

This includes projects designed to help reduce future emissions (‘ mitigation measures’) and projects that help soak up carbon dioxide from the air (‘ removalmeasures’). Credits that are traded in this manner are often referred to as making up voluntary carbon markets.Īny activity that reduces emissions could constitute a carbon offset. The money received from the sale of this unit provides an incentive for the offsetting project developer to reduce emissions, and the purchase and subsequent retirement of this credit gives the offset buyer a measurable reduction to claim. After verification, they are sold as a carbon credit or unit which represents a certain volume of emissions reductions. The company may then count the emissions reductions they have paid for towards their own climate targets.Įmissions reductions from offsetting projects are first verified for accuracy by a third party. Carbon offsetting is a process that involves a reduction in, or removal of, carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere.Ĭarbon offsetting generally involves companies paying other entities to reduce carbon emissions that they cannot currently reduce themselves.
