How does buying carbon credits help businesses to offset their own greenhouse gas emissions?

Carbon credits represent a certain amount of emissions reduced or removed. The cost of carbon credits can vary based on a number of factors including project type, emissions reduction achieved, and the market demand. To read more about Alberta’s regulated market, click here. 

First, a business should calculate their own greenhouse gas emissions. For more information on this process, see our post on How to Assess Your Business’s Greenhouse Emissions. 

Secondly, a business should set their reduction targets. Determining the reduction in emissions is usually determined by a percentage of reduction from the baseline emissions. Having clear targets in reduction will help to guide the carbon offset strategy. 

Next, choose a carbon offset provider. There are a variety of sources to so, including providers, projects, and brokers.

Find a project that aligns with your business’s values and objectives. Consider the type of project, the location, and the specific emissions it targets. Find projects that are certified by recognized standards to ensure their legitimacy and effectiveness in reducing emissions. 

With MNPA, we provide a few options in what this looks like. If you want to see all the ways that MNPA works with partners to guarantee the production of carbon offsets and which option fits best, see our partnership opportunities page. 

To learn more about purchasing carbon credits, see Purchasing Carbon Credits in Alberta.