Carbon offsetting explained in 2 minutes
Carbon offsetting will be a major point of tension at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. How does it work and who makes use of it?
Countries participating in the Paris Agreement are expected to update their pledges at the United Nations Climate Change conference that will be held in Scotland between October 31 and November 12. The aim of the agreement is to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to limit the global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Countries can become carbon neutral by limiting the amount of greenhouse gases they produce and by compensating the emissions that can't be cut. The carbon offsetting market has become increasingly attractive for countries, companies and individuals, who finance projects that will either suck CO2 out of the atmosphere, or reduce the CO2 release.