Carbon Offsets

Carbon Offset Resources for Colleges and Universities

Carbon offsets are an important component of most Climate Action Plans (CAPs). While the Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitments do not require the use of carbon offsets to achieve carbon neutrality, most Climate Leadership Network Signatories will have some portion of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that cannot be eliminated through other means. This is particularly true for Scope 3 emissions, as commuting and campus-sponsored air travel is often unavoidable. Second Nature provides guidance and support for Signatories to develop robust carbon offset strategies.

Campuses have many options for how they choose to integrate carbon offsets into their CAPs. These options range from developing local offset projects with community benefits to purchasing traditional 3rd party verified offsets through the voluntary carbon market.  

Please email [email protected] with questions or to discuss any of the above resources and initiatives.