Since 2014, we have been supporting organic trade fairs in offsetting the carbon emissions caused by the events. Instead of buying emission certificates abroad, we have developed a concept that enables us to offset the emissions within our own supply chain on regional farms, which also improves their sustainability. This method of offsetting emissions is called insetting.
Biomessen organises local trade fairs across the length and breadth of Germany. To compensate for the event’s emissions, they cooperate with local organic farms on more sustainable land management. A total of seven farms are involved, farming almost 1,900 hectares.
At the start of the project, we calculated the carbon sequestration potential of each farm. During the cooperation period, the farms sell the sequestered carbon potential in the form of emission certificates to the organic fairs. This financial compensation allows the farms to adopt more emission-friendly practices.
The original estimate identified between 0.2 and 5.1 tonnes of carbon sequestration potential per farm and hectare per year. Re-sampling in 2019 confirmed the majority of the original calculations.
These insetting measures reward farms for their environmental stewardship while increasing soil productivity and resilience. For Biomessen, this regional and transparent concept fits perfectly with its own aspirations.
