Carbon Offsets
This research project was completed by students from UBC’s ENVR 400 course in 2019.
What are carbon offsets?
Voluntary Carbon Offsets are a service that individuals, households and businesses can use to compensate for greenhouse gas emissions they could not reduce. Purchasing a carbon offset pays an offset project in another location to remove one ton of CO2 from the atmosphere, or to prevent it from being emitted in the first place. Offset projects include reforestation or conservation projects, renewable energy projects, and energy efficiency projects.
Examples of Projects Sponsored by Voluntary Offset Funds
- A biomass boiler in a commercial greenhouse in Delta, B.C. The biomass boiler provides energy to replace the natural gas heating system that the greenhouse operator would have otherwise relied on.
- A ground-source heat pump installation in Salmon Arm, B.C, heating a retirement home, and providing warm water for elderly residents.
- A wind farm near Izmir, Turkey. The farm helps to diversify Izmir’s energy mix, reducing their overall dependency on fossil fuels.
When to buy an offset?
Offsets are not a ‘silver bullet’ solution to the climate crisis and are most impactful after individuals have already taken significant steps to shrink their personal carbon footprint.
These are the four steps you should take before purchasing offsets.