As the fashion industry grows and consumers clamor for more sustainability, carbon offsetting has become a bigger topic. Before we dive into the relationship between carbon offsets and fashion, it is important to understand what is carbon offsetting. Carbon credits and offsets are part of the overall carbon market, where companies are incentivized to lower their carbon footprint where companies buy credits to make up for the greenhouse gases that they emit. The issue with the current system in place is that its effectiveness is quite questionable.
https://www.vox.com/2020/2/27/20994118/carbon-offset-climate-change-net-zero-neutral-emissions
There is controversy surrounding carbon offsetting as it is not currently shaping up to be the solution to sustainability everyone was hoping for. There is criticism that companies aren’t actually reducing carbon emissions, but instead are exaggerating or falsifying their climate progress. Carbon credits being voluntary is also a topic of discussion as critics question the fairness of companies being allowed to purchase credits if they are doing little to nothing to reduce their carbon emissions. This conversation then extends to what companies are doing to protect and restore biodiversity. Companies remain under questioning in regards to how they plan to help the environmental crisis amd whether or not there is necessary funding and if funds are being allocated appropriately.
Carbon offsetting may not be the perfect solution, but it is still a step towards the right direction. Companies need to still aim at reducing their emissions and rather than simply focusing on being carbon neutral, they should invest time and money into being carbon negative. Companies need to be more proactive in dealing with their emissions and aim at its total elimination and shift focus from just being “sustainable” to discussing what they can do to restore the environment. Offsetting should be a stepping stone to a greater solution, rather than a be-all-end-all.
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