VIDEO: Top experts from the University of Oxford, Friends of the Earth, Vertree and the UK Green Building Council tackle the carbon offsets debate
Negative emissions technologies and nature-based solutions are likely to play a vital role in delivering net zero emissions, and certainly in stabilising the climate be reducing emissions in the atmosphere in the second half of the century.
However, the global offsets market remains dogged by legitimate concerns about its efficacy, and companies run the risk of 'greenwashing' accusations from campaigners and consumers. So what, if anything, can be done to ensure carbon offsets projects are credible and deliver on their promised emissions reductions?
A host of leading experts from across the spectrum of industry, academia, green NGOs and the offsets market itself came together to discuss this question at BusinessGreen's recent Net Zero Festival including: Alastair Mant, director of business transformation at the UK Green Building Council (UKBC); Ariel Perez managing partner at Vertree; Friends of the Earth's head of science, policy and research Mike Childs; and Professor Nathalie Seddon, director of the Nature-based Solutions Initiative at the University of Oxford.
Chaired by journalist Lucy Siegle, their fascinating and pertinent discussion - coming as it does just weeks ahead of COP26, where offsetting is sure to be a major bone of contention - can be watched in full above.
All of the panel debates, keynote speeches, and presentations from the Net Zero Festival - which took place over three days from 29 September 2021 featuring hundreds of top speakers from business, politics and academia - are now available to watch again on demand by signing up for free on the Net Zero Festival website.
