A carbon accounting platform supports emissions data collection and calculation; a carbon credit registry records information about projects, units and operations. They meet different needs and can work alongside each other. Carbonetica Registry is a private voluntary registry: it does not automatically calculate a company’s footprint, and registration does not replace independent project verification.
Before choosing a tool: which result do you need?
If you are looking for a carbon accounting platform, you may need to collect consumption and value chain data, develop an inventory or track reduction measures. To check a credit, you instead need project references, records, serial numbers and unit status.
Both activities may use tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, but their outputs are not interchangeable. A figure in an inventory describes emissions within a boundary; a registry unit connects to a project outcome and its own lifecycle.
| If you need to… | Look primarily for… |
|---|---|
| Measure and track corporate emissions | Methodology, data collection, emission factors and reporting in carbon accounting. |
| Assess a credit-generating project | Methodology, monitoring and independent verification evidence. |
| Check units and operations | Registry references, serial numbers, status and transfer or retirement records. |
What to ask a carbon accounting platform provider
The GHG Protocol Corporate Standard concerns preparing an organisation’s emissions inventory. Having software does not itself determine the activities to include or the treatment of missing data and boundary changes.
Before selecting a tool, define the locations and activities, period, data sources and internal responsibilities. Ask how it documents the method, factors, estimates, updates and exports. For comparisons over time, clarify how calculation versions and the reasons for changes remain identifiable.
It is useful to trace a result back to its inputs: for example, distinguishing measured consumption from an estimate. Do not assume that an automatically generated report constitutes independent verification of its contents.
What a carbon credit registry does
A registry retains information on units and operations governed by its rules. The Gold Standard Impact Registry, for example, describes issuance, holding, transfer and retirement as steps in a credit lifecycle. Read each registry and scheme on its own terms.
Carbonetica Registry is a private voluntary registry. You can review published project information and, when consultation is available, search units and their references. The platform does not automatically turn utility bills or company data into an emissions inventory.
Registration does not replace independent project verification. The GHG Protocol for Project Accounting also distinguishes quantifying project benefits from corporate inventories: reducing an inventory item does not automatically generate transferable credits.
Connect the records without confusing their results
- Retain the inventory and its boundary. Identify the year, included activities, method and data limitations.
- Document operational reductions. Where results change, distinguish measures’ effects from changes in data, method or boundary.
- Keep a separate credit file. Record the project, outcome period, documents, quantity and relevant serial numbers.
- Describe the actual operation. Purchase, transfer and retirement are different stages; retain evidence of what was actually performed.
To understand unit years, read our carbon credit vintage guide. Logistics readers can find a sector application in carbon credits for logistics companies.
Questions before choosing a service
Ask what you will receive: a calculation, report, verification or recorded operation? Who is responsible for data, and who performs any independent checks? Which records can you retain and compare? Precise answers help you request the appropriate service.
For information about registry projects, start with Projects and use Contact to state your purpose and available references. For operation rules, read the Registry Regulations. The form does not calculate a footprint, reserve credits or complete purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Is Carbonetica Registry carbon accounting software?
No. Its role is a private registry for voluntary credits, rather than automatically calculating corporate emissions.
Does an emissions inventory certify credits?
No. A corporate inventory, project evidence and unit records serve different purposes.
Does holding credits automatically make a company carbon neutral?
No. Holding or retiring credits does not automatically certify climate neutrality. Communications should distinguish emissions, reductions and documented contributions.