For those readers who teach advanced climate change courses, the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute’s new three-part paper series on the nettlesome issue of additionality could be an excellent set of readings for students.

Below is a summary by GGMI of the series:

What is Additionality? Part 1: A long standing problem

Part 1 looks at the history of the concept and addresses —and attempts to resolve—some of the problems with definitions used to date. The paper makes the bold claim that the way we have thought about additionality in the climate change policy and carbon markets community has been based on a circular definition. It then offers improved definitions of both additionality and baseline for use by scholars and offset program policy makers. (Download Part 1 here.)

What is Additionality? Part 2: A framework for a more precise definition and standardized approaches

Part 2 goes further by looking at the application of the additionality and baseline concepts to standardized approaches. This paper examines the issue at a theoretical level incorporating guidance from social science and program evaluation. It provides an intellectual framework for thinking about additionality and baselines when the key concept of a policy intervention is included. (Download part 2 here.)

What is Additionality? Part 3: Implications for stacking and unbundling

Part 3, lastly, applies the concepts developed above to the issue of offset credit stacking. It concludes with specific options of how to implement a credible additionality assessment process where a single project has the potential to earn more than one type of offset credit. (Download part 3 here.)