Junk Offsets Are Feeding Wave of Greenwashing, Study Shows (2)

Corporations relying on carbon credits to support their green claims now face “robust and credible” proof that the vast majority of such securities aren’t fit for purpose, according to a study published in the journal Science.

The research, which analyzed 18 carbon-offset projects across Peru, Colombia, Cambodia, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, found that only 5.4 million — or 6% — of a potential 89 million credits were linked to additional carbon reductions through preserved forests. More than 60 million carbon credits originated from projects that barely reduced deforestation.

“There has been a suspicion that these carbon ...