Credit Check: A Comparative Evaluation of Tree-Planting and Fossil-Fuel Emission Reduction Offsets

Published by: David Suzuki Foundation

Climate solutions greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonization, fossil fuels

Thank you for visiting the David Suzuki Foundation website to learn more about carbon credits and offsets. We are reviewing our position on these approaches based on the latest research and will be updating this content with a revised position. For a full statement, visit the FAQ on our contact page.

This report compares the effectiveness of two of the most common types of carbon offsets used in the voluntary carbon market. Both types of offsets claim to reduce the net amount of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere but there are fundamental differences between them.

Specifically, this report examines whether a tonne of carbon sequestered and stored in plant biomass can be treated as equivalent to a tonne of carbon that remains locked up underground in the form of fossil fuels (i.e., as oil, natural gas, or coal deposits). It is important for consumers to understand the implications of these differences in order to make informed decisions when purchasing carbon credits.