Aircraft engines produces greenhouses gases, particles and water vapour which are released into the atmosphere. It’s this mixture that makes them so polluting, but the focus of offsetting is on carbon dioxide (CO2) as it’s the most common greenhouse gas. Carbon offsetting doesn’t get rid of the carbon dioxide produced when you fly – that still goes into the atmosphere.
What it does do is try and make up for your share of the CO2 which gets released by reducing it somewhere else instead, which will slow help to down the global rise in carbon dioxide levels. This is usually based on measuring how many tonnes of CO2 are produced by each flight and investing in a project which reduces CO2 levels by the same amount.
There are two main types of offset project. First are forestry projects, which either stop existing trees being cut down or plant new ones. The trees act as a ‘biological sink’ by taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Then there are energy projects, which reduce the amount of fossil fuels used by investing in energy efficient products or renewable technology. Often these projects have social and sustainability benefits for developing countries too.
Some airlines like Emirates choose not to offer offsets. Or you might want to offset flights you’ve already taken. And if you want to choose which type of project – or even which specific project – you fund, it’s usually best to offset directly. Gold Standard is one of the most widely recommended bodies and the name I kept coming across. It’s a Swiss non-profit founded by a group of environmental groups and NGOs including the WWF. Their projects are based in developing countries and combine reducing CO2 with sustainable development.
https://www.ontheluce.com/carbon-offsetting-flights/
