Less questions, more answers.
Is animal farming harmful to the environment?
Animal farming is often criticised for its negative impact on the environment, but it is important to recognise that not all animal farming practices are equal. “It’s not the cow, it’s the how”, goes the saying!
Sustainable livestock farming practices can sequester carbon from the atmosphere and improve soil health. Sustainable livestock farming can also promote biodiversity and protect natural habitats, help to create more resilient rural communities, increase access to healthy and sustainable food, and promote fair and equitable supply chains.
Through ruumi, sponsors can support livestock farmers who are committed to sustainable practices such as reducing chemical inputs, improving soil health, and optimising grazing patterns. By doing so, sponsors can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and play a role in mitigating the effects of climate change.
Why does soil health matter?
Soil health is essential for productive and cost-effective farming systems. Additionally, soil is one of the largest carbon sinks on earth, second only to the oceans. By building and maintaining healthy, biodiverse soil, we can sequester and store more carbon from the atmosphere, which is important for mitigating climate change.
What does ruumi provide?
ruumi provides technology, know-how, and finance to farmers to transition to sustainable practices. For sponsors, we provide insights and data to measure, report, and verify (MRV) sustainable practices and a direct connection with farmers. Through ruumi, you can not only offset carbon, and reach net-zero, but you can also support local farming communities.
What is ruumi?
ruumi enables farmers to restore and maintain soil heath on livestock pasture. This means more productive farms with reduced inputs and lower emissions. We connect sponsors who want to be part of this transition directly with farmers. Through ruumi, sponsors can purchase carbon credits, source from sustainable farms, and reach net zero in their supply chains.
Are your credits verified?
ruumi is registered with Verra VCS (the science-led, market leader, Verified Carbon Standard) as a carbon project developer to issue carbon credits with accountability and transparency. We’re currently in the process of validating their method and verifying our farmers’ reductions.
Are you certified?
ruumi is registered with Verra VCS (the science-led, Verified Carbon Standard) as a carbon project developer to issue carbon credits with accountability and transparency.
How do you guarantee additionally?
ruumi works with farmers to reduce and avoid carbon emissions. Every ton you offset is directly sponsoring a combination of sustainable practices which would not have been implemented without your help. Carbon stored as a result of government mandates (that would have been stored even without your support) is not additional and will never form any part of the carbon credits you purchase via ruumi.
How do you guarantee permanence?
We implement practices (and continually research new ones) to promote sequestration over storage and work towards permanence. We only work with farmers whose land is ideally suited to grazing. We work with farmers to transform farming practices for the long-term.
In addition, every credit issued according to the Verra standard requires a “non-permanence buffer”. Risk of reversal is assessed using a specific risk assessment tool, and every project contributes credits to a common buffer pool. Should there be a reversal in a project, credits are deducted from the buffer pool.
How do you measure soil carbon? What is the scientific underpinning?
For verification, we measure soil carbon through taking physical soil samples, which are analysed for organic carbon content using dry combustion. We also use advanced carbon modelling to estimate the amount of carbon stored in the soil based on compliance with best practices throughout a project.
We implement practices (and continually research new ones) to promote sequestration over storage and work towards permanence. These practices include reduced tillage, increased plant diversity, reduced nitrogen fertiliser and improved grazing management. By maintaining healthy soil and transitioning farms to profitable low-input practices, we can ensure that the carbon sequestered in the soil remains there over the long term.
How do you measure soil carbon?
We measure soil carbon through taking physical soil samples, which are analysed for organic carbon content using dry combustion. As we gather more data, we use the best published and will build our own models to estimate the amount of carbon stored in the soil based on compliance with best practices throughout a project.
Why is soil management important for climate change mitigation?
Soil management is important for climate change mitigation because healthy soil can act as a carbon sink, absorbing and storing carbon from the atmosphere. By improving soil health, farmers can increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This can help to mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting carbon sequestration. Additionally, healthy soil can lead to increased productivity and yield, making farming more sustainable and profitable in the long run.
What are soil carbon credits?
Soil carbon credits are generated by sequestering carbon in soil. In the context of ruumi, soil carbon credits are earned by livestock farmers who participate in the soil improvement plan, a plan which helps farmers transition to more sustainable practices. The credits are generated by the improvements made to the soil, which increase soil organic carbon levels. These credits can be sold on the voluntary carbon market to buyers who are looking to offset their carbon emissions. The credits are certified to the highest international standard for soil carbon credits, the Verra standard, which requires scientific rigor and third-party monitoring.
What kind of carbon credits does ruumi certify?
ruumi uses the highest international standard for soil carbon credits. For livestock farming in the UK and Ireland, this is the Verra standard (using methodology VM0042). Verra’s reputation results from the scientific rigour and 3rd party monitoring it requires. Every Verra credit accounts for inputs and outputs across the whole grazing platform including animal methane emissions. This holistic approach means the credits are highly reliable, appealing to a wide range of buyers at the best price. ruumi works in close collaboration with Verra to continuously evolve the methodology.
Is it better to buy carbon credits or to finance the transition of our providers directly?
It really depends on your objectives. If you would like to make claims of the reductions during the transition, then it is better to finance the transition directly. If you just want your farmers to be more sustainable, or if you are targeting an emission level by a certain date, it could be sufficient to buy the credits in the market. Please note: this is our attempt at trying to simplify a really complex decision and the above has lots of nuance to it. Contact us and we will work with you to make sure to choose the best option for you.
Is it necessary to start a transition in order for ruumi to measure emissions?
No, ruumi does not need you to start a transition in order to measure emissions. Our data will enable you to make claims towards SBTi or food labels. However, in most cases there is margin to improve and it is generally beneficial to launch a transition to be financed by the offsetting market or to make claims on emission reductions.
Do you integrate with other MRV platforms?
Yes, ruumi can integrate with other MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) platforms to help you streamline your data collection and reporting processes.
What data does ruumi help me gather?
ruumi helps you gather data on emissions and farm practices. This data is important for accurately measuring your carbon footprint and identifying opportunities for emission reductions.
Why is primary data important for accurate measurements?
Primary data is important for accurate measurements because it provides a more complete picture of your supply chain and allows for more precise calculations of emissions. This creates a trail of data that can be easily audited. ruumi encourages companies to collect primary data whenever possible, as it provides a more accurate representation of their operations and helps to identify areas for improvement.
Can I claim emission reductions if my providers are also selling carbon credits?
No, you can’t claim emission reductions if your providers are also selling carbon credits. One of the requirements to sell credits is to ensure that the claimed reductions are not being double-counted. If you are interested in claiming reductions, it is better to finance the transition of your providers directly rather than buying carbon credits. That means, you can claim all the reductions. ruumi helps you gather data on emissions, energy use, and other factors in your supply chain to help you measure your carbon footprint accurately and show progress over time.
Can I work with ruumi to hit my Science Based Target Initiatives?
Yes! We help you reduce emissions within your supply chain by working directly with farmers, and we measure emission reductions in accordance with SBTi FLAG and GHG Land Sector and Removals Guidance.