ISSUES

Offsetting

Carbon offset is the act of reducing or avoiding Green House Gas  (GHG) emissions in one place in order to "offset" GHG emissions occuring elswhere. Because GHGs mix well in the atmosphere, it doesn't matter where that mitigation occurs.

Offsetting all the carbon you create makes you carbon neutral. This concept of becoming carbon neutral is an appealing proposition for both companies and individuals. But, there are troubles with offsets.

Buying into offset projects

1. Offical Offsets - Commitment to offset 740mill tonnes of GHGs is sanctioned under the Kyoto Protocol. This allows governments and companies to earn carbon credits that can be traded. Such projects, usually under the Clean Development Mechanism are controlled by tight rules and a complex bureacracy to control fraud.

2. Unofficial sector - Charitable and profit making bodies (about 30 worldwide) that charge you - or your organisations, to organise offsets on your behalf. Many companies choose this route, although they cannot confer credits or abide by Protocol rules. So far, committed to offset 20-50 mill tonnes.

To mitigate emissions by buying into an offset project must be additional to on-going business. For example - buying into a methane capturing project at a land fill site is purchasing into a best business practice that should be on-going, and in some countries is a mandatory requirement. Therefore this would not constitute an offset project.

A genuine offset project is one that: would not be carried out without offset funding - including your contribution, goes beyond legal requirements, is beyond the scope of normal and best business practices and can demonstrate actual carbon / GHG reductions.

Emission One 2,000 mile airplane flight adds one tonne of carbon to the atmosphere. But calculating airflight emissions isn't that staightforward.

Offset Planting one acre of Douglas Fir Trees with a growth expectancy of 50 years takes one tonne of carbon out of the atmosphere.

You need to be able to demonstrate that any offset projects your organisation undertakes would not have happened as a result of normal or best business practices but are additional.

Directory of Offsetters (pdf)

Indirect offsets