
The most intuitive carbon accounting and offset solution on the market. Taking organizations of all sizes to net zero.

contact@shiftcarbon.io

+1.604.617.9847
Offsets are not a replacement for direct action by individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their own carbon footprints, but if used as a complementary measure, they can offer a number of benefits.
Along with their key benefit – creating reductions in greenhouse gas emissions – voluntary carbon offset purchases also have the potential to:
Despite these potential benefits, carbon offsets have been criticized by some commentators as being akin to “papal indulgences”, “just a way to buy your way out”, or as a right to pollute for those who can afford it.
However, these criticisms are unjustified, considering that carbon offsets can result in real reductions in greenhouse gases. Offsetting can be seen as a voluntary application of the “polluter pays” principle, whereby those who produced the pollution take responsibility for cleaning it up. It should also be noted that offsetting is similar to any other service available in a market-based economy, such as financial accounting or a telecommunications (e.g., phone) service ,where factors like a need for specialized expertise or economies of scale lead to the out-sourcing of some activities.
Purchasers pay for the service because they lack the time, resources, or expertise to do it themselves. It is important to recognize that carbon offsets are not a silver bullet for climate change, and that no voluntary approach to greenhouse gas emissions should ever delay or take the place of effective government regulations that set firm reduction targets and put a price on emitting carbon. However, the problem of climate change is so large and urgent that it requires a whole range of solutions, and voluntary carbon offsets can make a contribution.