Starting with no staff, no clients and just an idea, Andrew Grant has proved that carbon offsetting can be commercialised. In the mid-1990s, Andrew recognised the looming issue of carbon emissions and the potential for a company that could offer the market carbon offsets. In the face of deep scepticism, he pioneered Australia’s carbon credits market, resulting in a highly successful business, the CO2 Group. Early on, Andrew identified the important technological solution that long-term plantings of Mallee Eucalypts could offer the carbon credits market, and started to educate big business about the viability of biosequestration. In the early years, Andrew worked closely with the state and federal authorities, including driving the amendment of the Federal Tax Act to provide deductability for carbon sinks. The CO2 Group was Australia’s first company to be accredited under the carbon sequestration rule of the NSW Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme and the first under the Federal Government Greenhouse Friendly Scheme (Carbon Sequestration). In 2007, CO2 became the first Australian company registered on Chicago’s climate exchange, North America’s only cap and trade system for all six greenhouse gases. Today, CO2 is the largest provider of dedicated carbon sink plantings in Australia, moving from a loss position in 2006, to a million dollar profit this year. The company is a regular finalist in local and global environmental awards and has earned the respect of regulators, competitors and the market. It is firmly committed to innovation, with plans to invest $1 million in research and development in 2009. Andrew’s vision for CO2 is to increase both its customer base and the size of the projects. He is also looking to continue with his vision of protecting the environment by adding further services to the business, including solar/renewable energy, water projects and biodiesel from algae. | 
