The market for carbon offsets is projected to be worth upward of $50 billion in 2030 as more businesses turn to the voluntary carbon market as a tool for meeting ambitious climate commitments and supporting decarbonization efforts. With carbon offsets and their projects becoming increasingly popular, the amount of different buzzwords and project types are increasing as well, so much so that it can be difficult to decide which project to support and understand the tangible and verifiable impact offsets have.

After all, not all carbon offsets are created equally — but what does that actually mean? In the first of our five-part series, Demystifying the Carbon Market, we break down and answer a very important question: What is a High Quality Carbon Offset?

The carbon market as a whole, and offsets’ place in it, can often feel overwhelming and confusing. With continued growth and investment into the voluntary carbon market, it’s important to understand where your money is going and how carbon projects are making a verifiable impact for the planet and its people.

Other videos in the series will be released weekly and will cover topics including: Types of carbon projectsHow do I get started with carbon offsetting?Why are carbon prices inconsistent?The do’s and don’ts of carbon offsetting

“What our climate needs right now is urgency. The voluntary carbon market provides an efficient mechanism to direct funds toward communities most impacted by climate change in the global south, and can help us accelerate the path toward climate change mitigation,” said Dee Lawrence, Co-Founder and Director of Cool Effect. “Over the past two decades, I’ve seen first-hand how truly transformational carbon finance can be for both the environment and communities in need, and we’re committed to sharing that knowledge with businesses and corporations who can support and extend that positive impact.

To view videos in the series as they are released, visit cooleffect.org/Carbon101. To support Cool Effect’s carbon reducing projects or learn more about how to partner with Cool Effect to develop a meaningful sustainability and carbon offset program, please visit cooleffect.org/for-business.

About Cool Effect:Cool Effect is a San Francisco Bay Area 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to reducing carbon emissions around the world. Endorsed by 1% for the Planet, its mission is to educate and then inspire businesses and individuals to take measurable action against climate change by purchasing scientifically verified carbon offsets from the world’s highest quality projects. It returns more than 90% of each donation directly to its project partners and, since its launch at the Paris COP in 2015, has helped projects receive compensation for three million tonnes of emission reductions. Like the Butterfly Effect, The Ripple Effect, and others, a single action can have global impact. To learn more, visit https://cooleffect.org.