Climate compensation

For a long time, saying that a company “offsets its emissions” was a popular phrase in corporate sustainability communications. Since 2024, ZeroMission—like other players in our industry—has instead begun referring to the practice as carbon offsetting a term we feel better describes what it’s actually about.

Our view is that critics of carbon offsetting fail to recognize that the meaning of the concept has actually evolved over time. Today, no sustainability manager believes that purchasing carbon credits alone absolves them of responsibility for their own emissions. There are also reports showing that those who purchase carbon credits are also working more actively to reduce their own emissions. To condemn the entire voluntary market for carbon credits based on low-cost options is like condemning the entire apparel industry based on what the cheapest fast-fashion retailers produce. There are serious, long-term sustainable, and high-quality alternatives—which are, in fact, absolutely essential. Just as with most other products, the cheaper and more price-driven the carbon credits you buy, the greater the risk that the climate benefits will not materialize.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is clear: climate goals cannot be achieved through reduced emissions alone. We also need to actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. That is why climate compensation—known today as carbon offsetting—is an important tool for companies, organizations, and governments to achieve their climate goals. A simple comparison makes it clear: imagine that carbon dioxide—just like plastic, paper, or metal—is a form of waste that ends up in the atmosphere. Supporting climate projects through carbon offsetting a way to manage this waste instead of letting it remain in the atmosphere.

Another aspect that is increasingly being highlighted is the so-called co-benefits of these projects—the social and ecological benefits that come with high-quality projects. In addition to sequestering carbon dioxide, they can help strengthen local communities, protect biodiversity, and improve living conditions. When projects are done right, the benefits are threefold: the climate, the environment, and people all benefit at the same time.