In the scope of carbon offsets, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) carbon offsets could play a role in lowering the global average concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, which now registers at over 400 parts per million. So, we had to ask: What are REDD+ carbon offsets really, and could they help us mitigate climate change?

REDD+ carbon offsets are a specific type of avoidance carbon offset that help reduce carbon emissions through a reduction in deforestation. REDD+ offsets are virtually immediate and cost-effective; however, determining the baseline is difficult and they can lack both additionality and permanence.

Keep reading to find out all about what REDD+ carbon offsets are, how they work, how effective and efficient they are, what their pros and cons are, and what the best ones are. 

At the end of the article, we’ll also share with you how these offsets can help mitigate climate change and what better alternatives to them are. 

The Big Picture of REDD+ Carbon Offsets

Carbon offsets play a crucial role in reducing our carbon footprint, the amount of CO₂ emissions associated with an individual or an entity. 

“Carbon footprint: the amount of greenhouse gasses and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something (such as a person’s activities or a product’s manufacture and transport) during a given period”

Merriam Webster

Basically, a carbon footprint is the amount of carbon emitted by an activity or an organization which includes GHG emissions from fuel that we burn directly and GHG emissions from manufacturing the products that we use.

One way to reduce our carbon footprint is via the use of carbon offsets. These are reductions in GHG emissions that are measured in tons of CO₂ equivalents and are bought and sold through international brokers, online retailers, and trading platforms. 

“Carbon offset: a way for a company or person to reduce the level of carbon dioxide for which they are responsible by paying money to a company that works to reduce the total amount produced in the world, for example by planting trees”

Oxford Dictionary

Essentially, carbon offsets are reductions in GHG emissions that are used to compensate for emissions occurring elsewhere. They do not directly reduce your carbon footprint, instead, they make others reduce their carbon footprint to compensate for your carbon footprint. 

Carbon offsets reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions beyond what we each can achieve through individual actions. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) carbon offsets are a type of avoidance carbon offset, which involve measures aimed at preventing carbon from being released into the atmosphere. 

“REDD+: a framework created by the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) to guide activities in the forest sector that reduces emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, as well as the sustainable management of forests and the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries.”

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

REDD+ is the only emissions reduction program and standard included in the Paris Climate Agreement and approved by over 190 countries. 100% of the sale of RRUs go back to the countries that are actively protecting rainforests.

What Are REDD+ Carbon Offsets

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) refers to verified carbon emissions reductions resulting from efforts taken to reduce deforestation and prevent forest degradation in a designated area over a period of time.

REDD+ is a method of carbon avoidance, where we seek to prevent carbon emissions from entering our atmosphere. It is a United Nations-backed framework that aims to combat global deforestation and preserve rainforests. It was launched in 2005 and now encompasses 90% of our planet’s rainforests and over 65 rainforest countries.

How Do REDD+ Carbon Offsets Work

In general, REDD+ is a mechanism by which countries are financially incentivized to generate measured, reported, and verified carbon emissions reductions from prevented deforestation. Because REDD+ offsets chiefly protect existing forests rather than creating new ones, carbon emissions reductions can occur immediately.

REDD+ is used to refer to the following 5 activities:

1. Reducing emissions from deforestation
2. Reducing emissions from forest degradation
3. Conservation of forest carbon stocks
4. Sustainable management of forests
5. Enhancement of forest carbon stocks

REDD+ is often referred to as a payment-for-performance system because countries receive financial compensation (payment) when they successfully reduce carbon emissions resulting from deforestation (performance).

REDD+ carbon offsets help reduce carbon emissions through a reduction in deforestation. Efforts to preserve forests and prevent deforestation are measured and reported to the UNFCCC, which verifies and publishes the emissions reductions on an online registry so individuals and businesses can then purchase carbon credits to offset their own emissions.

How Effective and Efficient Are REDD+ Carbon Offsets

In terms of effectiveness, REDD+ carbon offsets help reduce carbon emissions through a reduction in deforestation; however, baseline emissions calculations can have a high degree of uncertainty. The majority of REDD+ projects only protect the baseline and often lack permanence. 

