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Emissions & CarbonAlso: Climate neutralAlso: CO2 neutral

What Is Carbon Neutral?

Definition

Carbon neutral means that any CO₂ released into the atmosphere by an entity is balanced by an equivalent amount of CO₂ removed or offset, resulting in zero net carbon emissions for a defined period.

Carbon Neutral Explained

Achieving carbon neutrality typically involves two steps: (1) measuring and reducing emissions as much as possible, and (2) purchasing carbon offsets or credits to compensate for remaining emissions.

Carbon Neutral vs Net Zero

Carbon neutrality allows unlimited use of offsets, while net zero requires deep absolute reductions first (typically 90%+). Many organizations are moving from "carbon neutral" claims to more rigorous net zero commitments following criticism of offset quality.

Related Terms

Carbon Footprint

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (including CO₂ and methane) generated by an individual, organization, event, or product, usually expressed in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).

Net Zero

Net zero means achieving a balance between the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere and those removed, resulting in no net increase in atmospheric CO₂ levels.

Scope 1, 2, and 3 Emissions

Scope 1, 2, and 3 are categories defined by the GHG Protocol that classify greenhouse gas emissions by their source: direct operations (Scope 1), purchased energy (Scope 2), and value chain activities (Scope 3).

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