Corporations using ‘ineffectual’ carbon offsets are slowing path to ‘real zero’, more than 60 climate scientists say
Leading climate scientists from nine countries, including the UK, US, and Australia, have signed a pledge asserting that carbon offsets from forest-related projects are “ineffectual” and impeding the necessary energy transition. This statement comes from over 60 prominent climate experts, who emphasize that achieving “real zero” emissions is essential, as opposed to the current reliance on “net zero” strategies.
The “real zero pledge” was initiated by the Lethal Humidity Global Council, composed of scientists, health experts, and policymakers. Notable signatories include Professor Michael Mann from the University of Pennsylvania, Professor Johan Rockström of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and Bill Hare, founder of Climate Analytics and a member of a UN expert group that has expressed concerns about the excessive use of carbon offsets.
“We should be focused on genuine emissions reductions, rather than playing a counting game,” Hare remarked.
The pledge highlights rising apprehensions that many carbon offsets generated from forestry projects—such as avoided land clearing in Australia—may not lead to actual emissions reductions. The Lethal Humidity Global Council specifically addresses the dangers posed by increasing temperatures combined with high humidity, which threaten human health.
Professor Katrin Meissner, director of the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of New South Wales and a signatory, noted that offset programs often focus on tree growth or allowing areas to regrow. However, she pointed out that these methods cannot permanently sequester carbon, as trees can release carbon back into the atmosphere during events like droughts or wildfires. “Reliance on carbon offsets without genuine emission reductions is both dangerous and counterproductive,” she stated. “To meet the targets set by the Paris Agreement, we have no time to spare. Companies must cease high-carbon activities now.”
Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick from Australian National University echoed this sentiment, describing “net zero” as essentially a temporary fix that fails to address the root causes of climate change.
Russell Reichelt, a veteran public servant and Australia’s ambassador for sustainable oceans, expressed concern about the capacity of natural carbon sinks—including forests and oceans—to cope with the increasing levels of CO2 emissions. He previously served on Australia’s Climate Change Authority, which noted last year that the country’s carbon credit system was aiding the transition to net zero.
The Minderoo Foundation, co-founded by billionaire Andrew Forrest, convenes the council behind the pledge. Forrest has publicly labeled net zero a “fantasy” and urged corporations to prioritize eliminating fossil fuel use altogether.