In terms of efficiency, REDD+ carbon offsets chiefly preserve existing forests and are relatively cost-effective; however, they also only avoid emissions during the project’s life span and they can have a high rate of carbon re-emission.

REDD+ carbon offsets are effective at mitigating climate change because they:

• Place a financial value on the carbon stored within our rainforests to incentivize against deforestation and future forest degradation

However, REDD+ carbon offsets can also lack effectiveness because they:

• Face difficulties when establishing the baseline emissions is difficult
• Only protect the baseline, which can cause you to still be a net carbon emitter even after offsetting
• And lack permanence because they are nature-based, reversible solutions

REDD+ carbon offsets are efficient at reducing CO₂ emissions because they:

• Chiefly protect existing forests from deforestation, which is more time and cost-effective than creating new forests
• Are relatively cost-effective when compared to other methods of carbon reduction

However, REDD+ carbon offsets can also lack efficiency because they: 

• Only avoid carbon emissions during project durations
• Can have a high rate of carbon re-emission due to a lack of additionality and permanence

REDD+ carbon offsets also do not reduce your own carbon emissions, which can lead to greenwashing. This occurs when emissions are only offset and not reduced from the source, and the consumer is deceived into thinking they are offsetting their emissions but in reality, they are not. This is why we should first reduce our emissions before relying on offsets.

What Are The 5 Pros and 4 Cons of REDD+ Carbon Offsets

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) carbon offsets reduce deforestation and forest degradation, mitigate climate change, preserve biodiversity, help maintain the water cycle, and contribute to the advancement of modern medicine. They also allow us to reduce carbon emissions in ways we wouldn’t be able to accomplish individually.

However, REDD+ offsets often lack additionality and permanence, and determining baseline carbon emissions is difficult. They also do not reduce your own carbon emissions.

What Are the 5 Pros of REDD+ Carbon Offsets

REDD+ offsets have various pros that make them effective at reducing deforestation, preserving rainforests, and preventing carbon stored in trees from entering our atmosphere.

What Are the 4 Cons of REDD+ Carbon Offsets

Understanding the drawbacks of REDD+ offsets is important when implementing this strategy on a large scale in order to mitigate climate change.

How Could you Offset Your Own Carbon Footprint With REDD+ Carbon Offsets

The market for carbon offsets was small in the year 2000, but by 2010 it had already grown to represent nearly $10 billion worldwide. The Ecosystem Marketplace predicts the VCM can grow to $50B by the year 2050. The voluntary carbon offset market (VCM) is where everyday consumers can purchase carbon offsets to offset their carbon emissions. 

On the VCM, REDD.plus provides carbon credits that are verified by the UNFCCC and registered under the Paris Agreement. But there are others protecting rainforests and preventing further deforestation across the globe. Below are our favorite REDD+ offsets.

How Can REDD+ Carbon Offsets Help Mitigate Climate Change

Climate change is a severe and long-term consequence of fossil fuel combustion. REDD+ carbon offsets can help mitigate climate change because they protect rainforests, which sequester millions of tons of CO₂ every year and prevent it from entering our atmosphere. Atmospheric carbon can remain in circulation for tens of thousands of years and exacerbate the negative effects of climate change.

How is Climate Change Defined

Climate change is arguably the most severe, long-term global impact of fossil fuel combustion. Every year, approximately 33 billion tons of CO₂ are emitted from burning fossil fuels. The carbon found in fossil fuels reacts with oxygen in the air to produce CO₂. 

“Climate change: changes in the earth’s weather, including changes in temperature, wind patterns and rainfall, especially the increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase of particular gasses, especially carbon dioxide.”

Oxford Dictionary

Atmospheric CO₂ fuels climate change, which results in global warming. When CO₂ and other air pollutants absorb sunlight and solar radiation in the atmosphere, it traps the heat and acts as an insulator for the planet. Since the Industrial Revolution, Earth’s temperature has risen a little more than 1 degree Celsius (C), or 2 degrees Fahrenheit (F). Between 1880-1980 the global temperature rose by 0.07C every 10 years. This rate has more than doubled since 1981, with a current global annual temperature rise of 0.18C, or 0.32F, for every 10 years. 

