The New Wave of Carbon Offsets: Is This Time Different?

This week, we’re talking about the new wave of carbon offsets. Will startups and corporates be able to solve accountability problems?

Right up until the global economy stopped working in March, the carbon offset market was surging. In 2019, offset sellers saw a 5-fold increase in purchases, after years of low demand in the wake of the financial crisis.

Flight-shamed consumers were demanding them. The world’s top companies were buying them in record numbers.

But then came the coronavirus shock. The steep drop in fuel and electricity consumption has slowed consumer demand for carbon offsets in the short-term, but there are still underlying trends that may herald the return of carbon offsets.

Is this time different? Can new players improve the quality and traceability of carbon reductions?

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