Carbon insets could help shipping decarbonise, but they are not without risk
- Investing in carbon reductions inside a company’s own value chain can help bring about greener shipping practices in the years before regulation kicks in
- But lack of clear standards for certification and verification create risk of double counting and greenwashing, much like offsets
- Book-and-claim schemes have potential but need effective oversight to work
Carbon insetting schemes at their best can be a useful tool for encouraging greener shipping. But at their worst they can amount to ‘misguided and unhelpful distractions’, a Umas report has found
