4 Carbon offsetting

One commonly used option to reduce carbon emissions is carbon offsetting where businesses and individuals compensate for their carbon emissions by paying an offset company to invest in renewable energy, afforestation or similar schemes. Carbon offsetting is still new and exactly how effective it is remains unclear. However, those that invest in renewable energy or energy efficiency projects and can prove that they reduce CO₂ emissions are probably best. Many schemes involve tree planting, bioenergy or capturing gas from existing industrial plants but are less likely to be effective as they don't invest in the infrastructure needed for a low-carbon future.

There are currently no compulsory legal guidelines for offset companies, but standards have been set by several accreditation bodies, for example DEFRA's Code of Best Practice and the Gold Standard. However effective an offsetting scheme, it is still better to reduce emissions in the first place. There is more information on the following websites:

• the government's Quality Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsetting

• The Gold Standard ‘Premium Quality Carbon Standards