Does A Carbon Offset Cut Current CO2 Emissions?


Maybe yes, maybe no.  It depends on several factors that boild down to the qualityu of the offset.  The Natural Reosurces Defense Council, NRDC, has a concise summary of the issue with some suggestions.

It's worth noting that at least there is the potential for a carbon offset to reduce current CO2 emissions whereas a Renewable Energy Certificate, in and of itself, will not reduce current CO2 emissions.

As the NRDC summary indicates, the first course of action is to reduce our current activity that is causing the CO2 emissions.

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