Despite a lot of talk surrounding the need to be more environmentally aware, many countries are falling short when it comes to decarbonisation and net zero targets. For businesses, many incentivised approaches have been adopted and pledges have been signed, which is seen as movement in the right direction. On an individual level, however, there aren’t the same ‘carrots’, although one scheme in New South Wales, Australia, is looking to change that.

There, drivers are being given the opportunity to offset their vehicle emissions when registering their car. The scheme is being designed to help people reduce their carbon footprint, with all money raised going towards activities that reduce or offset CO2 emissions in the country. It is hoped that, through drivers signing up, New South Wales can help reach its target of a 70% emissions reduction by 2035 and net zero by 2050.

An Ecosystem Marketplace report from August 2022 states that the voluntary carbon marketplace was valued at close to US$2bn in 2021, quadrupling its value from 2020. The company’s data reveals that more than 170 different types of credits were available, with contributions from over 100 countries. While no-one from Ecosystem Marketplace could put a figure on the contributions from individuals, it is thought to make up just a small minority of the total of that $2bn value of offsets.

In the UK, the three carbon offset providers are Forest Carbon, My Carbon Plan and Carbon Footprint. Forest Carbon’s original aims were to increase woodland cover in the UK and also enable businesses to give back to nature restoration projects. Since then, the scheme has been expanded to work with landowners and individuals too, helping to plant more than 13 million trees, most of which are located in the UK.

As a result of these efforts, Forest Carbon has not only planted all those trees, but also helped develop the Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code certification standards. The organisation has been helping to finance peatland restoration projects as 80% of peatlands (making up 10% of the UK land mass) have been degraded meaning that rather than ‘locking in’ carbon as they did in the past, 23 tonnes of CO2 a year is being emitted.

It is, however, reported that Forest Carbon is no longer offering offsetting schemes for the UK. My Carbon Plan still does, with individuals given the choice of a monthly offset plan (contributions of £5, £10 or £20 a month are available) or the ability to purchase carbon offsets by tonne of CO2, with a tree planting offset of one tonne costing £6.50.  The only not-for-profit organisation out of the three, My Carbon Plan’s aim is to plant 100,000 trees every year in the UK to create new areas of woodland. It is unclear how many of the trees – and how much money – is funded by individuals, but there is a concerted effort to make people take responsibility for their carbon footprint and offset accordingly.

Taking a slightly more cautious view, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) recently concluded that there is ‘insufficient evidence that carbon offsetting is an effective means of achieving permanent carbon reductions.’ UKRI does, however, recognise that carbon offsetting ‘will have a role to play in future’ and says it will continue to support and work with partners on research in the field.

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Words by John Challen