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Carbon offsetting is the act of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. There are a wide variety of offset projects and methods such as tree planting, renewable energy, energy conservation and methane capture.
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Carbon offsetting
Carbon offsetting is the act of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
A wide variety of offset methods are in use — while tree planting was initially a mainstay of carbon offsetting, renewable energy, energy conservation and methane capture offsets have now become increasingly popular. Purchase and withdrawal of emissions trading credits is also seen, creating a connection between the voluntary and regulated carbon markets.
The Kyoto Protocol has sanctioned offsets as a way for governments and private companies to earn carbon credits which can be traded on a marketplace. The protocol established a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) which validates and measures projects to ensure they produce authentic benefits and are genuinely "additional" activities that would not be otherwise undertaken. Organisations that have difficulties in meeting their emissions quota are able to offset by buying CDM-approved Certified Emissions Reductions. The CDM encourages projects that involve, for example, sustainable power generation, changes in land use, and forestry, although not all trading countries allow their companies to buy all types of credit.
The commercial system has contributed to the increasing popularity of voluntary offsets among private individuals and also companies. Offsets may be cheaper or more convenient alternatives to reducing one's own fossil-fuel consumption. For this reason some critics object to carbon offsets, and many have also questioned the benefits of certain types of offsets, such as tree planting.
Types of offsets
- Carbon capture (sinks) and storage (reservoirs) – such as tree planting
- Avoided deforestation – providing efficient log burners in underdeveloped countries
- Renewable energy – wind and hydro-generation, biofuels etc
- Energy efficiency and conservation
- Methane collection and combustion
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