A dirt road leads to a forest clearance concession in Mayumba, Gabon. | Photo: Getty Images
A major watchdog for corporate sustainability is warning that carbon offset credits are a risky tactic for tackling climate change. The nonprofit organization had faced pressure to soften its stance on carbon credits, which many companies promote as a way to deal with pollution. This week’s findings seem to refute that effort.
Plenty of brands have tried to sell themselves as climate-friendly, but consumers struggle to know whether those companies are actually having a positive impact. That’s where the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) steps in, developing standards for climate goals and assessing companies based on those guidelines.
The SBTi is in the process of updating its standards, which could have a big impact on the…