carbon offset

plural carbon offsets

1. A reduction in carbon dioxide emission by a third party purchased by a heavy carbon dioxide producer as part of carbon emissions trading.

   Today, if you want to counter the carbon impacts you create from flying, you too can buy carbon offsets.

   2016, Jayson Lusk, Unnaturally Delicious, →ISBN, page 28

   3 more examples

   Carbon offsets do seem to offer the most direct way to assuage traveler’s guilt. In theory, they magically expiate your sins.

   2019 June 3, Andy Newman, “If Seeing the World Helps Ruin It, Should We Stay Home?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   Money from carbon offsets can provide vital financial support for projects seeking to protect and restore some of the most beautiful threatened ecosystems around the world.

   2021 May 4, Patrick Greenfield, “Carbon offsets used by major airlines based on flawed system, warn experts”, in The Guardian, retrieved 04 May 2021

   Carbon offsets are a popular route for reaching “net zero” – Oliver cited one study which found that two-thirds of companies in heavily polluting industries relied on offsets instead of emissions reductions to reach carbon neutrality.

   2022 August 22, Adrian Horton, “John Oliver on corporate ‘net zero’ proposals: ‘We cannot offset our way out of climate change’”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: CO₂ offset