carbon offsets
Pollution balance payments
Carbon offsets are credits purchased to compensate for one's greenhouse gas emissions.
The buyer pays for projects that reduce carbon elsewhere—planting trees, funding renewable energy, capturing methane—theoretically balancing out their own pollution.
Critics question whether offsets represent genuine environmental benefit or simply allow polluters to buy a clear conscience: The airline offers carbon offsets at checkout.
Units toward graduation
- cap-and-tradeMarket-based pollution control
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- verificationProving something accurate
- certificationAttestation of qualification
trading · registry · retirement · permanence · leakage · baseline · vintage · gold standard
Substances released into air
- mitigationReduction of severity
- net zeroBalanced emissions state
- footprintMark from stepping
- sequestrationAct of setting apart
Kyoto Protocol · Paris Agreement · greenhouse gas · climate action
Replanting depleted woodlands
- afforestationIntroducing woods to treeless land
- forest preservationProtecting extensive tree ecosystems
- tree plantingInstalling saplings in earth
- sequestrationAct of setting apart
agroforestry · land use · habitat protection · native species · watershed protection
False sustainability claims
- controversyProlonged public disagreement
- effectivenessSuccess in producing results
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- transparencyState of being see-through
quality standards · overestimation · indigenous rights · land grabbing
credits
Units toward graduation
- cap-and-tradeMarket-based pollution control
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- verificationProving something accurate
certification · trading · registry · retirement · permanence · leakage · baseline · vintage · gold standard · double counting
emissions
Substances released into air
- mitigationReduction of severity
- net zeroBalanced emissions state
- footprintMark from stepping
sequestration · Kyoto Protocol · Paris Agreement · greenhouse gas · climate action
reforestation
Replanting depleted woodlands
- afforestationIntroducing woods to treeless land
- forest preservationProtecting extensive tree ecosystems
- tree plantingInstalling saplings in earth
sequestration · agroforestry · land use · habitat protection · native species · watershed protection
greenwashing
False sustainability claims
- controversyProlonged public disagreement
- effectivenessSuccess in producing results
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
transparency · quality standards · overestimation · indigenous rights · land grabbing
- eco-friendlysustainable, fair trade, green, biodegradable, recyclable
- environmentalismecology, conservationism, recycling bins, campaigner, environmentalism
- eco actionsrecycling, composting, tree planting, water conservation, energy saving
- eco-travelecotourism, hiking, public transit, train travel, carpooling
- green practicesrecycling, recycled paper, reusable bags, solar panels, solar power
- Carbon CycleCO2, photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, CO2 levels
carbon offsetsdecarbonization
Eliminating fossil fuel emissions
energy transition · structural change · direct action · electrification · greenwashing
carbon, offset, offsetting, offsets, hydrocarbon, bicarbonate, carbons, hydrocarbons, carboxyl