Faced with consumer pressure amid the climate crisis, multinationals increasingly vaunt their commitment to “carbon neutrality”. But can we believe their claims of ‘net zero’ or is this simply greenwashing?

Many of these large companies rely on carbon offsetting to burnish their green credentials, financing ‘ecological’ projects via carbon credits rather than reducing emissions. The most popular projects are tree plantations. A huge business has emerged around buying and selling these credits. Companies connect giant corporations, which might be engaged in mining or petrochemicals, with reforestation projects around the world. The intermediary companies then disperse the funds and take a commission.