A Complete Guide How to buy carbon offsets that Genuinely Help

Buy Carbon Offsets

The emergence of new mandatory carbon trading schemes and growing consumer pressure have led companies to turn to the Voluntary Carbon Market. However, the changing trend and public attitude towards climate change and carbon emissions have provided an incentive for public policy. Despite an ever-changing landscape of provincial/state, federal, and international regulations, there is a need more than ever for businesses and investors to understand carbon credits.

This guide will help you understand the need to  purchase carbon offsets and how credits and offsets work in existing frameworks today, highlighting the growth potential. When you decide to purchase offsets, you have numerous options. 

Some airlines offer you the opportunity to purchase them through their sustainability programs. Many online businesses and non-profit organizations also offer them. There is no fixed price for carbon, and the cost of offsetting varies from project to project, depending on how expensive a particular program is to run.

A carbon market allows investors and businesses to trade carbon credits and offsets simultaneously. This helps to alleviate the environmental crisis while also opening up new markets.
Furthermore, the world carbon markets are experiencing a resurgence of interest. Although international carbon trading markets have existed since the Kyoto Protocols of 1997, the creation of new regional markets has driven a spike in investment.

The best way is to reduce your carbon impact as much as possible before acquiring carbon offsets. To accomplish the worldwide emission reductions required to address climate change, we must all make changes at work and at home. If you decide to become carbon neutral, making reductions will also give you legitimacy and save you money on offsets. 

Prioritize climate protection. To be of any use to the environment, carbon offsets must be of high quality. It is preferable to purchase fewer, higher-quality offsets rather than a more significant number of lower-quality offsets. Offsets need to be energy efficient, and these kinds of projects should be prioritized. These offsets help avoid or limit the use of fossil fuels (the leading source of climate change), resulting in a long-term climate benefit and assisting in the transition to a sustainable energy system.

Be a well-informed buyer. Take a close look at the offset quality claims made by vendors. Look for providers who provide thorough information about their offsets on their website to know what you’re getting. Don’t be afraid to inquire about any information that isn’t readily available on the vendor’s website. 

Look for information that is not biased.  Other expert assessments, analysis of carbon offsets, sellers, and The Voluntary Carbon Market can be found online. You can also seek guidance from a credible environmental organization or a greenhouse gas consultant.

What are carbon offsets?

A carbon offset is formed when a metric tonne of greenhouse gas emissions is reduced.  Businesses, governments, and individuals can buy carbon offsets to offset their emissions by investing in projects which reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon offset projects come in a wide range of sizes and types. They include reforestation programs that pay for trees to be planted to absorb greenhouse gases, renewable energy projects which pay to finance clean energy to replace dirty energy on the grid, and even direct air capture initiatives which employ technology to absorb carbon dioxide from the air. Any project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions might be considered carbon offsetting.

Are all carbon offsets the same?

At first glance, there appears to be no shortage of certified offsets that fulfil international requirements, with numerous offset providers already established and many more on the horizon. However, not all certified carbon offsets are created equal in terms of CO2 removal efficiency, permanence, or sustainability. As firms begin to comprehend the distinction between assertions of carbon neutrality and net-zero carbon, the Voluntary Carbon offset Market is coming under investigation.

Every gram of carbon emitted would have to be neutralized from the atmosphere in order to achieve net-zero carbon. It also features a location that prevents double counting of carbon emission reduction advantages.

What to look for when buying carbon offsets?

Carbon offset initiatives aren’t all the same. A carbon offset is a unit of emissions, usually a tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent, that you pay to have avoided, decreased, or removed elsewhere in the globe to compensate for emissions you’ve generated. Carbon offsets, however, have a number of fair criticisms. Carbon offsets, at their worst, do not achieve the carbon reduction or elimination that they claim and instead are viewed by consumers as a “licence to pollute,” causing them to emit even more carbon than before. According to the research done, for example, if a forestry project isn’t as long-term as it claims, the forest that should be absorbing greenhouse gases may lose trees due to neglect, disease, or logging.

IntegrityTo begin, make sure that any carbon offset project you’re sponsoring meets the basic requirement of really avoiding, decreasing, or eliminating the carbon emissions it claims to reduce or remove. Look for the following signs that a carbon offset scheme is legitimate:

VerifiabilityA trustworthy, independent third party must measure or carefully analyze the carbon reduction or removal.

Enforceability: The offset vendor must provide evidence that the carbon credits issued from a project are sold once and retired. Credits must be backed by a contract that spells forth exclusive ownership rights.

Additionality: A project must show that it is not taking credit for carbon reduction or elimination that would have occurred, even if the project didn’t exist.

Permanence: The carbon reduction or removal achieved by a high-quality project is difficult to undo. Initiatives should at the very least show proof that they will protect carbon reductions for the duration of the project; aim for projects with more extended periods if possible.

Transparency in fee structure, documentation, and operating efficiency are all things to look for.‍‍

Benefits of buying offsets from projects located in Canada: 

  • Because Canadians are among the world’s largest per-capita emitters of greenhouse gases, they must take steps to cut their own emissions. One method to do this is to invest in Canadian offset initiatives.
  • Offset programmes in Canada have the ability to educate Canadians in their communities about climate change solutions.
  • Investing in offset projects in Canada helps keep jobs, technical skills, and financial rewards in the country.
  • Because Canada’s environmental rules are often tougher than those in poorer countries, offset initiatives are less likely to create environmental collateral damage.
  • In Canada, offset projects are heavily monitored to verify that emissions reductions are infact achieved.

CONCLUSION: 

The article highlights some of the exceptional benefits of buying carbon offsets in Canada. However, this article also covers some of the important aspects of how to buy carbon offsets and other benefits. This guide also explores how credits and offsets work in existing frameworks today by highlighting the growth potential.