Cool Effect Appoints Dr. Johanna Depenthal as Director of Project Research

Accomplished Researcher to Spearhead the Nonprofit’s Rigorous Project Vetting and Selection Process

Cool Effect, a Bay Area based nonprofit dedicated to supporting high integrity carbon emission reduction and removal projects around the globe, is announcing today that it has appointed Johanna Depenthal, Ph.D. to serve as the organization’s Director of Project Research. Depenthal has a decade of deep-rooted experience in field research and data analysis in support of environmental conservation and community development projects. Her doctoral degree in Forest Resources and Conservation is from the University of Florida. She will oversee Cool Effect’s project vetting and selection process based upon extensive scientific evaluation, and will be instrumental in upholding the nonprofit’s commitment to offering carbon credits from the highest-quality carbon projects around the globe at a time when credit quality is under scrutiny.

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Cool Effect has appointed Johanna Depenthal, Ph.D. to serve as the organization’s Director of Project Research. Depenthal has a decade of deep-rooted experience in field research and data analysis in support of environmental conservation and community development projects. Her doctoral degree in Forest Resources and Conservation is from the University of Florida. (Photo: Cool Effect)

“We are delighted to welcome Johanna to Cool Effect. Her extensive background provides the knowledge and expertise integral to the success of our mission,” said Dee Lawrence, Cool Effect Co-founder and Director of Carbon Projects. “Her dedication to science-based evaluations and community engagement aligns with our commitment to integrity and scientific analysis. I’m confident that Johanna's experience and skills will play a crucial role in maintaining Cool Effect's reputation as a leader in sourcing the highest-quality carbon projects.”

Cool Effect’s mission of Carbon Done Correctly is intended to bring integrity to the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM). The Cool Effect Model includes a rigorous process of project vetting and scientific analysis including the completion of due diligence criteria, something the organization refers to as triple verification. In her new role, Depenthal will be responsible for spearheading the process of an assessment of additionality, project baselines, leakage, and Emission Reduction calculations.

Most importantly, Depenthal will organize and conduct site visits that Cool Effect uses to evaluate the project structure and level of community involvement.

“Climate change increasingly affects all of Earth's ecosystems and every aspect of our lives. We have a joint responsibility to take ownership of our contribution and to work individually and collectively for climate change mitigation and adaptation,” said Johanna Depenthal, Ph.D., Director of Project Research at Cool Effect. “This requires our best science and innovation and the best of us as humans. I admire Cool Effect's commitment to supporting high integrity carbon credits and to raising the standard for environmental and social benefits across the market. I am excited to bring my scientific background and experience working with local communities to Cool Effect in my new role.”

To learn more about Cool Effect, please visit cooleffect.org.

About Cool Effect™

Cool Effect is a San Francisco Bay Area 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to reducing carbon emissions around the world. Endorsed by 1% for the Planet, its mission is to educate and then inspire businesses and individuals to take measurable action against climate change by purchasing scientifically verified carbon credits from the world’s highest quality projects. It returns more than 90% of each donation directly to its project partners and, since its launch at the Paris COP in 2015, has helped projects receive compensation for over eight million tonnes of emission reductions. Like the Butterfly Effect, The Ripple Effect, and others, a single action can have global impact. To learn more, please visit cooleffect.org or follow Cool Effect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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