being taken to ensure the scalability of the Nature Certificates?
The Nature Certificate model is designed for scalability through a fractional pricing model, allowing for easy expansion by deploying more technology and resources as needed. It aims to include more cities and countries, addressing plastic pollution on a global scale.