The answer to this question is partly a matter of perspective. Current scientific evidence suggests that to mitigate the risk of dangerous climate change, global GHG emissions must be reduced by 60 to 80 percent by mid-century, 14 equivalent to many billions of tons of annual reductions. In this context, the contribution of the voluntary carbon offset market – even under the most optimistic demand scenarios – is likely to be small. Instead, globally coordinated mandatory policies will be needed to drive significant near-term reductions in emissions and achieve long-term stabilization of atmospheric GHG concentrations. Voluntary carbon offset.