As outlined in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, we must cut current GHG emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. 

How Do Carbon Offsets Generally Help Mitigate Climate Change

Levels of carbon in our atmosphere that cause climate change have increased as a result of human emissions since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1750. The global average concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today registers at over 400 parts per million. Carbon offsets can help prevent these levels from increasing even more.

When you hear the words “carbon offset”, think about the term “compensation”. Essentially, carbon offsets are reductions in GHG emissions that are used to compensate for emissions occurring elsewhere. 

Carbon offsets that meet key criteria and verified project standards, are additional and permanent, and are a part of projects that are carried out until the end of their lifespan have the best chance of reducing carbon emissions and therefore reducing climate change. 

When we offset CO₂ we also slow the rate of global temperature rise, which in turn minimizes the effects of climate change. 

How Do REDD+ Carbon Offsets Specifically Help Mitigate Climate Change

REDD+ offsets specifically help mitigate climate change because they create a financial incentive for protecting rainforests by placing value on their carbon sequestration and storage abilities. REDD+ carbon offsets help reduce carbon emissions through a reduction in deforestation.

By protecting rainforests, we increase the amount of carbon they are capable of storing. The more carbon our rainforests can sequester, the less carbon there is in our atmosphere. And because higher levels of carbon exacerbate global warming, less is better.

What Are Better Alternatives to REDD+ Carbon Offsets

If used correctly, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) carbon offsets can provide environmental, economic, and social benefits beyond reducing carbon emissions. They have the potential to instigate meaningful environmental change and protect our rainforest communities. 

However, we can’t let this method be a guilt-free way to reduce carbon emissions. REDD+ carbon offsets help avoid carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere, but they do not help remove what is already there. REDD+ must be used in conjunction with direct carbon reduction measures until the industry has time to develop accurate baseline identification methods and can ensure additionality and permanence. 

These direct reduction measures don’t have to involve drastic changes either. Actions that may seem small can have a big impact because those small changes add up! You can reduce your carbon footprint in three main areas of your life: household, travel, and lifestyle. 

Reduce your household carbon footprint:

• Wash with cold water: Washing clothes in cold water could reduce carbon emissions by up to 11 million tons. Approximately 90% of the energy is used to heat the water, so switching to cold saves also saves energy.

• Replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs: Fluorescent bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent ones, saving energy and thus reducing electricity demand and GHG emissions.

Reduce your travel carbon footprint:

• Fly less: Aviation accounts for around 1.9% of global carbon emissions and 2.5% of CO₂. Air crafts run on jet gasoline, which is converted to CO₂ when burned.

• Walk or bike when possible: The most efficient ways of traveling are walking, bicycling, or taking the train. Using a bike instead of a car can reduce carbon emissions by 75%. These forms of transportation also provide lower levels of air pollution.

Reduce your lifestyle carbon footprint:

• Switch to renewable energy sources: The six most common types of renewable energy are solar, wind, hydro, tidal, geothermal, and biomass energy. They are a substitute for fossil fuels that can reduce the effects of global warming by limiting global carbon emissions and other pollutants.

• Recycle: Recycling uses less energy and deposits less waste in landfills. Less manufacturing and transportation energy costs means fewer carbon emissions generated. Less waste in landfills means less CH₄ is generated.

• Switch from single-use to sustainable products: Reusing products avoids resource extraction, reduces energy use, reduces waste generation, and can prevent littering.

• Eat less meat and dairy: Meat and dairy account for 14.5% of global GHG emissions, with beef and lamb being the most carbon-intensive. Globally, we consume much more meat than is considered sustainable, and switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet could reduce emissions. 

• Take shorter showers: Approximately 1.2 trillion gallons of water are used each year in the United States just for showering purposes, and showering takes up about 17% of residential water usage. The amount of water consumed and the energy cost of that consumption are directly related. The less water we use the less energy we use. And the less energy we use, the less of a negative impact we have on the environment.

