Concept

The additionality aspect is critical in determining the validity of emissions mitigation activities for offsetting purposes. Without it, there is no assurance that the emissions reductions are truly "additional" to business-as-usual.
It is important to note that additionality is not a green or red attribute of a climate project. Some projects may be more additional than others, but this does not necessarily mean that less additional projects have less impact in mitigating climate change. The pricing of carbon credits often reflects the degree of additionality, but the credits themselves do not necessarily indicate the level of additionality.

The ICR has established benchmarking criteria for additionality, with projects needing to conform to three levels to be eligible for registration. However, projects may also demonstrate conformity to other levels. The ICR registry labels each project according to its level of additionality based on these criteria. Organizations or individuals looking to offset their emissions through the purchase of carbon credits should be aware of the additionality level of the project they are supporting.