What is the main purpose of carbon offsetting?

The primary purpose of carbon offsetting is to compensate for one’s carbon emissions by investing in projects that reduce or remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This often involves funding renewable energy initiatives, reforestation, or energy efficiency projects that help offset the released greenhouse gases. By balancing out emissions through these positive environmental actions, individuals and businesses can strive towards achieving carbon neutrality.

In contrast, increasing greenhouse gas emissions contradicts the fundamental goal of carbon offsetting, which aims to mitigate climate change. Imposing taxes on carbon emissions is a regulatory approach that does not directly relate to the concept of offsetting; while it may incentivize reductions, it doesn't involve direct compensation for emissions. Monitoring climate change, while vital, does not provide a mechanism to reduce one’s carbon footprint or contribute directly to environmental improvement, which is at the core of what carbon offsetting strives to achieve.