Carbon credits: knowing how to pick the right investments
Low-quality projects do more harm than good, but knowing how to differentiate them from high-quality credits can be tricky
Carbon credits haven’t always had the best reputation. In addition to criticisms that they help some to mask their true carbon footprint, the bigger concern is with poorly-run projects – the ones that not only fail to deliver on their environmental promises, but may also be detrimental to the communities within which they are sited.
With many of them sitting alongside well-run projects, it can be tough for some investors, particularly those who are newer to the game, to know which is which. A well-meaning purchase of carbon credits to set off the emissions of one’s air travel, for example, could end up causing more harm than good.
The Business Times spoke to project managers whose enterprises span various causes and geographical regions to get a better sense of the work that’s done on the ground, and for a firmer grasp of the attributes of good-quality projects.
KEYWORDS IN THIS ARTICLE
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
ESG
Asia’s killer April heatwave was made much worse by climate change
Temasek-backed Climate Impact X to launch market intelligence service
With right incentives, Asia’s energy transition needs could be met by private markets
OCBC goes green with trees, tech and tie-ups
Blended finance deal value hits 5-year high of US$15 billion in 2023
Are floating cities the solution to rising seas?