Because REDD+ offsets are an indirect way and not a direct way of reducing emissions, they alone will not be enough to reduce global carbon emissions significantly. Direct measures of emission reductions, such as reducing individual energy use and consumption, are better alternatives to REDD+ offsets. 

Final Thoughts

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)carbon offsets help reduce carbon emissions through a reduction in deforestation and are relatively cost-effective; however, baseline emissions calculations can have a high degree of uncertainty and the majority of REDD+ projects only protect the baseline, often lack permanence, only avoid emissions during the project’s life span, and can have a high rate of carbon re-emission. 

The top REDD+ companies support third-party verified REDD+ projects that combat deforestation. But although REDD+ offsets can instigate meaningful change, they should not be seen as the only solution to climate change. They are effective at reducing CO₂ in the short-term, but in the long-term, they fail to reduce CO₂ enough. 

When used in conjunction with direct CO₂ reduction measures, carbon offsetting can be much more effective. We should reduce our own carbon footprint as much as possible first, and only then choose the most effective carbon offsets.

Stay impactful,

Sources

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Climate Change – Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: REDD+
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Offsets and RECs -What’s the Difference?
• Impactful Ninja: Why Is a Carbon Footprint Bad for the Environment? All You Need to Know
• United States Environmental Protection Agency System of Registries: Climate Change Terms – Carbon Footprint
• David Suzuki Foundation: Are carbon offsets the answer to climate-altering flights?
• Britannica: Carbon Offset
• Rainforest Coalition: How does REDD+ work?
• REDD.plus: Homepage
• REDD.plus: FAQ/Help
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: UNFCCC negotiations 
• IOP Publishing: Measurement and monitoring needs, capabilities and potential for addressing reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation under REDD+
• Impactful Ninja: What Are REDD+ Carbon Offsets and How Do They Work? The Big Picture
• S&P Global: Debate on avoidance and REDD+ carbon projects to dominate the next UN Climate Conference
• Carbon Offset Guide: Permanence
• The Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy: Nature-Based Solutions
• Impactful Ninja: How Effective and Efficient Are REDD+ Carbon Offsets? Here Are the Facts
• Impactful Ninja: REDD+ Carbon Offsets: All 5 Pros and 4 Cons Explained
• Science: Amazon rainforest ability to soak up carbon dioxide is falling
• National Geographic: Deforestation
• Rainforest Concern: Why are Rainforests Important?
• Carbon Offset Guide: Additionality
• Edie: Carbon offsetting – How are businesses avoiding greenwashing on the road to net-zero?
• Ecosystem Marketplace: Voluntary Carbon Markets Top $1 Billion in 2021 with Newly Reported Trades
• Carbon Offset Guide: Voluntary Offset Programs
• United Nations Convention Framework on Climate Change: The Paris Agreement
• Pachama: Homepage
• Wildlife Works: Homepage
• InfinteEARTH: Homepage
• Biofilica: Homepage 
• World Land Trust: Homepage
• Terrapass: Homepage
• Carbonfund: Homepage
• Clear: Homepage
• Impactful Ninja: Best REDD+ Carbon Offsets
• World Nuclear Association: Carbon Emissions from Electricity
• Natural Resources Defense Council: Global Warming 101
• myclimate: What does “net zero emissions” mean?
• Natural Resources Defense Council: Carbon Offsets 101
• Terrapass: Carbon Offset Projects
• The Ocean Foundation: Reduce Your Carbon Footprint 
• Energy Information Administration: Renewable Energy Explained 
• Energy Star: Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) and Mercury
• Our World in Data: Where in the world do people have the highest CO2 emissions from flying?
• Zero Waste Europe: Reusable vs Single Use Packaging
• Carbonbrief: Interactive – What is the climate impact of eating meat and dairy?
• Stop Waste: Recycling and Climate Protection
• Impactful Ninja: Is Taking Long Showers Bad for the Environment?
• United States Environmental Protection Agency: Showerheads
• Impactful Ninja: 4 Main Reasons Why Reducing Your Carbon Footprint is Important