UK seeks clear rules for carbon-offset schemes

Carbon offsets are a new form of business activity that have developed from the need to fight climate change in the most cost-effective way. Retail companies have created the possibility for citizens and businesses to compensate for their air and car travel as well as other CO2-generating activities by buying emission reductions from others. By planting trees or helping to fund renewable energy projects in other countries or continents, citizens and businesses can neutralise their carbon emissions and contribute to fighting global warming without having to change their own behaviour. For more background information, see Wikipedia.

These voluntary schemes have grown in popularity in certain countries and carbon offsetting has become big business. Some of the top offset retailers are Climate Care and the CarbonNeutral Company  in the UK, atmosfair  in Germany and Climate Trust  in the US. 

But the schemes have also raised issues of standards and effectiveness. There have been several cases of controversial projects that brought harm to the environment or local communities - therefore, consumers have started to raise doubts about "carbon-neutralising" practices and NGOs have warned that carbon offsetting should not become an alibi for not taking serious legislative steps to reduce greenhouse gases.