Carbon Offsetting

Carbon offsetting is an internationally recognised way to take responsibility for unavoidable carbon emissions. 

In a world where climate change is increasingly on the agenda and global emissions continue to grow, your customers, investors and staff are looking to your business to act responsibly.

Over 20% of the world’s largest 2,000 public companies have set Net Zero commitments, with the number growing continuously. The pressure now moves to which methods to employ in order to decarbonise. Carbon offsetting can form part of an effective strategy to achieve your organisation’s ambitions now.  ClimateCare helps organisations take responsibility for their climate impact by financing, developing and managing carbon reduction projects across the world.  

What is carbon offsetting?

In simple terms, offsetting one tonne of carbon means there will be one less tonne of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than there would otherwise have been. To  offset your emissions you must purchase the equivalent volume of carbon credits (independently verified emissions reductions) to compensate for them.  The payments you make to purchase these carbon credits (carbon finance) is what makes the emissions reductions projects which created them, financially viable and sustainable. These projects can then continue to reduce global carbon emissions by improving technologies, changing awareness and behaviours in a community. Every carbon credit we sell represents one tonne of emissions reductions that has been delivered by a project, and is independently audited to internationally agreed standards. They are all certified by third parties and go through a rigorous system of checks and balances to prove they are real, measurable, permanent, additional, independently verified and unique.

How to offset your carbon footprint

Carbon offsetting is just one tool in our toolbox to tackle climate change and should not be considered as a stand-alone action. Organisations and individuals should look to reduce their emissions as much as possible, as well as taking responsibility for what remains, by offsetting it.

Offsetting carbon emissions is a continuous process starting with measuring your carbon footprint, setting a strategy to decarbonise your organisation and offsetting residual emissions while you transition to a low-emission operating model.

Alongside actions to reduce your emissions, offsetting what remains is best practice. And choosing to offset through ClimateCare means you’ll support high quality carbon reduction projects that deliver value for the environment, your business and local communities.

The offsetting process is outlined in these simple steps:

What types of climate reduction projects can I use to offset my emissions?

Climate reduction projects can range from nature-based solutions, improved household technology to renewable energy solutions.

Some projects prevent carbon emissions entering the atmosphere, such as those that replace devices using fossil fuels with cleaner technology (cleaner cook stoves). These are often known as carbon avoidance projects.

Other projects take CO₂ out of the atmosphere, such as planting trees to sequester carbon. These are known as removals projects.

The positive impact from emission reduction projects is not just for the climate. Many projects also deliver positive outcomes for local communities, economies, health and the natural world, contributing to the UN sustainable development goals.  Funding emission reduction projects by purchasing carbon credits helps provide necessary finance to sustain the project.

We deliver some of the largest carbon offsetting programmes in the world and have access to over 600 projects in more than 56 countries.  We work with project partners around the globe to create and scale carbon reduction projects. We can help you offset emissions through the right mix of projects, that resonate with the objectives of your organisation.

Why carbon offsetting is a vital tool in tackling climate change

To limit global warming to 1.5 degrees as set out in the Paris Agreement, we need to halve emissions by 2030.  This means we need to take immediate action while also putting plans in place to decarbonise over the next decade.  Carbon offsetting is a vital tool to help tackle climate change as it allows you to take action for carbon emissions you produce today, while you transition to a lower carbon future.  While carbon offsetting alone will not solve climate change, it is an important tool on our journey to Net Zero.

Listen to our webinar about the role of carbon offsetting on the journey to net zero.

Why carbon offset with us?

• We deliver some of the largest carbon offsetting programmes in the world
• We’ve been tackling climate change and improving lives since 1997
• To date, we’ve reduced 51 million tonnes of CO₂e and improved 46 million lives

An award-winning profit with purpose Certified B Corporation, we’re recognised as setting the highest standards in our sector.

Our team will help your organisation go Climate Neutral today, demonstrating full responsibility for your current carbon footprint while you transition towards Net Zero. And we will develop a long term plan to secure carbon avoidance and removal credits - through our existing or new projects. We work with project partners around the globe to create and scale carbon reduction projects in locations that matter to your organisation.

What carbon offsetting can be used for

Carbon offsetting is an interim measure as you work to reduce your own direct emissions. Organisations use offsetting in different ways. You can use it to help compensate for:

• your residual carbon footprint after all other means of cutting emissions have been exhausted.
• emissions from a particular product, service, building, project or event.
• emissions from your supply chain.
• it is a cost effective way to meet multiple social impact, environmental and business targets.

How to carbon offset with us

There are two simple ways to take responsibility for your emissions: