Next: Climate Glossary

CarbonTracker.com is in the process of compiling a collection of publicly available, reliable sources of information about carbon offsets.

See the sources below for both introductory and more in-depth information about carbon offsets.

Carbon Offset Overviews

A Consumers Guide to Retail Carbon Offset Providers
(pdf) by Clean Air – Cool Planet (December 2006).
This report provides a detailed description of the voluntary carbon offset market, along with ratings of various offset providers.

The Market for Voluntary Carbon Offsets: a new tool for sustainable development?
(pdf) by Nadaa Taiyab/IIED (March 2006)
This report by Nadaa Taiyyab explores the potential for carbon markets to provide a new source of funding for sustainable development activities in the South. The author examines concerns about offsets and makes recommendations as to how the voluntary market could be improved to encourage sustainable development.

Exploring the market for voluntary carbon offsets
(pdf) by Nadaa Taiyab/IIED (March 2006)
This paper by Nadaa Taiyab explores the potential for financing small-scale high-benefit sustainable development projects through the voluntary and retail sector of the carbon market.

Voluntary Offsets for Air-Travel Carbon Emissions
by Kollmuss & Bowell (December 2006)
This report offers guidelines for consumers wishing to offset their emissions. It investigates 13 companies and organizations that sell offsets to individuals.

Flying Green: How to Protect the Climate and Travel Responsibly
(pdf) - Guidelines developed by the Tufts Climate Initiative (January 2007)
This short handout outlines ways in which you can minimize your air travel emissions and choose a reliable vendor to offset unavoidable emissions.

Carbon Offsets – beyond the basics

State and Trends of the Carbon Market 2006
(pdf) by IETA/World Bank (May 2006)
This report by IETA/World Bank describes the structure and main segments of the carbon market, investigates allowance-based and project-based transactions, and finally presents major emerging trends.

State of the Carbon Market 2005
(pdf) by IETA/World Bank (May 2005)
This study by IETA/World Bank reviews the state and trends of the carbon market as of May 2005, based on material provided by Evolution Markets LLC and Natsource LLC, and based on interviews with a large number of market participants.

The role of the Carbon Market in proposals for addressing climate change post-2012
(pdf) by Murray Ward for IETA (November 2005)
This paper by Murray Ward assesses proposed climate change policy regimes by using a range of practical questions focusing on two key issues:
(1) How might an international carbon market develop and function in practice?
(2) Would this result in economically efficient out comes, and be effective in mobilising investment in climate friendly actions and providing ‘market pull’ for development of new technologies?

The Emerging International Greenhouse Gas Market
(pdf) by Rosenzweig, Varilek & Janssen for the Pew Center on Global Climate Change (March 2002)
This report by Rosenzweig et al. describes the various public and private programs under which many early GHG trades occurred, the characteristics of the emerging market including the key features of early transactions, and the potential evolution of the market given the concurrent development of domestic and international climate change policy.