Clients often turn to Simply Carbon Reduction to help them understand the concept of Carbon offsetting, whether it would support their business to achieve their sustainability objectives and how to avoid the potential pitfalls.
What is Carbon Offsetting?
Carbon offsetting is a practice that allows organisations to compensate for their Greenhouse Gas emissions by investing in projects that reduce or remove Greenhouse Gases from the atmosphere.
Projects include nature-based initiatives such as planting trees and restoring peatland or investments in energy efficiency or renewable energy. By purchasing certified Carbon credits, companies can effectively balance out their Carbon Footprint by contributing towards efforts to address Climate Change.
Carbon Offsetting: Some Important Considerations
To many organisations, often those with the best of intentions, offsetting appears a straightforward solution. However, the concept is more complex and nuanced than it first appears and there are a number of important considerations to take into account.
One of the key aspects of carbon offsetting is the concept of additionality, which means that the emissions reductions or removals achieved through offset projects would not have occurred without the financial support provided by the offset purchasers.
Not all carbon offset projects are created equal, and some may even have limited or questionable environmental benefits. It is crucial for businesses to thoroughly research and verify the credibility of both the projects they are investing in and the company providing them. In the United Kingdom, the Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code are internationally recognised for high standards of sustainable forest and Carbon Management.
Human activity has warmed the atmosphere, oceans and land and we are seeing the consequences. Warming will increase but catastrophic impacts can be averted if we act now. The 2020’s are a decade for climate action and every tonne of carbon saved makes a difference. Every organisation needs to re-consider their overall business model in light of the changing climate. We need to drastically reduce global Greenhouse Gas emissions. It is not possible offset our way out of the Climate Emergency.
Conclusion
Simply Carbon Reduction always advise clients to focus on reducing their business's Scope 1 & Scope 2 Greenhouse Gas emissions and those within their wider supply chain (Scope 3), rather than getting into the mindset that offsetting their environmental impact will allow them to continue with 'business as usual'.
Reducing emissions must always be the key focus of any Net Zero strategy. A robust Carbon Reduction Plan will help to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and deliver cost savings, as well as enhance a company's reputation and help attract and retain staff, clients and investors.
Offsetting your business's carbon emissions before significantly cutting them can be seen as Greenwashing by these important stakeholders, potentially damaging your business's reputation instead of enhancing it.
If you would like to discuss how Simply Carbon Reduction can help your business to measure, monitor and reduce your Greenhouse Gas, then get in touch with us today.