The following article was first published at Net Zero Analysis and is available with footnotes and references at the following web address: https://netzeroanalysis.com/further-reading-and-resources/articles-and-white-papers/

Infrastructure projects seldom consider or include potential carbon offset–generation income during development. Due primarily to weak controls and opaque pathways to monetization, carbon-offset values were somewhat unpredictable. However, numerous regulatory guidelines from the United Nations and emerging regulations in the United States provide rapidly evolving opportunities.

This article briefly provides background on the changes and outlines what comprises a legal carbon offset and the standards behind it. The expectation of growing need for offsets creates potential opportunities for infrastructure owners; the article concludes with multiple examples of current carbon-offset projects in infrastructure, demonstrating this market.