Carbon offsetting: regulating a new initiative

Sky

Wednesday, 07, Jan 2009 11:33

As individuals and businesses increasingly explore the environmental benefits of carbon offsetting, the government plans to introduce a Code of Best Practice to regulate the emerging market.

A consultation, which opened in January 2007, closed on April 13th and the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs will now work on finalising the code for the provision of carbon offsetting to UK customers.

Writing exclusively for politics.co.uk, ministers and opposition parties explore the issues surrounding carbon offsetting. The climate change minister Ian Pearson introduces the government's plans to regulate the industry and why this is neccesary to help consumers make informed choices about their actions. Lib Dem environment spokesman Chris Huhne explains why carbon offsetting has become so popular, and what is needed to make it a key part of the country's action on climate change. And the Green party's principal speaker Dr Derek Wall provides an alternate view, highlighting the shortcomings of carbon offsetting and the need for more radical action.