News & Press
By Gilles Dufrasne on 24 Feb 2021
Alternatives to offsetting are no longer fringe
Carbon market stakeholders are slowly moving beyond the zero-sum game of offsetting towards alternative ways of financing climate action. This positive development will make the existing market more robust, helping to shield it from reputational risks and environmental integrity scandals. Offsetting – paying someone else to reduce emissions instead of reducing one’s own – has…
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By Kaisa Amaral on 29 Jan 2021
Carbon Market Watch Newsletter – January 2021
New Year New Climate Momentum The private-sector task force, led by Mark Carney, has published its roadmap for “scaling up voluntary carbon markets”. More investments in climate action are, of course, more than welcome. But the task force should pay more attention to quality – instead of focusing on quantity. One striking omission in the new…
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By Sabine Frank on 28 Jan 2021
The lengthened and stony road to Glasgow
A reminder of the tricky issues of agreement on global carbon market rules in the context of ratcheting up climate ambition Raising ambition is the primordial task for governments ahead of and at the next UN climate conference. But it will also be essential to finally agree on the rules that will govern global carbon…
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By Kaisa Amaral, Gilles Dufrasne on 28 Jan 2021
Companies can do better than offsetting
Relying on paying someone else to reduce emissions is risky and unsustainable. Therefore, private companies should stop “offsetting” and instead financially help poorer countries reach their climate targets and foster sustainable development. Voluntary carbon markets are booming as businesses across the world make climate-neutrality pledges. These plans often rely on the purchase of credits from…
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By Kaisa Amaral on 27 Jan 2021
Private sector carbon market report evokes more concern than hope
Carbon Market Watch’s reaction to the publication of the report by the task force on scaling up voluntary carbon markets BRUSSELS 27 January 2021 The report of the “Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets” proposes the creation of updated quality criteria for carbon offsets and standardised reporting requirements but also leaves the door open for…
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By Kaisa Amaral on 20 Jan 2021
Carbon Market Watch agenda – Spring-Summer 2021
Carbon Market Watch agenda outlines our priorities and key political milestones for the next months. Download here
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Carbon Market Watch Newsletter – October 2020
Green Commitment Or Greenwashing? Since last year, Shell has been offering European motorists “carbon neutral” driving and recently Total announced that it is now selling “carbon neutral” liquified natural gas. Are the fossil fuel giants going green? No, we are not talking about electric car charging stations or renewable fuels. Both Shell and Total are…
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“Offsetting must not be a license to continue polluting”
We joined the World Press Clubs Alliance for Climate launch event on Friday 23 October. Watch the interview with Sabine Frank here. Companies and governments are announcing “climate-neutrality” targets, and consumers are being offered ways to offset their carbon footprint. What does this mean in practice? How can we distinguish between real climate action and…
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By Gilles Dufrasne on 22 Oct 2020
Up in smoke – California fires once again highlight dangers of forest offsets
Companies are increasingly adopting “climate-neutrality” targets, which often include relying on forests to compensate for pollution. After yet another such offset project was swallowed by flames in California, unresolved questions about forest and land offsets resurface. It’s a simple tagline for green marketing campaigns: “Enjoy our product, it’s climate neutral”. While the tagline is simple,…
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By Kaisa Amaral on 9 Oct 2020
Carbon Market Watch agenda – Autumn 2020
Carbon Market Watch agenda outlines our priorities and key political milestones for the next months. Click here
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