carbon credit, definition of

Carbon Footprint refers to the the total greenhouse gas emissions that result from a person, organization, product or service over a given time.

It tends to act as an umbrella term for any attempt to measure greenhouse gas emissions and as a result can refer to simply the emissions that result from a single activity, such as flying; the emissions that result from an organization or building over the course of a year; or the full lifetime emissions of a product or organization, including emissions from the supply chain or disposal of resources.

While carbon footprints colloquially refer to the amount of CO2 emitted, the UK Carbon Trust endorses a wider definition and considers all six of the Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases - Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Hydro fluorocarbons, Perfluorocarbons, and Sulfur hexafluoride - when measuring a carbon footprint.

• Carbon Offsets, what they are and how they help
  Carbon offsets can help with reducing overall carbon emissions by possibly balancing out the carbon impact on the environment. This article goes into more detail on the subject.

• WWF's Amazon carbon trading cash cow
  It appears the World Wildlife Fund could be on its way to securing up to $60 billion in carbon credits from 'saving' the Amazon - more like 'cashing in' on the Amazon if you ask me..

• How a Small Chinese Company Tricked the German State | DW Investigation
  DW uncovered that dozens of Chinese climate projects, certified by the German authorities as carbon credits under the upstream emission reduction scheme, failed to deliver on promises to save millions of tons of carbon emissions...
• Is Al Gore the Latter Day Pardoner?
  Carbon Credits Are Modern Indulgences.  Guest post by Dr. Tim Ball Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1342 – 1400) is among the giants of English literature, recognized for his perceptive and realistic stories about human nature. Like Shakespeare, his characters...
• Global carbon market expected to crash, already loses half of its value since 2011, from $18 to less than $10 in 2012
  Global Carbon Market Hits $176 Billion in 2011 By Jo Nova Global Carbon Market trading climbed to $176 billion in 2011 according to the The World Bank, which has just released it’s annual State and Trends of The Carbon Market … Continue reading...
• Corruption in the carbon trading market
  Corruption and crime already taking place in the carbon market Opinion piece by Julie Bishop, Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Australia) 20th July 2011 Carbon offsets have already run out of credit “…..It is alarming that the Prime Minister has …...
• Countdown to flatline: world carbon trading market falls for first time – World Bank reports rumblings of possible failure
  I wonder how long before flatlining occurs, like last year with the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX):   Even the Guardian is covering this “failure” of carbon markets...

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