Can You Purchase Carbon Credits?

     The concept of purchasing carbon credits comes with the newer concept of personal carbon trading. The new local industry of carbon credit trading allows those who need or want more carbon credits to purchase them from those who are voluntarily attempting to lower their carbon footprint.

     An individual, group, or organization, can purchase carbon credits. First and foremost, do your research on the company you are thinking of buying credits from. They need to have verification. A shortage of verification makes it difficult for buyers to assess the true value of carbon credits. Also, some companies and individuals are overpricing. Why are their carbon credits more expensive? What is their value? Have they been lowered due to emission cuts?

     It is also possible do personal carbon trading. The concept of carbon trading refers to emissions trading. It is hoped that personal carbon trading will help to lower the amount of emissions by allotting a certain amount of emissions to individuals on an equal per capita basis. The number is based on national carbon budgets. The credits can later be surrendered when buying fuel or electricity.

     Any individual who needs or wants more carbon credits would need to trade or purchase additional credits. Not only does this allow people to get additional credits, it also makes it possible for those who do not need all of their credits, or are voluntarily lowering their carbon emissions, to sell surplus credits. Individual trading under Personal Carbon Trading is similar to the trading companies under the European Union Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading System (EU ETS).

     Personal carbon trading is not the same as carbon offsetting. They are very similar in the sense that they pay for emissions allowances, but carbon trading differs in the sense that it is designed to be mandatory so nations are guaranteed domestic carbon emissions targets. There are various carbon proposals. Included are Tradable Energy Quotas (TEQs), Personal Carbon Allowances (PCAs), and Tradable Personal Pollution Allowances.

     Depending on the personal carbon trading that is chosen, individuals would most likely use electric accounts to control the carbon credits. The account would allow individuals to surrender credits when making purchases of electricity, heating fuel or petroleum. Personal carbon credits would also be used for public transportation. Those who sell their extra credit would benefit by lowering their carbon footprint, which is, of course, the entire point of personal carbon credits.