Understanding Carbon Credits

Many organizations have set ambitious climate targets. Achieving these goals often requires them to reduce the emissions generated by their own activities, while also funding external decarbonization projects to offset emissions that cannot yet be eliminated.

This is where carbon credits come into play. These credits are issued, monitored, and verified according to strict, internationally recognized standards, allowing businesses to reliably and transparently compensate for their unavoidable emissions.

By utilizing carbon credits, companies can provide stakeholders with evidence that they have effectively offset their carbon emissions.

Carbon credits also facilitate essential financing for decarbonization projects around the world. This funding is vital to ensure we meet our global climate objectives and to support communities that are most affected by climate change, yet contribute the least to its causes.


Local employee measuring native tree species growth progress, Form Ghana, Ghana

What Is Carbon Offsetting?

Carbon offsetting is a practical way to balance out the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions we create. By supporting projects that reduce or remove greenhouse gases, businesses and individuals can counteract their unavoidable emissions and contribute to global climate goals.

Each carbon credit represents one tonne of CO2 that has been reduced, avoided, or removed from the atmosphere by a verified project.

Why Does Carbon Offsetting Matter?

The world must cut greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Carbon offsetting helps organisations:

  • Take immediate action while working on long-term emission reductions.
  • Support impactful projects like reforestation, renewable energy, and community initiatives.
  • Accelerate progress toward net zero in a cost-effective way.

Offsets also create critical funding for projects in communities that are most affected by climate change but often least responsible for causing it.

Local farmers planting trees, Panna Afforestation, India

How Do Carbon Offsets Work?

Carbon offsets allow you to compensate for your emissions by investing in projects that:

  1. Reduce emissions: Initiatives like renewable energy replace fossil fuels and cut global emissions.
  2. Remove emissions: Nature-based solutions such as reforestation absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
  3. Improve lives: Community-based projects provide clean energy, health benefits, and sustainable livelihoods.

For example, purchasing offsets from a reforestation project means your investment helps plant trees that absorb CO2, balancing out your emissions while restoring ecosystems.

Examples of Carbon Offset Projects

We source high-quality carbon offset projects to ensure your impact is real and measurable. Examples include:

  • Nature-Based Solutions: Reforestation, grassland preservation, and wetland restoration.
  • Community Projects: Clean cookstoves, water filtration systems, and solar energy initiatives.
  • Sustainable Infrastructure: Wind farms, solar installations, and low-carbon transport systems.
 
Sabah Conservation, Malaysia              Aqua Clara, Kenya                        Orb Energy, India

The Challenges and Importance of Quality

Not all carbon offsets are created equal. High-quality projects meet rigorous standards to ensure they deliver real, additional, and permanent benefits. At Climate Impact Partners, every project undergoes a thorough quality assurance process to ensure:

  • Additionality: Emission reductions wouldn’t have occurred without the project.
  • Permanence: Reductions are long-lasting and protected against risks like deforestation.
  • Transparency: Every credit is verified and tracked to prevent double-counting.

How to Offset Responsibly

For meaningful impact, carbon offsetting should go hand-in-hand with reducing your own emissions. Here’s how to approach offsetting:

  1. Measure your footprint: Understand the emissions you produce.
  2. Reduce emissions where possible: Implement sustainable practices in your operations.
  3. Offset the rest: Purchase credits to balance unavoidable emissions.

Why Choose Our Offsets?

By purchasing from us, you can trust that your contribution supports verified, high-impact projects. Here’s what sets us apart:

  • Over 25 years of expertise in carbon markets.
  • Partnerships with leading global standards like Verra and Gold Standard.
  • A robust 10-step quality assurance process to ensure integrity and transparency.
Climate Impact Partners Team visiting the Panna Afforestation project, India

Join the Climate Movement

Whether you’re an individual, a small business, or a global corporation, purchasing carbon credits empowers you to take climate action today while building a sustainable future.

Explore our Portfolios to find curated solutions that align with your values and sustainability goals.